Honest comparison · updated July 2026
Ko-fi fees, explained honestly
Ko-fi built its brand on 0% donation fees — genuinely great for tips. Selling is a different story: shop, commissions and memberships carry fees unless you subscribe to Gold. Here is the 2026 breakdown.
No subscription. No monthly fee. 10% only when you sell.
The short answer
As of July 2026, Ko-fi charges 0% on one-off donations, and 5% on shop sales, commissions and memberships on the free plan. Ko-fi Gold (about $8/month) removes those selling fees and unlocks extras. The math: Gold pays for itself above roughly $160/month in shop sales. Ko-fi is unbeatable for tips; for selling content, compare it on workflow — Ko-fi routes buyers through your profile page and shop, while HushLink gives each piece of content its own direct checkout link (10% per sale, no subscription, no page). Many creators use both: Ko-fi for tips, HushLink for paid drops.
HushLink in under a minute
Sell digital content with a simple link.
How HushLink works
The entire flow. There is no step four.
STEP 1
Upload content
A file, video, image, audio, or written piece. That is the whole product setup.
STEP 2
Set a price
Or a password, if you just want it gated. No store, no theme, no product page builder.
STEP 3
Share the link
One short link, anywhere — bio, DMs, stories. Buyers pay and unlock instantly.
Ko-fi fees vs HushLink fees
| Feature | Ko-fi | HushLink |
|---|---|---|
| Donations / tips | 0% — best in class | Not a tips product |
| Shop / commission sales | 5% (0% with Gold at ~$8/mo) | 10% per sale |
| Monthly subscription | $0 (Gold optional ~$8/mo) | None — no paid tier exists |
| Setup before selling | Profile page + shop listing | Upload → price → share |
| Direct checkout link per item | Via profile/shop page | Yes — the link IS the checkout |
| Password-gated (free) content | Supporter-only posts | Yes — any content, any audience |
| Blurred preview of actual content | No | Yes, automatic |
Pricing as of July 2026; check each provider for current plans. Card processing (~2.9% + $0.30) is charged by the payment processor on most platforms, including HushLink.
Pick Ko-fi if…
- Tips and donations are your main income — 0% is unbeatable
- You want a community page with posts, goals, and memberships
- You sell enough that Gold’s flat $8/month beats percentage fees
Pick HushLink if…
- You sell individual pieces of content straight from bios, DMs and stories
- You want buyers landing on a checkout, not a profile page
- You want zero subscription and zero page maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Get paid for your content today
Upload → set price → share. Keep 90% of every sale. No subscription, ever.