Ko-fi fee calculator
Ko-fi has three fee structures, not one, and the default for new creators isn't the cheapest. This uses the Standard plan's 5%.
Fees verified 03 August 2026 against Ko-fi’s official fee page.
Three plans, and which one you're on
Ko-fi free charges nothing on tips but 5% on shop sales, memberships and commissions. Standard, which new accounts default to, charges 5% on everything including tips. Ko-fi Gold charges 0% on all of it for $12 a month.
The arithmetic on Gold is simple: at a 5% fee, $12 a month is break-even at $240 of monthly earnings. Below that, Gold costs you money; above it, Gold is strictly cheaper and the gap widens fast. If you're consistently clearing a few hundred a month, staying on Standard is a quiet 5% donation to Ko-fi.
What none of the plans include is payment processing. Ko-fi doesn't handle payments itself — your money moves through your own connected PayPal or Stripe account, and those fees apply on top. Ko-fi's pricing page acknowledges this but doesn't publish the rates, so check the Stripe and PayPal calculators on this site for the real total.
Questions
Which plan am I on?
New creators default to Standard, which charges 5% on everything. You can switch to Ko-fi free (0% on tips only) or pay $12/month for Gold (0% on everything) in your Ko-fi settings.
When is Ko-fi Gold worth it?
At 5%, Gold's $12/month breaks even around $240 in monthly earnings. Consistently above that and Gold saves money; below it and you're paying for features rather than savings.
Does this include PayPal or Stripe fees?
No — and neither does Ko-fi's own quoted rate. Ko-fi doesn't process payments; your connected PayPal or Stripe account does, and their fees come out on top of the 5%.