/ Real Earnings Index / Ko-fi

Ko-fi

Creator Economy · 0% take rate (free tier); 5% on shop sales
A-

Excellent (A-) — Real Earnings Grade

Ko-fi operates a creator tipping platform with the most founder-friendly economics in the category: 0% take rate on tips (creators pay only payment processor fees). Optional Gold subscription ($6/mo) provides advanced features. Most economically aligned platform in creator-economy category.

89
Composite / 100
/ Subscore Breakdown · 5 Dimensions

Where this grade comes from.

Take Rate Transparency
A
Worker Protection
A-
Payment Reliability
B+
Talent Vetting
B
Real Earnings
A-
/ Public-Record Events

Key events & disclosures.

  • Founded 2012
  • 0% take rate on tips
  • Gold subscription tier $6/mo
  • Multi-decade founder continuity

/ Best for

Creators seeking the most economically aligned tipping platform with 0% take rate on basic tier.

/ Watch out for

Smaller community footprint than Patreon; less suitable for creators seeking platform-driven discovery.