In 2026, creators keep an estimated $70.00 to $96.80 of a single $100 US card payment across FanBell, Patreon, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, Gumroad, Substack, and Cameo, a range modeled before payout, tax, currency-conversion, and conditional app-store fees. On ten $100 payments totaling $1,000, the modeled take-home range is $700.00 to $968.00 after listed platform and standard processing fees.
How do creator platform fees compare in 2026?
Headline platform fees range from 0% for Ko-fi tips on its Free plan to a 30% Cameo cut, based on Cameo’s statement that creators keep 70%. Most platforms also charge or pass through payment processing, commonly about 2.9% plus $0.30 for a US card payment.
| Platform | Platform fee | Payment processing | Monthly cost | Payout notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FanBell | 12% only when a fan pays (pricing) | Stripe’s standard US card rate is about 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe pricing) | $0 (pricing) | Stripe pays the creator’s connected bank account |
| Patreon | 10% on the standard plan for recently published pages; older tiers range from 5% to 12% (Patreon creator fees) | About 2.9% + $0.30 per pledge (Patreon creator fees) | $0 | Patreon documents its monthly payout schedule and separate payout fees in its creator-fee guidance |
| Ko-fi | 0% on tips through the Free plan; 5% on shop sales, memberships, monthly support, and commissions (Ko-fi pricing) | PayPal or Stripe processing applies separately (Ko-fi pricing) | $0 for Free or $12 per month for Gold, which removes the 5% fee (Ko-fi pricing) | Payments can go directly to the creator’s connected PayPal or Stripe account (Ko-fi pricing) |
| Buy Me a Coffee | 5% on each transaction (Buy Me a Coffee: how charges are calculated) | About 2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe; an additional 1% applies to international transactions | $0 (Buy Me a Coffee: how it works) | Creators can request a payout once the balance reaches a $10 threshold |
| Gumroad | 10% + $0.50 per direct sale; Discover marketplace sales cost 30% (Gumroad pricing) | About 2.9% + $0.30, billed separately from Gumroad’s fee (Gumroad fees) | $0 (Gumroad pricing) | Gumroad acts as merchant of record, and payout minimums apply |
| Substack | 10% of paid-subscription revenue (Substack going paid) | Stripe’s standard US card rate is about 2.9% + $0.30 | $0; an optional custom domain costs a one-time $50 (Substack going paid) | Designed around recurring paid newsletter subscriptions |
| Cameo | Creators keep 70%, making Cameo’s cut 30%, on bookings made through Cameo’s website (Cameo talent page) | No separate card-processing line item for the creator; on bookings made through the iOS app specifically, Apple’s 30% commission is deducted from the booking fee first, before Cameo’s split applies to what remains | $0 | Weekly payouts (Cameo talent page) |
Cameo’s primary talent page is the basis for the comparison: creators keep 70% of a booking, so the modeled Cameo cut is 30%. Applicable iOS bookings can return less because Apple’s app-store fee is deducted first. See FanBell vs. Cameo for the full comparison.
What do you actually keep from $100 and $1,000?
The following table estimates the all-in transaction cost, including each platform’s listed fee, percentage-based processing, and fixed processing fees. The $100 example assumes one US card payment. The $1,000 example assumes ten separate $100 US card payments, so each fixed per-transaction charge applies ten times.
For platforms that pass through card processing, the model uses Stripe’s standard US rate of about 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Actual totals can vary by country, payment method, tax, currency, legacy plan, international surcharge, or processor.
| Platform and modeled plan | Total fees on $100 | You keep from $100 | Total fees on ten $100 payments | You keep from $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FanBell — 12% (pricing) | $15.20 | $84.80 | $152.00 | $848.00 |
| Patreon — 10% standard plan (source) | $13.20 | $86.80 | $132.00 | $868.00 |
| Ko-fi — tips on Free plan, 0% (source) | $3.20 | $96.80 | $32.00 | $968.00 |
| Ko-fi — shop or membership on Free plan, 5% (source) | $8.20 | $91.80 | $82.00 | $918.00 |
| Buy Me a Coffee — 5% | $8.20 | $91.80 | $82.00 | $918.00 |
| Gumroad direct sale — 10% + $0.50 per sale (source) | $13.70 | $86.30 | $137.00 | $863.00 |
| Substack — 10% (source) | $13.20 | $86.80 | $132.00 | $868.00 |
| Cameo — creator keeps 70% (source) | $30.00 | $70.00 | $300.00 | $700.00 |
The model excludes optional or conditional costs that do not apply uniformly, including Ko-fi Gold’s $12 monthly subscription, Substack’s optional $50 custom domain, Buy Me a Coffee’s additional 1% on some international transactions, and any applicable iOS app-store deduction on Cameo bookings.
This comparison does not make FanBell the cheapest choice for every transaction type. Ko-fi’s Free plan has a 0% platform fee on tips, while Ko-fi shop or membership payments and Buy Me a Coffee transactions have a 5% platform fee. FanBell instead uses a percentage-only model: its 12% platform fee applies only when a fan pays, with no monthly charge (pricing).
For a deeper explanation of subscriptions, percentage fees, processing charges, and payout terms, read creator platform fees explained.
Why is Cameo’s fee higher than the others?
Cameo operates a browseable talent marketplace where fans discover and book creators directly on Cameo’s platform, rather than only paying a creator they already follow elsewhere. Cameo says talent keeps 70% of a booking, which means its standard marketplace cut is 30%.
That fee pays for access to Cameo’s marketplace and browsing audience. By contrast, FanBell’s editorial read is that a tip jar, link-in-bio tool, or direct-fan platform like FanBell generally assumes the creator already brings the fan, rather than sourcing a new one through a browsing marketplace — this is analysis, not a measured, sourced statistic. Cameo may therefore be useful when its marketplace generates bookings the creator would not otherwise receive, but expensive when the creator already has an audience willing to pay directly.
That deduction order is conditional on the booking channel: it applies only to bookings made through Cameo’s iOS app, where Apple’s 30% commission comes out of the booking fee before Cameo pays out its share of what remains, per Cameo’s own Talent Terms of Service, which state that for an app booking Cameo pays talent based on “the amount actually received by Cameo after subtracting any payment to or deduction by the application platform”. Bookings made through Cameo’s website are not subject to that Apple deduction, and that stacked cost is not included in the standard 70%-creator-keep figure used in the tables above.
Does a low platform fee mean a low total cost?
No. A creator must consider at least four separate cost and access factors:
- Platform fees: The percentage or fixed amount charged by the creator platform.
- Payment processing: Stripe’s standard US card rate is about 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.
- Monthly plans: Ko-fi Gold costs $12 per month and removes Ko-fi’s 5% service fee on applicable payments. Unlike a percentage fee, that subscription is still due during a month with no revenue.
- Payout conditions: Minimum balances and payout schedules affect when creators can access earnings. They do not automatically reduce the amount earned in the same way as a platform fee, although separate payout or instant-transfer charges can affect the final amount received.
A 0% platform fee therefore does not mean a payment is entirely free. Processing can still apply, and an optional monthly plan can change the total cost.
Where does FanBell fit in the comparison?
FanBell is a direct-fan tool for paid fan interaction, including paid questions, personalized shoutouts, defined services, one-time tips, and project support. It is free to start, has no monthly fee, and has no follower minimum (pricing).
FanBell charges a 12% platform fee only when a fan pays (pricing). Stripe processes payments at its applicable rate and sends payouts to the creator’s connected bank account (how it works).
On platform fee alone, Ko-fi’s 0% Free-plan tips and Buy Me a Coffee’s 5% fee cost less for pure tipping, while Patreon’s current 10% standard plan costs less for recurring subscriptions. FanBell’s distinction is its transaction-based model: creators do not need to pay a monthly subscription or meet a follower minimum before offering paid interactions.
Frequently asked questions
Which creator platform has the lowest fees in 2026?
Ko-fi’s Free plan has the lowest listed platform fee for one-time tips at 0%, although PayPal or Stripe processing still applies. In the standardized US-card model above, a creator keeps about $96.80 from one $100 Ko-fi tip after estimated processing.
For other transaction types, Ko-fi charges 5% on shop sales, memberships, monthly support, and commissions; Buy Me a Coffee charges 5%; Patreon and Substack charge 10%; FanBell charges 12%; and Cameo says creators keep 70%.
Do platform fees include payment processing?
Usually not. Patreon, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, Substack, and FanBell list platform fees separately from payment processing. Stripe’s standard US card rate is about 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction.
Cameo presents its fee as a creator-keep split: talent keeps 70%, although Apple’s fee comes out first on applicable iOS bookings.
Is a 0% platform fee actually free?
A 0% platform fee means the platform does not take its own percentage from that eligible payment; it does not necessarily eliminate processing costs. Ko-fi charges 0% on tips through its Free plan, but PayPal or Stripe processing still applies, and Ko-fi charges 5% on shop sales, memberships, monthly support, and commissions.
Do payout minimums reduce how much creators keep?
Not by themselves. A payout minimum delays access to earnings until the required balance is reached; it is not the same as a percentage fee or monthly subscription. Monthly plans directly affect money kept, while payout schedules and minimum balances primarily affect timing and cash flow. Any separate payout or transfer charge should be counted as an additional cost.
FanBell has no monthly fee or follower minimum and charges 12% only when a fan pays (pricing). For practical monetization examples, see how to monetize your followers directly.
How can you get started?
If the percentage-only model fits — no subscription, no threshold, 12% only when a fan actually pays — Create your free FanBell page and turn on paid questions, shoutouts, services, tips, or project support in a few minutes.
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