Buy Me a Coffee Fee Calculator (2026)
Buy Me a Coffee keeps 5% of every payment. Stripe processing of 2.9% + $0.30 (plus 0.5% on memberships and 1% on non-US cards) comes out of your earnings unless you turn off "Cover credit card fee," in which case supporters pay it on top.
Enter your numbers above; results update as you type. Sales tax collected from the buyer is not included unless the platform charges a fee on it and the calculator has a tax field.
Buy Me a Coffee fees at a glance
| Fee | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Buy Me a Coffee platform fee | 5% | support amount. 5% per transaction; you keep 95% before processing. |
| Stripe processing (deducted from you) | 2.9% + $0.30 | support amount; only when “Supporter covers the credit card fee” is off. 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction when "Cover credit card fee" is on. |
| Stripe processing (paid by supporter) (paid by buyer) | 2.9% + $0.30 | support amount; only when “Supporter covers the credit card fee” is on. Added to the supporter's charge instead: a $25 contribution is charged $26.03. |
| Stripe subscription surcharge | 0.5% | support amount; Type of payment: Membership (recurring). +0.5% on subscription (membership) payments. |
| Stripe international card surcharge | 1% | support amount; only when “Supporter's card is from outside the US” is on. +1% for transactions from outside the US. |
Worked example
A $5 coffee from a US card pays Buy Me a Coffee 5%, or $0.25. Stripe takes 2.9% of $5 ($0.145) plus $0.30, which rounds to $0.45. Total fees are $0.70, so $4.30 is credited to your balance; with no cost, profit is $4.30.
How Buy Me a Coffee fees work
Buy Me a Coffee is a support page for creators: fans send a one-time "coffee" at a price you set, join a monthly or yearly membership, or buy extras such as downloads, commissions, and shop items. Payments run through Stripe, and there is no monthly fee for any feature.
The platform fee is 5% of every transaction, so you keep 95% before processing. Stripe then charges 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction, plus 0.5% on subscription (membership) payments and 1% when the supporter's card is from outside the US. Stripe also takes 0.5% when it processes your payout.
On a $5 coffee from a US card that is $0.25 to Buy Me a Coffee and $0.45 to Stripe, leaving $4.30. On a $25 one-time support, fees are $1.25 + $1.03, leaving $22.72.
One setting changes the math. Under Settings, "Cover credit card fee" decides who pays Stripe's charge. Leave it on and the 2.9% + $0.30 comes out of your earnings; switch it off and supporters pay it on top, so a $25 contribution is charged $26.03 and you receive the full $25 minus the 5% platform fee. Payouts can be requested once your balance reaches $10 and go to your Stripe account, then your bank.
- Platform fee: 5% of every transaction (coffees, memberships, extras, shop). Buy Me a Coffee says you keep 95% of your earnings; there is no monthly fee and all features are free.
- Stripe processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction. By default it is deducted from your earnings; a $10 coffee costs $0.59 in processing.
- Supporter-paid option: switch off "Cover credit card fee" in Settings and supporters pay the processing fee on top of their contribution. Buy Me a Coffee's example: a $25 contribution is charged $26.03.
- Membership surcharge: Stripe adds 0.5% on subscription payments, so a membership charge pays 3.4% + $0.30 in processing instead of 2.9% + $0.30.
- International cards: Stripe adds 1% for transactions from outside the US.
- Payout processing: Stripe applies a 0.5% fee when your balance is paid out. You can request a payout once your account reaches $10; after moderation approval, funds go to your Stripe account and then to your bank. This per-payout fee is not included in the per-payment figures above.
Ways to keep more of each Buy Me a Coffee sale
- Turn off "Cover credit card fee" if your supporters will not mind paying $0.45 more on a $5 coffee. On 200 coffees a month that keeps about $90 in your pocket.
- Set a coffee price of $5 rather than $1 or $3. Stripe's fixed $0.30 is 30% of a $1 payment but 6% of a $5 payment; the 5% platform fee is the same either way.
- Offer yearly memberships. One annual charge pays the $0.30 fixed fee once instead of twelve times, and the 0.5% subscription surcharge stays the same in total.
- Request larger, less frequent payouts. Stripe's 0.5% payout fee is a percentage, so batching does not change the rate, but it does cut down on moderation waits and bank transfers.
- Expect about 1% less from overseas fans. International cards add 1% in Stripe fees, which matters if most of your audience is outside the US.
Buy Me a Coffee fee FAQ
How much does Buy Me a Coffee take from $5?
$0.25 in platform fee (5%) plus $0.45 in Stripe processing (2.9% + $0.30), so you keep $4.30. If supporters cover the card fee, you keep $4.75.
Does Buy Me a Coffee charge a monthly fee?
No. All features, including memberships, publishing, and emails, are free. The only cost is 5% per transaction plus Stripe processing.
What percentage does Buy Me a Coffee take?
5% of each payment. Stripe's processing of 2.9% + $0.30 (plus 0.5% for memberships and 1% for non-US cards) is separate, and a 0.5% Stripe fee applies at payout.
Can supporters pay the credit card fee instead of me?
Yes. Turn off "Cover credit card fee" under Settings and the processing fee is added to their charge: a $25 contribution is billed $26.03.
What is the minimum payout on Buy Me a Coffee?
$10. Once your balance reaches $10 you can request a payout, which is transferred to your Stripe account and then your bank after moderation approval.
Does Buy Me a Coffee use PayPal?
Buy Me a Coffee's fee article covers Stripe only; it accepts major credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. PayPal fees are not part of its published fee schedule.
Is the 5% fee charged on memberships too?
Yes. The 5% applies to every transaction type. Memberships also carry Stripe's extra 0.5% subscription surcharge on top of 2.9% + $0.30.
Good to know
Sources
- Buy Me a Coffee Help: How to calculate charges on your payment? (accessed Sep 29, 2026)
- Buy Me a Coffee Help: Frequently Asked Questions (accessed Sep 29, 2026)
- Buy Me a Coffee Help: How to eliminate the credit card fee from your earnings? (accessed Sep 29, 2026)
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