The #1 Ko-fi alternative.
Why pay for 'Gold' when every creator gets the golden stuff? Buy Me a Coffee gives you the full experience without any paywall - no clutter, no maze-like dashboard, and no long checkout that scares supporters away.
Create your page - it’s free
Why Creators choose
Buy Me a Coffee over Ko-fi
Ko-fi puts core features behind a $12 Gold plan. We don’t.
We disagree that creators have to pay monthly just to access analytics, better design, or basic tools.
| Features | Buy Me a Coffee | Ko-fi | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Platform fees | Flat 5% fee + payment processing charges only. Straightforward and transparent. Never sneaky. | Mentions “0% fees,” then adds 5% service fees. Plus a $12/month Gold plan to access basic features. | Platform fees Flat 5% fee + payment processing charges only. Straightforward and transparent. Never sneaky. Mentions “0% fees,” then adds 5% service fees. Plus a $12/month Gold plan to access basic features. | |
Paywalls | Everyone can access all the features for free. Memberships, shop, analytics, themes, and more. | Pay monthly $12 just to access core features, even when you don’t make money. | Paywalls Everyone can access all the features for free. Memberships, shop, analytics, themes, and more. Pay monthly $12 just to access core features, even when you don’t make money. | |
Email newsletter | Email your supporters directly. No need to pay another email platform. We never email your supporters. | Not available. Pay another subscription if you wish to sent a newsletter to your supporters. | Email newsletter Email your supporters directly. No need to pay another email platform. We never email your supporters. Not available. Pay another subscription if you wish to sent a newsletter to your supporters. | |
Dashboard & navigation | Beautiful, intentional design. Everything in one place. You need just 2 minutes to start - not a tutorial. | Overloaded menus, too many subpages, and a steep learning curve. Can be overwhelming. | Dashboard & navigation Beautiful, intentional design. Everything in one place. You need just 2 minutes to start - not a tutorial. Overloaded menus, too many subpages, and a steep learning curve. Can be overwhelming. | |
Fast check out for supporters | One-tap support. Anyone can buy you a coffee with zero friction. | Beware of multi-step checkout process. Supporters may just drop off halfway. | Fast check out for supporters One-tap support. Anyone can buy you a coffee with zero friction. Beware of multi-step checkout process. Supporters may just drop off halfway. | |
Sell physical/digital products | Yes. Probably the easiest way to sell anything online. One free, simple storefront anyone can easily manage. | Limited file sizes, clunky flows, and the feature is behind a paywall. Even when you don’t sell anything. | Sell physical/digital products Yes. Probably the easiest way to sell anything online. One free, simple storefront anyone can easily manage. Limited file sizes, clunky flows, and the feature is behind a paywall. Even when you don’t sell anything. | |
Live chat and support | Real support from a humans team. | Slow responses and inconsistent moderation. Has a reputation for opacity. | Live chat and support Real support from a humans team. Slow responses and inconsistent moderation. Has a reputation for opacity. | |
Mobile app | Clean, fast mobile apps for creators to manage the page on the go. | Not available. Even the mobile web dashboard is a pain to use. | Mobile app Clean, fast mobile apps for creators to manage the page on the go. Not available. Even the mobile web dashboard is a pain to use. | |
Best for | Made for creators who want simplicity, speed, and zero paywalls. Everything is unlocked from day one - no $12 upgrades, no confusing menus, no gimmicks. | Suited for creators willing to navigate upgrades and a heavier dashboard. Features vary by plan, and essential tools sit behind a Gold subscription. | Best for Made for creators who want simplicity, speed, and zero paywalls. Everything is unlocked from day one - no $12 upgrades, no confusing menus, no gimmicks. Suited for creators willing to navigate upgrades and a heavier dashboard. Features vary by plan, and essential tools sit behind a Gold subscription. | |
Free, and for all
By opening up all features for free, we make money only when you do. By charging a reasonable transaction fee (5%), we make sure it’s in our best interest to help you make money and give a delightful experience for your supporters.
Creator-friendly and we mean it.
Our founders were creators who lived on a moderate advertising income from their creative gigs. Although $500 per month is what you pay for a gym membership in San Francisco, it's enough to make a living in many parts of the world. If it weren't for those Adsense checks, there would be no Buy Me a Coffee. We get what every coffee means to you. ✊
Ok, I’m ready. How do I make the switch?
If you're already on Ko-fi, you can set up a page on Buy Me a Coffee using the same Stripe account. As for inviting your Ko-fi followers, we'd recommend publishing a post on Ko-fi about the switch, and updating all your social pages.