itch.io vs Ko-fi (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, itch.io grades higher than Ko-fi: 3.2 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
itch.io grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick itch.io if
- Fits if you make indie games or assets and want to set your own cut for the platform
- Works for developers who run jams or bundles and give out download keys
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: in Direct to you mode you are the merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT
- Pricey if you sell very cheap items, because about $0.30 + 2.9% of processing comes out of each sale
- Watch out: collected payouts need a tax interview and $5 balance, and are reviewed by staff in 10 to 14 days
- Tight if you have a large catalogue, as new accounts start with 20 project pages and 10 files per page
Pick Ko-fi if
- Fits if you're an artist or streamer who wants tips, members and a shop on one page
- Works for creators taking paid commissions who want requests and payment in one place
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want sales tax handled for you, since you're the merchant of record
- Too light for a proper store with email, discount codes and upsells
- Watch out: shop, membership and commission sales cost 5%, with PayPal or card fees on top
- Watch out: we couldn't confirm the price of the paid Gold plan on Ko-fi's own pages
- Not for you if you want a phone or desktop app, as only the web is listed
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAitch.ioVery good | 2.6GPAKo-fiGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | ANo monthly fee, and the share itch.io keeps is whatever you set, down to 0%. That is under 60% of the category's cheapest quarter, though payment processing of about $0.30 + 2.9% still applies. | CNo price for Ko-fi Gold is on record, so our rule for a missing price makes this a C. On the free page, 5% of $1,000 in shop, membership and commission sales is $50 a month, with card fees on top (not counted). That's Buy Me a Coffee's rate and half Patreon's 10%. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree to use with no paid plan. New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which a normal seller will not reach and which can be raised on request. | AThe free page has tips, memberships, a shop and commissions with no monthly or listing fee, and no cap on record. You pay 5% when you sell, and the value grade counts that. |
| Features | BProject pages, pay-what-you-want pricing, two payout modes, sales, bundles and jams, download keys and access control, a desktop app and an API. | CGraded against its own alternatives, fan-support pages. Tips, goals, member tiers with posts and Discord roles, a shop for files and physical items, commissions and stream alerts. It does that job fully, but it's a smaller kit: no email, discounts or tax handling in the listing. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Setting up pages, files and payouts is on you, and collected payouts need a tax interview and staff review of each payout. | CNo App Store rating on record. A page is quick to start, but you connect PayPal or a card account first, and member tiers and a shop take some setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, plus an itch app for Windows, Mac and Linux, and an API. There is no phone app, and payments connect to PayPal, Stripe and Payoneer. | BWeb, with PayPal, Discord, Twitch, YouTube and a WordPress plugin, plus stream overlays. No phone or desktop app is listed. |
| Best for | indie games, assets and tools you sell yourself | tips, memberships and commissions from fans |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: itch.io and Ko-fi. How we grade
Where they differ
- itch.io also covers community.
In commonFree planWebOnline storeDigital downloads
At a glance
| itch.io | Ko-fi | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | Not published |
| Free plan | No monthly fee. Sellers set the itch.io share of each sale from 0% to 100% (10% by default); PayPal or Stripe fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply too. | A free page with tips, memberships, a shop and commissions. Ko-fi's own pages state a 5% platform fee on shop, membership and commission sales, plus card processing fees. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | itch corp | Ko-fi Labs |
| Price read from | itch.io | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Worth knowing
itch.io
- Payment processing fees of about $0.30 + 2.9% apply per transaction in either payout mode, so very low prices lose a large share.
- In Direct to you mode you are merchant of record and liable for chargebacks and VAT; itch.io only handles these in its collected mode.
- Collected payouts need a completed tax interview and at least $5 available, and each payout is reviewed by staff, typically in 10 to 14 days.
- New accounts have a soft limit of 20 project pages and 10 files per page, which can be raised on request.
Ko-fi
- Ko-fi sells a paid Gold plan, but its price could not be confirmed on Ko-fi's own pages for this listing.
- Shop, membership and commission sales carry a 5% Ko-fi fee on the free page, and PayPal or card processing fees come on top.
- Creators are the merchant of record, so sales tax and VAT on their sales are their own responsibility.
Key features
itch.io
- Project pages
- Each project gets a page with files, images and a description, plus custom CSS and a widget you can embed on another site.
- Flexible pricing
- Charge a minimum, ask for a donation with free download allowed, or disable payments. Individual files can carry their own minimum price.
- Two payout modes
- Take payments directly into your own PayPal or Stripe account, or let itch.io collect them as merchant of record, handle VAT and pay you out later.
- Sales, bundles and jams
- Run timed sales, set a goal on a sale, join co-op bundles that split revenue, and host game jams.
- Download keys and access control
- Buyers receive a unique download key. Limited releases, access control and early access with updates for owners are supported.
- Desktop app and API
- The itch app for Windows, macOS and Linux installs and updates games, and creators can push builds. A server-side and JavaScript API are documented.
Ko-fi
- Tips and goals
- One-off tips from supporters, plus funding goals that creators can set and show on their page or on a stream overlay.
- Memberships
- Membership tiers with member-only posts (text, audio, video and polls), member-only shop items and requests, and Discord roles for members.
- Ko-fi Shop
- Sell digital downloads and physical items from a link, with no listing or monthly fees; Ko-fi takes 5% when a sale is made.
- Commissions
- Take paid requests such as artwork, tutorials, feedback sessions or video messages, with a 5% platform fee on each sale.
- Stream alerts
- Connect Twitch or YouTube to show tips, subscriptions and goals as on-stream alerts and overlays.
- Direct payouts
- Supporters pay the creator directly through PayPal, Venmo, cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay or local methods, with no payout schedule to wait on.
Plans
itch.io
Open revenue share$0
Free to use. You pick what percentage of each sale goes to itch.io (default 10%); the payment processor takes about $0.30 + 2.9% as well.
Ko-fi
Pricing could not be confirmed. See ko-fi.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, itch.io or Ko-fi?
As of Nov 12, 2026, itch.io is free, and Ko-fi has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, itch.io or Ko-fi?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both itch.io and Ko-fi have a free plan.
Which platforms do itch.io and Ko-fi run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only itch.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.