Ko-fi vs Linktree (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Ko-fi grades higher than Linktree: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Ko-fi grades higher on the free plan. Linktree grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Linktree
Link in bio pages with a store, email sign-ups and scheduling
Free plan · from $7/mo
Which one is for you
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
Pick Linktree if
- Fits if you need one link in your social profiles that points to a few places
- Works for creators who sell a few downloads and want it on the same page
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, as Linktree branding stays on and sales fees only fall to 0% on Pro
- Pricey if you want the extras, since link rules, export and unlimited Instagram auto-replies are $30 a month on Premium
- Watch out: each payout is charged $0.25, and other transaction and processing fees may apply
- Watch out: the prices were read in US dollars from India, so a US visitor's view may differ
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAKo-fiGood | 2.4GPALinktreeFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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%. | BStarter is $7 a month billed annually ($9 monthly), inside the category's cheapest quarter that starts at $10. Pro, where branding goes, is $14, and Premium is $30. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CUnlimited basic links and email and phone sign-ups on the free plan, with restrictions. Branding stays and sales fees only reach 0% on Pro, so you will meet the caps. Paid plans have a 7-day trial. |
| Features | 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. | CA link page, selling, sign-ups, scheduling, Instagram auto-replies and team spaces. Gaps are on the plan ladder: link rules, data export and unlimited auto-replies need Premium. |
| Ease of use | 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. | CNo store rating on record. The page is quick to start, but a store, sign-ups and scheduling each need setting up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with PayPal, Discord, Twitch, YouTube and a WordPress plugin, plus stream overlays. No phone or desktop app is listed. | BWeb, iOS and Android, with Shopify, Spotify and Instagram connections. There is no desktop program. |
| Best for | tips, memberships and commissions from fans | a link-in-bio page with a small store |
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: Ko-fi and Linktree. How we grade
Where they differ
- Linktree also covers online courses.
In commonFree planWebOnline storeDigital downloads
At a glance
| Ko-fi | Linktree | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $7 per month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | 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. | Unlimited basic links and email and phone sign-ups, with restrictions. |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial on Pro and Premium |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Ko-fi Labs | Linktree Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | linktr.ee |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Linktree
- The free plan carries restrictions, and Pro is where Linktree branding is removed and sales fees reach 0%.
- Payouts are charged $0.25 each, and other transaction and processing fees may apply.
- Link rules, data export and Instagram automation are limited to Premium at $30 per month billed annually.
- Prices were read in US dollars from a machine in India, so they may not match a US visitor's view.
Key features
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.
Linktree
- Link in bio page
- One link for a profile on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and other social platforms, with featured links on paid plans.
- Selling and earning
- Sell digital products and online courses, add sponsored links and affiliate commissions; Pro lists 0% fees on sales.
- Email and phone sign-ups
- Collects sign-ups on the page; Pro adds mailing list integrations so leads go to an email service.
- Social scheduling
- Premium includes scheduling social media posts to go live across platforms.
- Instagram auto-replies
- Automates replies to Instagram comments and triggers direct messages; unlimited on Premium.
- Team workspaces
- Growth and Scale plans manage 9 or 50 Linktrees in one workspace with roles; Enterprise is custom priced.
Plans
Ko-fi
Pricing could not be confirmed. See ko-fi.com.
Linktree
Free$0
Unlimited basic links and email and phone sign-ups, with restrictions.
Starter$7
per month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly)
Personalized Linktree, unlimited featured links and basic analytics.
Pro$14
per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly)
Removes Linktree branding, custom designs, 0% fees on sales and mailing list integrations.
Premium$30
per month, billed annually ($35 billed monthly)
Link rules and routing, AI integrations, all-time analytics, data export, social scheduling and unlimited Instagram auto-replies.
Ways to pay less
Ko-fi
No public discounts listed.
Linktree
- Annual discount
Annual billing lowers the monthly price
Starter is $7 a month billed annually against $9 billed monthly; Pro is $14 against $17 and Premium is $30 against $35.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Ko-fi or Linktree?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Ko-fi has no price we could confirm, and Linktree starts at $7 per month, billed annually ($9 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Ko-fi or Linktree?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Ko-fi and Linktree have a free plan.
Which platforms do Ko-fi and Linktree run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Linktree lists iOS and Android 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.