Creator platform fees compared: what you actually keep in 2026

Every creator platform advertises a headline fee. The real number — what you actually keep after all deductions — is almost always worse. This guide breaks down the real fee stack across the major creator platform categories so you can compare like for like.

How platform fees actually work

Most platforms layer multiple fees: a platform percentage, a payment processing fee (usually Stripe), and sometimes a billing fee. The headline number is usually just the platform cut. Here's what the full stack looks like:

Platform fee — the cut the platform takes from every transaction. Ranges from 0% (Beehiiv, Ghost) to 20% (Patreon's legacy tier).

Payment processing — Stripe's standard rate is 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction on most platforms. Some platforms use their own processor (Patreon, for example) and may quote a different blended rate.

Billing / subscription management fee — some platforms add this separately (Substack adds 0.7%). Often buried in the small print.

iOS / app store surcharge — if subscribers sign up through an iOS app rather than the web, Apple takes 30%. This applies to Substack, Patreon, and most platforms with iOS apps. Platform usually can't avoid passing this on.

Newsletter platforms

Substack: 10% platform + 2.9% Stripe + 0.7% billing = ~13.6% + $0.30/transaction. iOS subscribers: effectively 30% more on top.

Beehiiv: $49–$99/month flat. 0% revenue percentage. You pay Stripe directly (2.9% + $0.30). At $2,000/month revenue, effective rate ~2.9% + $49 = about 5.4%. Much lower than Substack at scale.

Ghost: $9–$199/month (Ghost Pro). 0% revenue cut. Stripe fees apply directly. At $2,000/month: ~2.9% + $9 flat = about 3.4%. Lowest effective rate in this category.

Membership / community platforms

Patreon: 5–12% platform fee depending on plan. Plus Stripe-equivalent processing (~2.9%). Total: 8–15% depending on tier and transaction size.

Memberful: 4.9% platform + Stripe 2.9% = ~7.8%. Flat plan available ($49/month + Stripe only, no percentage).

Skool: $99/month flat. 2.9% Stripe. No additional platform percentage on transactions.

Creator support / tip platforms

Ko-fi: 0% platform fee on tips (Gold plan). Stripe fees apply. Free to use for tips. One of the cleanest fee structures available.

Buy Me a Coffee: 5% platform fee + Stripe. More than Ko-fi for the same use case.

See the full breakdown: Ko-fi vs Buy Me a Coffee vs VojVoj.

Course platforms

Teachable: Free plan has 10% transaction fee. Paid plans ($39–$159/month) reduce this to 0–5%.

Thinkific: 0% transaction fees on paid plans. $49–$199/month. Similar structure to Teachable but slightly better fees at equivalent tier.

Kajabi: 0% transaction fees. $149–$399/month. All-in-one tool (email + landing pages + courses). High monthly cost, but 0% on revenue is significant at scale.

Full comparison: course platforms compared.

The rule of thumb

Percentage-based fees (Substack 10%, Patreon 5–12%) are creator-unfriendly at scale but low-risk when starting. Flat monthly fees (Beehiiv, Ghost, Kajabi) are better once you're earning — but you pay regardless of performance.

The crossover point — where flat monthly beats percentage — is roughly monthly revenue ÷ percentage fee = monthly flat cost. For Substack vs Beehiiv: $49 ÷ 10% = $490/month. At $500/month revenue, Beehiiv is already cheaper.

To find which platform's fee model fits your situation, take the matcher quiz — it factors in revenue stage, content type, and what you're optimising for.