- GCash is on Ko-fi's wish list, not its menu
- The money skips Ko-fi's account entirely
- PayPal's peso fees for withdrawals
- What Stripe's global page shows
- Pesos aren't one of Ko-fi's page currencies
- Ko-fi's service fee and the processors' fees
- Connecting Stripe, if it's open to you
- Who this suits, and who it doesn't
- Tax
- A quick Philippines checklist
- Frequently asked questions
Ko-fi doesn't pay you itself: according to its help pages, supporters pay into your own PayPal or Stripe account, and those are the only two methods. GCash is among the most requested additions but isn't offered. For the Philippines that makes PayPal's peso withdrawal fees the main thing to check.
Filipino artists, streamers and writers have been some of the busiest users of tip pages, and GCash is how most people I hear from would prefer to be paid. Ko-fi doesn't offer it, which is the first thing to know. What it does offer is a direct set-up that depends on PayPal or Stripe, so I've read Ko-fi's help centre alongside PayPal's Philippines fee page and Stripe's global page.
GCash is on Ko-fi's wish list, not its menu
Ko-fi's page for people without a PayPal account says a PayPal or Stripe account is needed to accept payments on Ko-fi, and that these are the only methods available right now. It then lists what people ask for most: Payoneer, Wise, GCash, CashApp, Payeer and direct bank transfers. It says it's working on more options.
So if your plan is to receive tips straight into GCash, Ko-fi's pages don't support that today. The route to a Philippine bank runs through PayPal or Stripe.
The money skips Ko-fi's account entirely
Ko-fi's description of getting paid is that you connect PayPal, Stripe or both, and every time someone supports you the funds land in your own account. It says there's no payout schedule and no minimum balance. Anything you wait for after that is down to PayPal or Stripe.
PayPal's peso fees for withdrawals
PayPal's Philippines fee page lists a bank withdrawal as free, when no currency conversion is involved, if the amount is greater than 7000 pesos, and 50 pesos if it's less. A card withdrawal costs 1% of the amount, with a minimum of 10 pesos and a maximum of 500 pesos. Receiving a personal transaction in pesos carries a fixed fee of 15 pesos, and converting a balance is 3.0%.
Those are PayPal's numbers and they change from time to time. The pattern to notice is that withdrawing small amounts often costs more, proportionally, than waiting and withdrawing once. My guide to PayPal in the Philippines covers the rest of PayPal's rules.
What Stripe's global page shows
Ko-fi points to Stripe's global page for the list of Stripe countries. That page doesn't name the Philippines among the countries it labels Preview or Extended network. I wouldn't read that as a no, since Stripe's coverage isn't described in only those two labels, but it means you should check what the connect screen offers you before you plan around it.
Buy Me a Coffee, for comparison, lists the Philippines under Stripe Express, and the same Stripe list decides what is open to you.
Pesos aren't one of Ko-fi's page currencies
Ko-fi lists ten currencies you can set for your page, such as US dollars, euros, pounds and Singapore dollars, and Philippine pesos aren't among them. It says only payments in a different currency get converted, and that PayPal and Stripe usually add a small percentage. Ko-fi suggests matching your page currency to the one you receive most.
Ko-fi's service fee and the processors' fees
On the Free option, one-time tips cost 0% and everything else carries a flat 5% service fee. On Standard, 5% applies to tips as well. PayPal and Stripe take their usual fees too, which Ko-fi says is usually around 3% plus thirty cents.
Connecting Stripe, if it's open to you
Ko-fi's guide says you open Settings, choose Payment and click Connect, then sign in to Stripe or create a free account. Stripe asks for your location, whether you're an individual or a business, personal details, a link to where your work can be found, and a bank account to send your money to. Ko-fi says payments then go straight to Stripe, where you handle refunds and subscriptions, and that Stripe payouts typically arrive within seven days.
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Ko-fi also says that if you take memberships through Stripe, you can set up payment notifications to get more from it. That is worth doing early, because memberships are where the flat 5% service fee applies on the Free option.
Who this suits, and who it doesn't
A direct model suits creators who already have a working PayPal or Stripe account and want fast, schedule-free access to tips. It suits you less if your goal is local wallet payments such as GCash, or if you need an all-in-one payout from a platform that handles identity checks itself. Neither is better or worse. They solve different problems, so choose by how you want to be paid.
Tax
Ko-fi says it isn't the merchant of record, can't give tax advice, and leaves sales tax and VAT to the creator. Ask a local accountant how tips and shop sales count as income for you.
A quick Philippines checklist
- Decide whether you can use PayPal, Stripe or both, since Ko-fi needs one of them.
- Check PayPal's current peso withdrawal fees before you choose how often to withdraw.
- Set your Ko-fi page currency to match what you receive most.
- Keep records of every tip for your accountant.
| What I checked | What the pages say for the Philippines |
|---|---|
| Where the money lands | Your own PayPal or Stripe account |
| GCash | Requested by users, not offered |
| PayPal bank withdrawal | Free above 7000 pesos, 50 pesos below |
| Stripe's global page | Philippines not named under Preview or Extended network |
| Ko-fi Free tip fee | 0% on one-time tips |
If you also take client work, Payoneer in the Philippines is a separate route that Ko-fi doesn't connect to.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ko-fi support GCash?
No. Ko-fi's help page says PayPal and Stripe are the only payment methods at the moment, and lists GCash among the most requested additions.
How do I get paid on Ko-fi from the Philippines?
Ko-fi sends supporter payments into your own PayPal or Stripe account, with no payout schedule or minimum balance, and you move the money to your bank from there.
What does PayPal charge to withdraw to a Philippine bank?
PayPal's Philippines fee page lists it as free above 7000 pesos when no conversion is involved, and 50 pesos if it's less.
Can I set my Ko-fi page to pesos?
Ko-fi lists ten page currencies and Philippine pesos aren't among them. PayPal or Stripe convert payments in a different currency.
What does Ko-fi take?
On its Free option, one-time tips cost 0% and other income carries a flat 5% service fee, plus PayPal or Stripe fees.
