{"id":789,"date":"2026-03-24T21:10:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T21:10:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/?p=789"},"modified":"2026-04-01T18:43:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T18:43:27","slug":"what-is-ko-fi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/what-is-ko-fi\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Ko-fi?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ko-fi was founded in 2012 by Nigel Pickles as a tool for creating a one-page website to accept voluntary donations, such as buying a coffee. Since then, it has expanded into a platform for selling products and services and managing memberships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_77 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/what-is-ko-fi\/#What_is_Ko-fi\" >What is Ko-fi?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/what-is-ko-fi\/#How_does_Ko-fi_work\" >How does Ko-fi work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/what-is-ko-fi\/#What_you_need_to_know_about_selling_on_Ko-fi\" >What you need to know about selling on Ko-fi<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/hub\/what-is-ko-fi\/#Is_Ko-fi_the_best_platform_to_sell_products\" >Is Ko-fi the best platform to sell products?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Ko-fi\"><\/span>What is Ko-fi?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ko-fi is an ecommerce platform that allows creators to get paid through donations, memberships, tips, and digital product sales from their fans. The name Ko-fi sounds similar to coffee, which is why most creators accept tip-sized donations, as it\u2019s meant to be enough for a cup of coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_does_Ko-fi_work\"><\/span>How does Ko-fi work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ko-fi works by letting you create an account so your fans can support your work. The platform gives you the tools you need to start earning money online. You can connect both your PayPal and Stripe accounts to accept payments on the platform and process transactions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The tool allows you to customize your colors, images, and links. You can also embed the tool on your website. From there, you\u2019ll share the link in your social media bio, email newsletter, or wherever your fans reside.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You can open a shop to sell products, accept payment for commissions or custom work, or own a membership site where you share exclusive content with your fans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll set the prices and terms for every sale you make. You can manage shipments, refunds, and customer communication independently.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_you_need_to_know_about_selling_on_Ko-fi\"><\/span>What you need to know about selling on Ko-fi<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ko-fi only allows you to receive payments from PayPal or Stripe. However, there are over 100 payment gateways worldwide. Being flexible enough to accept more payment options from international users will allow you to earn more. You can compare <a href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/payhip-vs-kofi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ko-fi and Payhip <\/a>as examples of competing tools with more payment options.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This platform isn\u2019t a merchant of record; you are. That means you\u2019ll need to manage the international tax laws as you accept payments from customers around the world. You will need to add VAT, GST, and other taxes wherever you are registered. You need to collect and remit all taxes that apply to you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It isn\u2019t a platform for you to find new people to find you and follow your work. You\u2019ll need to bring your audience to the platform. Without an audience, you won\u2019t find value in the product, as you\u2019ll need to grow your following independently to keep making money as a creator on this tool.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To maximize your capabilities on the platform, you\u2019ll need to add integrations and tools, such as Discord, Zapier, and more. Unfortunately, these tools often have fees, which can make running a business more costly. Ko-fi doesn\u2019t have built-in tools for live stream donations, automation, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Ko-fi_the_best_platform_to_sell_products\"><\/span>Is Ko-fi the best platform to sell products?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ko-fi isn\u2019t the best platform to sell products; Payhip is. On Payhip, you\u2019ll be able to sell memberships, courses, digital downloads like ebooks, software, physical products, and even coaching services. You\u2019ll build a fully customizable website in minutes, with ease. Plus, you won\u2019t have to worry about VAT or sales tax as they report and pay it on your behalf. All the tools you\u2019ll need will be found on this all-in-one platform, allowing you to skip the expensive fees involved with integrations. To start selling products online, <a href=\"https:\/\/payhip.com\/auth\/register\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sign up for free<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"What is Ko-fi?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Ko-fi is an ecommerce platform that allows creators to get paid through donations, memberships, tips, and digital product sales from their fans. The name Ko-fi sounds similar to coffee, which is why most creators accept tip-sized donations, as it\u2019s meant to be enough for a cup of coffee.\"\n    }\n  },{\n    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n    \"name\": \"How does Ko-fi work?\",\n    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n      \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n      \"text\": \"Ko-fi works by letting you create an account so your fans can support your work. 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Ko-fi is an ecommerce platform that allows creators to get paid [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-platforms"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is Ko-fi? - Payhip Resource Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to connect with your fans better? 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