Payhere vs. Ko-fi in 2025
Which Platform Offers Better Value for Creators?
For creators looking to monetize their work through one-time payments, subscriptions, or donations, choosing between Payhere and Ko-fi can significantly impact your earnings and customer experience. This detailed comparison examines how Payhere stacks up against Ko-fi in 2025, covering everything from fees and features to customization options so you can select the best platform for your creative business.
Quick Comparison Overview: Payhere vs Ko-fi
Last updated: April 2025
| Feature | Payhere | Ko-fi |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Fee (One-time) | 1% + Stripe fees (2.9% + 30¢) | Free tier: 5% + payment processing Ko-fi Gold: 0% + payment processing |
| Subscription Fee | 1% + Stripe fees | Free tier: 5% + processing Ko-fi Gold: 0% + processing |
| Monthly Platform Fee | $0 (Custom plans available) | Free tier: $0 Ko-fi Gold: $6/month or $72/year |
| Payment Options | One-time, subscriptions, donations, payment plans, hybrid payments | One-time "support," memberships, commissions, shop items |
| Customization | Full branding, colors, logo, custom domain | Basic customization (more with Gold) |
| Content Features | Payment processing only (integrate with your tools) | Basic blog, gallery, and commissions |
| Shop Capabilities | Through payment links and "storefront" | Built-in basic shop functionality |
| Best For | Flexible payment solutions with low percentage fees | Simple tip jar and basic creator features |
"I switched from Ko-fi to Payhere because I needed more flexibility with my payment options. The ability to create custom pricing tiers and payment plans helped me increase my course sales by 30%."
Fee Comparison: Understanding the True Cost
One-time Payment of $20:
With Payhere
- Stripe fee: $0.88 (2.9% + 30¢)
- Payhere fee: $0.20 (1%)
- You keep: $18.92 (94.6%)
With Ko-fi Free
- Processing + Ko-fi fee: ~$1.30 (5% + processing)
- You keep: ~$18.70 (93.5%)
With Ko-fi Gold
- Processing fee only: ~$0.88
- You keep: ~$19.12 (95.6%)
- Minus the $6 monthly fee
For a Creator Making $500/month in One-time Payments:
With Payhere
- Total fees: ~$25 (includes both Stripe and Payhere fees)
- Monthly profit: ~$475
- Annual profit: $5,700
With Ko-fi Free
- Total fees: ~$35
- Monthly profit: ~$465
- Annual profit: $5,580
With Ko-fi Gold
- Transaction fees: ~$15
- Monthly platform fee: $6
- Monthly profit: ~$479
- Annual profit: $5,748
For a Creator Making $2,000/month in Payments:
With Payhere
- Total fees: ~$100
- Monthly profit: ~$1,900
- Annual profit: $22,800
With Ko-fi Free
- Total fees: ~$140
- Monthly profit: ~$1,860
- Annual profit: $22,320
With Ko-fi Gold
- Transaction fees: ~$60
- Monthly platform fee: $6
- Monthly profit: ~$1,934
- Annual profit: $23,208
Ko-fi Gold becomes more cost-effective than Payhere when you process approximately $600/month in transactions. Below that threshold, Payhere's 1% fee without monthly costs is often more economical, especially for creators with inconsistent revenue streams.
Payment Flexibility Comparison
One-Time Payments
Payhere
- ✅ Flexible payment link creation
- ✅ Set any price point
- ✅ Custom checkout fields
- ✅ Pay-what-you-want option with suggested amounts
- ✅ Embeddable anywhere
- ✅ QR code generation for in-person events
- ✅ Custom thank you pages and redirects
Ko-fi
- ✅ "Buy me a coffee" style donations
- ✅ Support buttons for websites
- ✅ Commission requests
- ✅ Shop items
- ✅ Set suggested donation amounts
- ❌ Limited customization of checkout process
- ❌ Less flexibility for embedded payments
Subscriptions and Memberships
Payhere
- ✅ Unlimited membership tiers
- ✅ Flexible billing periods (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual)
- ✅ Free trial options
- ✅ Setup fees + recurring fees
- ✅ Subscription management dashboard
- ✅ Easy cancellation options
- ❌ No built-in content delivery (requires integration)
Ko-fi
- ✅ Monthly membership tiers
- ✅ Basic content access controls
- ✅ Supporter management
- ❌ Limited subscription customization
- ❌ Less flexibility in pricing models
- ❌ No free trial capability
- ❌ No hybrid payment models
"Ko-fi was great for starting out, but as my business grew, I needed more control over my pricing structure. Payhere lets me offer quarterly and annual plans with discounts, which increased my subscriber retention by 25%."
Payment Plans and Advanced Options
Payhere
- ✅ Installment plans (e.g., 3 payments of $50)
- ✅ Hybrid models (e.g., $99 upfront + $19/month)
- ✅ Limited-term subscriptions (e.g., 6 months)
- ✅ Initial deposit + final payment structure
- ✅ Variable first payment amounts
- ✅ Custom checkout fields for information gathering
Ko-fi
- ❌ No installment plan options
- ❌ No hybrid payment structures
- ✅ Basic commission request system
- ❌ Limited custom fields
- ❌ No variable payment structures
Platform Features Beyond Payments
Content Management
Payhere
- ❌ No native content hosting
- ❌ No built-in blog or gallery
- ✅ Integrates with your existing content platforms
- ✅ Works alongside WordPress, Ghost, or custom sites
- ✅ Focuses exclusively on payment processing
Ko-fi
- ✅ Basic blog/post functionality
- ✅ Image and gallery support
- ✅ Commission request system
- ✅ Updates feed for supporters
- ✅ All-in-one platform approach
- ❌ Limited compared to dedicated content platforms
Customization and Branding
Payhere
- ✅ Full color customization
- ✅ Logo and brand image integration
- ✅ Custom checkout pages
- ✅ White-labeled experience (no Payhere branding)
- ✅ Custom domain support
- ✅ Embeddable on your existing website
- ✅ Custom thank you/confirmation pages
Ko-fi
- ✅ Basic page customization (more with Gold)
- ✅ Profile customization
- ✅ Banner images
- ❌ Always on Ko-fi domain
- ❌ Ko-fi branding throughout
- ✅ Recognizable button for embedding
- ❌ Limited control over checkout flow
Integration Capabilities
Payhere
- ✅ Zapier integration for connecting with 5,000+ apps
- ✅ Webhooks for custom integrations
- ✅ REST API for deeper integrations
- ✅ Slack notifications
- ✅ Works with WordPress, Ghost, Webflow, and more
- ✅ Embeddable via iframe or links
Ko-fi
- ✅ Basic Zapier integration
- ✅ WordPress plugin
- ✅ Embeddable buttons
- ❌ Limited API capabilities
- ❌ No webhook support
- ❌ Fewer integration options overall
Platform Comparison: Who Should Choose Each Platform
Who Should Choose Payhere?
Payhere is ideal for creators who:
- 🔄 Need flexible payment options (installments, trials, varied pricing)
- 🎨 Want complete control over branding and checkout experience
- 🌐 Have their own website or platform
- 🔌 Use multiple tools in their creative business
- 💸 Process less than $600/month (where the 1% fee is more economical)
- 📈 Sell higher-priced items or courses with payment plans
- 🤝 Need to collect additional information during checkout
- 🚀 Are scaling their business and need professional payment options
Perfect for:
- Course creators and educators
- Coaches and consultants
- Established content creators
- Digital product sellers
- Membership site owners who use specialized platforms
- Event organizers selling tickets
Who Should Choose Ko-fi?
Ko-fi might be better for creators who:
- 🎯 Want a simple, recognizable "tip jar" solution
- 📝 Need basic content sharing capabilities included
- 💰 Process more than $600/month and are willing to pay for Gold
- 🖼️ Want a dedicated creator page without building a website
- 🎭 Create commissions or custom work requests
- 🔎 Value Ko-fi's community and discovery features
- 🚀 Are just starting out and want the simplest solution
- 💸 Need a completely free starting option (with higher percentage fees)
Perfect for:
- Artists seeking tips and commissions
- Hobbyist creators
- Beginners just starting monetization
- Creators without their own website
- Those who want a recognizable "Buy me a coffee" button
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Payhere or Ko-fi better for beginners?
Ko-fi offers a simpler starting point with its recognizable support buttons and all-in-one platform. Payhere has a slightly steeper learning curve but provides more flexibility as you grow.
Can I sell digital products on both platforms?
Yes, but in different ways. Ko-fi has a built-in shop with basic digital delivery. Payhere focuses on payment processing and requires integration with other tools for file delivery.
Which platform takes a smaller cut of my earnings?
It depends on your volume. For less than approximately $600/month, Payhere's 1% fee often works out cheaper than Ko-fi Gold's $6 monthly fee. Above that threshold, Ko-fi Gold's 0% transaction fee (plus the monthly subscription) becomes more economical.
Can I offer subscriptions on both platforms?
Yes. Payhere offers more flexible subscription options (including free trials, different billing periods, and hybrid models), while Ko-fi provides simpler monthly membership tiers.
Do either of these platforms help me find new supporters?
Ko-fi has some discovery features within its platform. Payhere doesn't offer discovery features, focusing instead on providing payment tools for creators who bring their own audience.
Ready to Keep More of Your Earnings?
Join thousands of creators who've switched to Payhere and are saving on fees while maintaining full control over their business.