creator
Patreon
FreeMonetization · Newsletters
Membership platform letting creators offer paid subscription tiers, exclusive content, and community perks directly to fans.
Updated September 2026
Patreon vs Ko-fi (2026)
Patreon is best for creators building recurring membership income from their most engaged fans; Ko-fi is best for creators who want free tipping plus optional low-fee shop and membership tools. Patreon starts at Free + 8% fee and Ko-fi at Free + 0% on tips (5% on shop/memberships).
Ko-fi
FreeMonetization · Newsletters
Lets creators collect one-off tips, run memberships, and sell digital/physical products with 0% fee on tips.
| Patreon | Ko-fi | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | creators building recurring membership income from their most engaged fans | creators who want free tipping plus optional low-fee shop and membership tools |
| Starting price | Free + 8% fee | Free + 0% on tips (5% on shop/memberships) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Platforms | — | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Users | 80M+ users reported | — |
| Key features | Membership tiers, Native video and livestreaming, Email newsletters, Chats, DMs and comments, Member analytics, Podcast RSS distribution | Tip jar / donations, Memberships (tiers), Digital & physical shop, Commissions, Discord integration, Streamer alerts widget |
| Integrations | Discord, Shopify, Zapier, Spotify | PayPal, Stripe, Discord, Streamlabs, OBS |
| Founded | 2013 | 2017 |
Questions people ask
+Is Patreon or Ko-fi cheaper?
Patreon starts at Free + 8% fee; Ko-fi starts at Free + 0% on tips (5% on shop/memberships).
+What does Patreon have that Ko-fi doesn't?
Membership tiers, Native video and livestreaming, Email newsletters, Chats, DMs and comments, Member analytics, Podcast RSS distribution.
+What does Ko-fi have that Patreon doesn't?
Tip jar / donations, Memberships (tiers), Digital & physical shop, Commissions, Discord integration, Streamer alerts widget.