Beacons vs Ko-fi
Beacons and Ko-fi are both creator monetization tools aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $10 | Freemium |
| Starting price | $10/mo | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | US · 2019 | GB · 2012 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Beacons if
Creators monetizing audiences.
- All-in-one for creators
- Free start
- Brand deal tools
Look elsewhere if: Businesses.
Choose Ko-fi if
Creators who want low-fee support without a heavy platform.
- 0% fee on donations
- Gold removes all fees
- Simple to set up
Look elsewhere if: Creators needing robust membership community features (Patreon, Circle).
Beacons vs Ko-fi pricing
Beacons
- Free$09% fee on sales
- Creator Pro$10/mo$8.33/mo billed annually; 9% fee on sales
- Store Pro$30/mo$25/mo billed annually; 0% transaction fee
- Business Pro$90/mo$75/mo billed annually; no Beacons branding
Ko-fi
Beacons · Key features
- Link in bio
- Digital store
- Email marketing
- Media kit
- Brand deal invoicing
- AI tools
Cons
- Fees on free
- Design limits
- Feature sprawl
Ko-fi · Key features
- Tips and donations with 0% platform fee
- Memberships with tiers
- Shop for digital products and commissions
- Posts and gallery
- Discord role integration
- Direct payouts via PayPal/Stripe
Cons
- Less discovery than Patreon
- Limited customization
- Fewer community features
Beacons vs Ko-fi: FAQ
Do Beacons and Ko-fi have a free plan?
Yes, both Beacons and Ko-fi have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.