Subscription Platforms with the Lowest Fees for Creators in 2026
A detailed fee comparison of the top subscription platforms for creators in 2026. Breaks down platform commissions, payment processing fees, withdrawal costs, and hidden charges with real take-home calculations at $5,000 and $20,000 monthly revenue.
The Fee Problem Nobody Talks About Honestly
Every subscription platform advertises its commission rate. OnlyFans takes 20%. Patreon starts at 5%. Ko-fi takes 0%. These numbers appear straightforward, and that is exactly the problem. The headline rate is rarely the full story.
When you factor in payment processing fees, withdrawal costs, currency conversion, chargeback fees, and premium tier pricing, the actual amount that reaches your bank account can be significantly different from what the commission rate suggests. A platform that advertises 5% might cost you 12% after all charges. A platform that advertises 0% still routes your payments through Stripe or PayPal, which take their own cut.
This guide breaks down the real cost structure of six major subscription platforms and calculates what you actually take home on $5,000 and $20,000 in monthly gross revenue.
Complete Fee Breakdown by Platform
OnlyFans: 20% Flat Commission
OnlyFans keeps its fee structure simple. The platform takes 20% of all earnings, and that commission includes payment processing. There are no separate Stripe or PayPal charges layered on top.
Commission: 20% of gross revenue
Payment processing: Included in the 20%
Withdrawal fees: Bank transfer is free for most regions. International transfers may incur $3-5 fees. E-wallet options vary.
Minimum payout: $20
Payout schedule: Funds available after a 7-day holding period
Take-home on $5,000 gross: $4,000
Take-home on $20,000 gross: $16,000
The simplicity is the strength here. You know exactly what you are paying, and there are no surprises. The weakness is that 20% is one of the highest flat rates in the industry. For context on building revenue to offset these costs, see our guide on how to build recurring revenue.
Patreon: 5-12% Commission Plus Processing
Patreon uses a tiered pricing model where your commission rate depends on which plan you select. Payment processing fees are charged separately on top of the platform commission.
Lite plan: 5% commission + ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Pro plan: 8% commission + ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Premium plan: 12% commission + ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Withdrawal fees: Free direct deposit in supported countries. PayPal withdrawals incur PayPal's standard fees.
Minimum payout: $1 (but most creators set higher thresholds)
Payout schedule: Monthly, on the 1st-5th of the following month
The per-transaction fee is important. If your average subscription price is $5, the $0.30 per transaction represents 6% by itself. Combined with the percentage-based processing fee and the platform commission, the effective cost on small transactions is higher than it first appears.
Take-home on $5,000 gross (Pro plan):
Take-home on $20,000 gross (Pro plan):
Note: Transaction counts and sizes significantly affect the processing fee calculation. Fewer, larger transactions reduce the impact of the per-transaction fee.
Fansly: 20% Flat Commission
Fansly mirrors the OnlyFans fee structure. The platform takes 20% of gross revenue with payment processing included.
Commission: 20% of gross revenue
Payment processing: Included in the 20%
Withdrawal fees: Bank transfer and e-wallet options available, fees vary by method and region
Minimum payout: $100 (higher than most competitors)
Payout schedule: Bi-weekly with a holding period
Take-home on $5,000 gross: $4,000
Take-home on $20,000 gross: $16,000
The numbers are identical to OnlyFans. The $100 minimum payout is worth noting since it is five times higher than OnlyFans, which can matter for creators who are still building their subscriber base and want access to their earnings sooner.
CHASEME: 15% Flat Commission
CHASEME charges 15% with payment processing included, making it the lowest flat-rate option among platforms that support adult content.
Commission: 15% of gross revenue
Payment processing: Included in the 15%
Withdrawal fees: Free bank transfers. Cryptocurrency withdrawals available with network fees only.
Minimum payout: $25
Payout schedule: Weekly payouts with a 5-day holding period
Take-home on $5,000 gross: $4,250
Take-home on $20,000 gross: $17,000
Compared to OnlyFans and Fansly, the 5% commission difference translates to real money. On $5,000 monthly gross, you take home $250 more per month. On $20,000 monthly, that gap grows to $1,000 per month, or $12,000 per year. The weekly payout schedule also improves cash flow compared to platforms that pay monthly or bi-weekly.
Ko-fi: 0% Commission (Plus Flat Monthly Fee)
Ko-fi's Gold membership costs $6 per month and takes 0% commission on all sales, subscriptions, and donations. The free tier also takes 0% but does not support recurring subscriptions.
Commission: 0%
Platform fee: $6/month (Gold tier, required for subscriptions)
Payment processing: ~2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe or PayPal (paid by creator)
Withdrawal fees: Standard Stripe or PayPal withdrawal fees apply
Minimum payout: Depends on payment processor ($1 for Stripe)
Payout schedule: Immediate via Stripe or PayPal
Take-home on $5,000 gross:
Take-home on $20,000 gross:
Ko-fi is by far the cheapest option in raw cost terms. The catch is that it prohibits adult content, offers minimal content management tools, and has no built-in discovery mechanism. You also receive no content protection, no watermarking, and no DMCA support. For creators who can use it, the savings are substantial. For those who need the features and audience of a dedicated subscription platform, it is not a direct substitute.
Gumroad: 10% Commission Plus Processing
Gumroad charges a flat 10% commission on all sales, with payment processing fees added on top.
Commission: 10% of gross revenue
Payment processing: ~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Withdrawal fees: Free for direct deposit. PayPal standard fees for PayPal withdrawals.
Minimum payout: $10
Payout schedule: Bi-weekly
Take-home on $5,000 gross:
Take-home on $20,000 gross:
Gumroad's effective rate lands between Patreon's Pro tier and CHASEME's flat rate. It is a reasonable option for digital product sellers who also want subscriptions, but it does not support adult content and offers no content protection features.
Side-by-Side Take-Home Comparison
At $5,000 Monthly Gross Revenue
At $20,000 Monthly Gross Revenue
A few things stand out. Ko-fi dominates on price, but its feature limitations and content restrictions exclude many creators. Among adult-content-friendly platforms, CHASEME offers the best take-home rate. Patreon's Pro tier is competitive on price, but it does not allow explicit content. For creators who need adult content support, the realistic choices are OnlyFans at 20%, Fansly at 20%, or CHASEME at 15%.
The Fees You Might Not Be Counting
Currency Conversion
If your subscribers pay in USD but you receive payouts in another currency, conversion fees typically run 2.5-4% on top of everything else. This affects international creators significantly. Some platforms lock you into their exchange rate, while others let you receive USD directly. Check this before committing.
Chargebacks
When a subscriber disputes a payment with their credit card company, the platform reverses the charge and may pass along a chargeback fee of $15-25 per incident. High chargeback rates can also trigger account reviews or suspensions. Platforms with strong fraud detection reduce your chargeback risk.
Feature Paywalls
Patreon's tiered pricing is the most transparent example: you pay more commission to access better features. Other platforms implement this through add-on pricing for analytics, promotional tools, or priority support. Calculate the cost of the features you actually need, not just the base commission.
Opportunity Cost of Weak Discoverability
This is the cost nobody puts in a spreadsheet. A platform with lower fees but no discoverability tools forces you to spend more time and potentially money on external marketing. The cheapest platform is not the best deal if you cannot find subscribers on it. For a broader comparison that includes discovery and audience factors, see our best subscription platforms guide and our platforms like OnlyFans comparison.
How to Minimize Your Effective Fee Rate
Regardless of which platform you choose, these strategies reduce your effective cost.
Optimize Transaction Size
Per-transaction fees hurt more on small payments. If you are on Patreon or Gumroad, offering fewer tiers at higher price points reduces the percentage lost to per-transaction charges. Annual subscription options are particularly effective since one $120 transaction costs far less in processing fees than twelve $10 transactions.
Negotiate Volume Rates
Some platforms offer reduced commission rates for high-volume creators. This is typically not advertised. If you are earning over $10,000 per month on a platform, contact their creator support team and ask about volume pricing. The worst outcome is they say no.
Consolidate Withdrawals
Withdraw less frequently in larger amounts. If your platform charges per-withdrawal fees or if your bank charges incoming wire fees, monthly withdrawals save money compared to weekly ones. Balance this against your cash flow needs.
Reduce Chargebacks Proactively
Set clear expectations about what subscribers are paying for. Deliver content on the schedule you advertise. Respond to subscriber complaints quickly. Every chargeback you prevent is $15-25 saved, plus the original transaction amount.
The Bottom Line on Fees
Fees matter, but they are one variable in a larger equation. The platform that maximizes your net income is the one that combines reasonable fees with strong content protection, reliable payments, and an environment where your subscriber base can grow.
For adult content creators, CHASEME's 15% flat rate represents the best available balance between competitive pricing and comprehensive platform features. For non-adult creators, Patreon or Ko-fi may offer lower effective costs depending on your specific situation.
Whatever you choose, do the math with real numbers. Take your current or projected monthly revenue, apply the full fee structure including processing and withdrawal costs, and compare the actual dollar amounts. The percentages tell one story. The dollars in your bank account tell the real one.
Ready to keep more of what you earn? Start with CHASEME and see the fee difference in your first payout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the true cost of using OnlyFans after all fees?
OnlyFans takes a flat 20% commission that includes payment processing. On $5,000 in monthly gross revenue, you receive $4,000. There are no additional payment processing fees layered on top. However, withdrawal fees apply depending on your method: bank transfers are free in some regions but can cost $3-5 in others, and e-wallet withdrawals may carry additional conversion charges. The effective cost is approximately 20-21% of gross revenue for most creators.
Is Patreon really cheaper than OnlyFans?
It depends on your revenue level and plan tier. Patreon's Lite plan takes 5% but charges payment processing fees of approximately 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction on top, bringing the effective rate to around 8-10% for typical creators. The Pro plan takes 8% plus processing, landing around 11-13%. The Premium plan at 12% plus processing reaches 15-17%. At the Pro tier and above, Patreon is still cheaper than OnlyFans, but the gap narrows significantly once processing fees are factored in.
How much more do creators earn on CHASEME compared to OnlyFans?
CHASEME takes 15% versus OnlyFans at 20%, a 5 percentage point difference. On $5,000 monthly gross revenue, that translates to $250 more per month or $3,000 more per year on CHASEME. On $20,000 monthly gross revenue, the difference grows to $1,000 per month or $12,000 per year. These figures represent the commission difference alone and do not account for withdrawal fee variations between the two platforms.
Why do some platforms charge payment processing fees on top of their commission?
Payment processing is a separate service from platform operations. When you receive a credit card payment, the card network (Visa, Mastercard), the issuing bank, and the payment processor (Stripe, PayPal) all take a cut, typically totaling 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Some platforms like OnlyFans and CHASEME absorb this cost into their commission. Others like Patreon and Gumroad pass it through to the creator as a separate line item. The total cost is what matters, not whether it is one fee or two.
Are there hidden fees I should watch out for on subscription platforms?
The most common hidden costs include currency conversion fees (3-5% if your subscribers pay in a different currency than your payout currency), withdrawal minimums that force you to leave money on the platform, inactivity fees on some platforms, and chargeback fees when subscribers dispute payments. Also watch for premium feature paywalls where tools like analytics, scheduling, or promotional features require upgrading to a more expensive plan tier.
Should I choose a platform based solely on the lowest fees?
No. Fees are one factor in your total revenue equation. A platform with higher fees but better discovery, stronger content protection, or a more engaged audience can generate more net income than a cheap platform where you struggle to grow. Calculate your projected take-home based on realistic subscriber numbers for each platform, not just the percentage. Our guide on [best subscription platforms for creators](/blog/best-subscription-platforms-for-creators) covers the full picture beyond just fees.
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