# CreatorPaper > CreatorPaper ranks 26 platforms creators get paid on (video, streaming, social, podcasts, memberships, newsletters, courses, digital products, merch and communities) by what creators keep after fees. Every number comes from the platform's own published pricing and terms, verified October 20, 2026. Scores run from 1 to 10 and weight earnings 30%, discovery 20%, audience ownership 20%, payouts 15% and ease of use 15%. "Keep of $1,000" means what a US creator keeps from 100 fan card payments of $10 on the platform's main fan payment product and entry plan. Method: https://creatorpaper.com/methodology/. Quote freely with a link to the page you used. ## Ranking at a glance | Rank | Platform | Type | Score | Platform fee | Keep of $1,000 | Payouts | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | [Kit](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kit/) | Newsletters | 7.4 | 3.5% + $0.30 per USD sale, all-in | $935 | Weekly on Fridays from a Kit-managed Stripe Express account. The first payout comes 7 to 14 days after your first sale. Ad revenue pays out 45 days after the end of the month. | | 2 | [Ko-fi](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/ko-fi/) | Memberships and tips | 7.2 | 0% tips, 5% other sales, 0% on Gold | $941 | Instant. Each payment goes straight into your own PayPal or Stripe account, so Ko-fi never holds a balance. | | 3 | [Ghost](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/ghost/) | Newsletters | 7.0 | 0% on paid memberships | $899 | Members pay into your own Stripe account, and Stripe pays your bank on its own schedule | | 4 | [Substack](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/substack/) | Newsletters | 7.0 | 10% of subscription revenue | $834 | Stripe pays web earnings to your bank, usually within 48 hours, on a daily or weekly schedule. iOS in-app earnings arrive up to 45 days after the end of the month. | | 5 | [beehiiv](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/beehiiv/) | Newsletters | 6.9 | 0% on paid subscriptions | $875 | Subscription revenue goes to your own Stripe account. Ad Network earnings reach your beehiiv Wallet on the 20th of the following month, and you can withdraw them to your bank at any time. | | 6 | [Payhip](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/payhip/) | Digital products | 6.6 | 5% Free, 2% Plus, 0% Pro | $891 | Each sale is deposited straight into your PayPal or Stripe account. Stripe then pays your bank daily by default. | | 7 | [Fourthwall](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/fourthwall/) | Merch | 6.2 | 5% on memberships, 0% on merch | $891 | Monthly by the 3rd business day via Stripe Connect | | 8 | [Buy Me a Coffee](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/buy-me-a-coffee/) | Memberships and tips | 6.1 | 5% | $886 | Into your own Stripe account, then to your bank on Stripe's schedule. The first payout needs a manual account review and typically takes 7 to 14 days. | | 9 | [Memberful](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/memberful/) | Memberships and tips | 6.1 | 4.9% plus $49 a month | $843 | Stripe deposits to your bank on the schedule you choose, daily, weekly, monthly or manual. Memberful never holds your money. | | 10 | [Patreon](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/patreon/) | Memberships and tips | 6.0 | 10% new creators, 5% to 11% legacy | $841 | On demand once every 24 hours, or automatic on the 5th of each month. Usually arrives in 1 to 5 days. | | 11 | [Podia](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/podia/) | Courses | 6.0 | 5% on Mover, 0% on Shaker and up | $842 | Sales go straight into your own Stripe or PayPal account, then to your bank on their schedule | | 12 | [Stan Store](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/stan-store/) | Digital products | 6.0 | 0% | $909 | Manual cash out from your Stan balance to your bank, arriving 24 to 48 hours later. PayPal sales go straight to your PayPal account. | | 13 | [Skool](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/skool/) | Communities | 5.9 | 10% + $0.30 Hobby, 2.9% + $0.30 Pro | $861 | Weekly, every Wednesday, to your bank through a Stripe Express account Skool sets up. The first payout can take up to 14 days. | | 14 | [Spotify for Creators](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/spotify-for-creators/) | Podcasts | 5.9 | 10% on Memberships, 50% of ad revenue | $900 | Monthly bank payouts for the Partner Program, rolling 30 days via Stripe for Memberships | | 15 | [Gumroad](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/gumroad/) | Digital products | 5.8 | 10% + $0.50 direct, 30% via Discover | $791 | Daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly. Weekly and longer schedules hold each sale for 7 days, and US bank payouts go out on Thursdays. | | 16 | [Kick](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kick/) | Live streaming | 5.7 | 5% on subs and KICKs tips | $950 | Monthly via Stripe, or weekly for verified streamers who ask support | | 17 | [Teachable](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/teachable/) | Courses | 5.3 | 7.5% on Starter, 0% on Builder and up | $827 | Teachable Payments pays to your bank daily, about 2 business days after each sale, with no reserve | | 18 | [Kajabi](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kajabi/) | Courses | 5.1 | 0%, or 0.5% to 2% on third-party Stripe | $762 | Kajabi Payments pays to your bank, monthly with a 7 business day delay for new accounts. Daily or weekly can open after your first sale. | | 19 | [YouTube](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/youtube/) | Video | 4.6 | 45% of ads, 30% of fan funding | $700 | Monthly through AdSense for YouTube, issued between the 21st and 26th | | 20 | [Instagram](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/instagram/) | Social media | 4.4 | 0% to Meta, up to 30% to app stores | $700 | Monthly around the 21st, bonuses around the 7th and 21st | | 21 | [TikTok](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/tiktok/) | Social media | 4.1 | 30% of subscriptions after app fees | n/a | Creator Rewards monthly on the 15th, other programs weekly, every two weeks or monthly, withdrawals usually within 72 hours | | 22 | [Facebook](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/facebook/) | Social media | 4.0 | Up to 30% of subscriptions | n/a | Monthly, around the 21st, for the previous month's earnings | | 23 | [Discord](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/discord/) | Communities | 3.8 | 10% after a 6% processing fee | $846 | Monthly via Stripe after an end-of-month review, within 45 days of month end | | 24 | [Twitch](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/twitch/) | Live streaming | 3.7 | 50% of net subs, 30% to 40% with Plus | at most $500 | Monthly on a Net-15 schedule by ACH, eCheck, PayPal, check or wire | | 25 | [Snapchat](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/snapchat/) | Social media | 3.3 | Not published | n/a | Cash out on demand, as often as daily, through Hyperwallet | | 26 | [X](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/x/) | Social media | 2.9 | Not published | n/a | Rewards about every two weeks, Subscriptions about 60 days after month end | ## Rankings and method - [Best creator platforms, ranked](https://creatorpaper.com/): The full ranking with scores, fees and take-home on $1,000. - [How we rank creator platforms](https://creatorpaper.com/methodology/): Criteria, weights, score anchors and the $1,000 test. ## Platform reviews - [Kit review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kit/): Kit, formerly ConvertKit, lets you sell paid newsletters and digital products on its free plan, which covers up to 10,000 subscribers. Kit charges 3.5% + $0.30 per US-dollar sale with card processing included, so 100 payments of $10 leave $935. Paid plans start at $39 a month and add automations and paid recommendations. - [Ko-fi review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/ko-fi/): Ko-fi charges no platform fee on one-off tips once you switch off its default Standard mode, so 100 US card tips of $10 leave about $941 after Stripe's fees. Memberships, shop sales and commissions cost 5%, or 0% on Ko-fi Gold at $12 a month, and every payment lands in your own PayPal or Stripe account immediately. - [Ghost review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/ghost/): Ghost charges no transaction fee on paid memberships, so you pay Stripe's card and billing fees plus a Ghost(Pro) plan. Paid subscriptions start on Publisher at $35 a month, or $29 a month billed yearly, for up to 1,000 members, which leaves about $899 from 100 US payments of $10. The software is open source, so you can also host it yourself. - [Substack review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/substack/): Substack is free to publish on and keeps 10% of paid subscription revenue. Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and a 0.7% Billing fee, so 100 payments of $10 leave a creator about $834. Notes, recommendations and the Substack app are the reason to accept that cut. - [beehiiv review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/beehiiv/): beehiiv takes no cut of paid subscriptions, but paid newsletters need the Lite plan, which costs $59 a month billed monthly or $49 a month billed yearly at 1,000 subscribers. Stripe still charges card and billing fees, so 100 US payments of $10 leave about $875 after one month of Lite. beehiiv renamed and repriced its plans on October 1, 2026. - [Payhip review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/payhip/): Payhip's Free plan costs nothing and takes 5% of each sale, Plus costs $29 a month for a 2% fee and Pro costs $99 a month for 0%, with every feature on every plan as of October 2026. PayPal or Stripe add their own processing, so on $1,000 of $10 sales a Free plan creator keeps about $891. Payhip deposits each sale straight into your PayPal or Stripe account and handles EU and UK VAT on digital sales. - [Fourthwall review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/fourthwall/): Fourthwall adds no fee to catalog merch beyond each product's listed base cost, charges 5% on memberships and 5% on digital products on the Free plan, and passes on US card processing of 2.9% + $0.30. On $1,000 of $10 memberships a creator keeps $891. Payouts go out monthly by the 3rd business day once the balance reaches $25. - [Buy Me a Coffee review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/buy-me-a-coffee/): Buy Me a Coffee charges a flat 5% platform fee and no monthly fee, plus Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per payment and a 0.5% payout processing charge listed on its fee page. On 100 US card payments of $10 that leaves about $886 of $1,000. - [Memberful review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/memberful/): Memberful charges $49 a month plus 4.9% of each payment, and Stripe's own processing comes on top, so 100 US card payments of $10 leave about $843 of $1,000. In return, members, cards and payouts sit in a Stripe account you own, on your own domain. - [Patreon review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/patreon/): Patreon charges new creators a 10% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment, so 100 payments of $10 leave about $841 of $1,000. Creators who published before August 4, 2025 keep legacy rates of 5%, 8% or 11% only as long as their page stays published. - [Podia review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/podia/): Podia's Mover plan costs $49 a month billed monthly and takes 5% of each sale, while Shaker at $99 and Earthquaker at $179 take nothing as of October 2026. Stripe or PayPal add their own processing, 2.9% + $0.30 per card by Podia's figure, so on $1,000 of $10 sales a creator keeps about $842 on either Mover or Shaker. Sales land directly in your own Stripe or PayPal account. - [Stan Store review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/stan-store/): Stan Store costs $29 a month on Creator or $99 on Creator Pro and takes 0% of your sales, so your other costs are Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and a payout fee of 0.25% + $0.25 each time you cash out. On $1,000 of $10 sales, a creator on Creator keeps about $909. Stan is the quickest way to sell from a social bio link, but discount codes, upsells and email broadcasts need the $99 plan. - [Skool review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/skool/): Skool's Hobby plan costs $9 a month and takes 10% + $0.30 per transaction, while Pro costs $99 a month and takes 2.9% + $0.30. On 100 US payments of $10 the Hobby plan leaves about $861 of $1,000, and Pro becomes the cheaper plan once a community earns more than about $1,268 a month. - [Spotify for Creators review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/spotify-for-creators/): Spotify for Creators hosts podcasts for free. The Spotify Partner Program pays 50% of ad revenue plus Premium video revenue to shows with 3 episodes, 2,000 consumption hours and 1,000 audience members in 30 days, across 56 markets. Memberships, which replaced Podcast Subscriptions on October 20, 2026, keep 90% of fan payments with processing included. - [Gumroad review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/gumroad/): Gumroad charges 10% + $0.50 per direct sale plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing, and a flat 30% when a buyer finds you through its Discover marketplace. On 100 direct sales of $10 a creator keeps about $791. Gumroad has handled sales tax as merchant of record since January 1, 2025, and pays out once your balance reaches $100. - [Kick review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kick/): Kick keeps 5% of subscriptions and KICKs tips, so a streamer gets $4.75 of every flat $5 sub and $950 of $1,000 in fan payments. Subs become available after 5 hours of streaming in total. Kick Partners also earn per stream from a formula Kick does not publish, and all payouts run through Stripe, monthly by default or weekly for verified streamers. - [Teachable review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/teachable/): Teachable's Starter plan costs $39 a month billed monthly and takes 7.5% of every sale, while Builder at $89 and higher plans take 0% as of October 2026. Card processing through Teachable Payments is 2.9% + $0.30 per US card, so on $1,000 of $10 course sales a Starter creator keeps about $827 and a Builder creator about $852. Teachable Payments replaced teachable:pay in 2026 and pays out daily with no reserve. - [Kajabi review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/kajabi/): Kajabi takes no revenue share, but its cheapest plan, Basic, costs $179 a month billed monthly or $143 billed yearly as of October 2026. Kajabi Payments charges 2.9% + $0.30 per US card on Basic, so on $1,000 of $10 course sales a creator keeps about $762. Kajabi makes sense for creators earning several thousand dollars a month who want email, website, community and checkout in one place. - [YouTube review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/youtube/): YouTube keeps 45% of long-form ad revenue, 55% of Shorts pool revenue and 30% of memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks. As of October 2026, fan funding opens at 500 subscribers and ad revenue at 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. From February 1, 2027, new applicants for ad revenue need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views. - [Instagram review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/instagram/): Instagram keeps none of your subscription or Live badge revenue as of October 2026, but fans pay through Apple or Google in-app purchase, and Apple keeps 30% of a first-year iOS subscription. Subscriptions need 10,000 followers, gifts on Reels need 500 and pay $0.01 per star, and Creator Marketplace needs 1,000. Bonuses are invite-only tests, and US creators get paid monthly around the 21st once their balance passes $5. - [TikTok review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/tiktok/): TikTok's Creator Rewards Program pays for original videos over 1 minute once you have 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days, but TikTok does not publish its rates. Subscriptions pay 70% of revenue after app store fees, up to 90% with a monthly bonus, and TikTok sets the cash value of LIVE gifts at its own discretion. As of October 2026, TikTok runs in the US through TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, formed in January 2026. - [Facebook review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/facebook/): Facebook pays creators mainly through Content Monetization, an invite-only program that pays on the performance of Reels, videos, photos, text posts and stories, plus Stars at $0.01 each and fan subscriptions. As of October 2026, Stars need 500 followers for 30 days and subscriptions need 10,000 followers or 250 return viewers plus engagement targets. Meta says Facebook paid creators nearly $3 billion in 2025. - [Discord review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/discord/): Discord lets US server owners sell monthly Server Subscriptions and keep about 85% of each desktop payment, after a 6% processing fee and a 10% platform fee on the rest. Creators outside the US cannot earn, because Discord requires a US bank account and ID and says the feature will not expand. Payouts arrive monthly, with $100 needed for the first one. - [Twitch review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/twitch/): Twitch keeps 50% of net subscription revenue on its standard split, so $1,000 in subs pays a streamer $500 at most before deductions Twitch does not itemize. Channels with 100 or 300 Plus Points for three straight months earn 60% or 70%. Payouts go out monthly on a Net-15 schedule once you are an Affiliate and have $50. - [Snapchat review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/snapchat/): Snapchat pays creators through one invite-only Monetization Program that shares revenue from ads placed in Public Stories and Spotlight. As of October 2026 you need 50,000 followers, 15,000 hours of view time in 28 days with 3,000 from Spotlight, and Snap Star status, and Snap does not publish its revenue share. Cash-outs start at $100 and can happen daily. - [X review](https://creatorpaper.com/platforms/x/): X ended Creator Revenue Sharing on September 7, 2026 and now pays creators through Original Content Rewards, which pays on impressions from Premium users on original posts. You must pay for an eligible Premium tier, and reported thresholds are 500 verified followers and 500,000 verified Home Timeline impressions in 90 days. X does not publish a per-impression rate or a fixed Subscriptions split, and Subscriptions pay about 60 days after month end with a $50 minimum. ## Best platforms by creator type - [Best platforms for artists in 2026: commissions, prints and downloads](https://creatorpaper.com/best/artists/): Ko-fi is the best platform for most artists, because it has a built-in commissions tool, takes 0% of one-off tips in Free mode and pays straight into your PayPal or Stripe account as of October 2026. Patreon is the stronger home for monthly memberships at 10%, Payhip sells downloads and prints you ship yourself from $0 a month, Fourthwall prints and ships merch with your art for no fee beyond base cost, and Gumroad adds a marketplace that can find you buyers for a 30% cut. - [Best creator platforms for beginners in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/best/beginners/): Ko-fi is the best platform for beginners in 2026 because it costs nothing to join and takes 0% of one-off tips in Free mode, so 100 tips of $10 leave about $941, paid straight to your own PayPal or Stripe account. Substack is the better start for writers with no readers, and Kit or Payhip suit a first newsletter or product. All six picks are free to start, unlike YouTube's Partner Program, which needs at least 500 subscribers. - [Best platforms for paid communities in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/best/communities/): Skool is the best platform for a paid community in 2026. Its $9 Hobby plan takes 10% + $0.30 per payment with processing included, leaving about $861 of $1,000, and its Discovery directory can bring you members. Fourthwall is the better way to charge for Discord access, at 5% plus processing and no monthly fee, while Discord's own Server Subscriptions pay only US creators. - [Best platforms for selling digital products in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/best/digital-products/): Payhip is the best place for most creators to sell digital products in 2026. Its Free plan costs nothing a month and takes 5% per sale, leaving about $891 of $1,000 in $10 sales, and Payhip files EU and UK VAT for you. Stan Store keeps more, about $909, if you sell from a social bio link and can carry $29 a month. - [Best platforms for educators in 2026: courses, cohorts and coaching](https://creatorpaper.com/best/educators/): Teachable is the best platform for most educators selling online courses, because its $89 Builder plan takes 0% of sales and pays out daily as of October 2026. Payhip is the cheapest place to start at $0 a month and 5% per sale, Skool is best for paid learning communities, and Kajabi's $179 entry plan only pays off once you sell several thousand dollars a month. - [Best membership platforms for creators in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/best/memberships/): Patreon is the best membership platform for most creators because paid tiers, free members, a shop and video hosting come under one fee with nothing to build. That fee is 10% for new creators, leaving about $841 of every $1,000. Ko-fi Gold keeps about $929 for $12 a month, and Memberful puts members in your own Stripe account for $49 a month plus 4.9%. - [Best platforms for musicians in 2026: merch, memberships and fans](https://creatorpaper.com/best/musicians/): Fourthwall is the best platform for most musicians selling to fans, because it prints and ships merch for no fee beyond base cost and runs memberships at 5% as of October 2026. Ko-fi takes 0% of one-off tips, YouTube finds new listeners and pays 55% of long-form ad revenue once a channel qualifies, and Patreon adds ticketed livestreams to its 10% memberships. Streaming royalties reach artists through a label or distributor, which this list does not rank. - [Best platforms for podcasters in 2026: hosting, ads and memberships](https://creatorpaper.com/best/podcasters/): Spotify for Creators is the best platform for most podcasters, because it hosts your show for free and its Partner Program pays eligible shows 50% of ad revenue plus Premium video revenue as of October 2026. YouTube is the best second home for video podcasts, paying 55% of long-form ad revenue once a channel qualifies. For paid bonus episodes, Patreon is the simplest at 10%, Fourthwall keeps $891 of $1,000 at 5%, and Memberful runs private feeds on your own site. - [Best streaming platforms for creators in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/best/streamers/): Kick is the best platform for streamers who want to keep their fan money in 2026. It pays 95% of every flat $5 sub and KICKs tip, so $1,000 in subs leaves $950, and subs switch on after 5 hours of streaming. YouTube pays 70% of memberships and Super Chat from 500 subscribers, while Twitch's standard split leaves $500 at most. - [Best platforms for writers in 2026: paid newsletters ranked](https://creatorpaper.com/best/writers/): Substack is the best platform for most writers starting a paid newsletter, because publishing is free and its Notes feed, recommendations and app help new readers find you. It keeps 10% of subscriptions, so a writer with readers of their own keeps more on Kit, which leaves $935 of $1,000 on its free plan, or on Ghost at $899, as of October 2026. ## Comparisons - [beehiiv vs Kit 2026: fees, growth tools and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/beehiiv-vs-kit/): Kit is the better deal for most paid newsletters in 2026. Kit charges 3.5% + $0.30 per sale with card processing included and no plan fee up to 10,000 subscribers, so 100 payments of $10 leave $935, against about $875 on beehiiv's $59 Lite plan. Pick beehiiv if you want subscriptions in your own Stripe account or plan to earn from its Ad Network. - [Gumroad vs Stan Store 2026: fees, payouts and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/gumroad-vs-stan-store/): Stan Store is the better deal once you sell more than about $200 a month. On $1,000 of $10 sales, Stan's $29 Creator plan leaves about $909 against $791 on Gumroad, because Stan takes 0% and Gumroad takes 10% + $0.50 per sale. Pick Gumroad if you are testing a first product, want sales tax handled for you worldwide or want buyers from its Discover marketplace. - [Kajabi vs Teachable 2026: fees, payouts and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/kajabi-vs-teachable/): Teachable is the better pick for most course creators in 2026. Its $89 Builder plan takes 0% of sales, the same as Kajabi's $179 Basic plan, so on $1,000 of $10 course sales you keep about $852 on Teachable Builder and $762 on Kajabi Basic. Kajabi earns its higher price only if its email, funnel and website tools replace subscriptions you would otherwise pay for. - [Ko-fi vs Buy Me a Coffee 2026: fees, payouts and the winner](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/ko-fi-vs-buy-me-a-coffee/): Ko-fi wins on price and payout speed. On 100 US card tips of $10, Ko-fi's Free mode leaves $941 and Buy Me a Coffee leaves $886, and Ko-fi pays into your PayPal or Stripe account the moment a fan pays. Pick Buy Me a Coffee only if a specific tool, such as Cash App or crypto checkout, matters more to you than 5% of every tip. - [Patreon vs Ko-fi 2026: fees, payouts and which keeps more](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/patreon-vs-ko-fi/): Ko-fi is the cheaper platform. On 100 US card payments of $10, Ko-fi leaves $941 for tips, $891 for memberships in Free mode and $929 on Ko-fi Gold, against $841 on Patreon's standard 10% plan. Pick Patreon only if you need its free members, video hosting, livestream tickets and app. - [Patreon vs Memberful 2026: fees, ownership and the break-even](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/patreon-vs-memberful/): Patreon is cheaper below about $956 a month and Memberful is cheaper above it. On 100 US card payments of $10, Patreon's standard plan leaves $841 and Memberful leaves $843, and at $5,000 a month Memberful keeps $206 more. Pick Patreon to start fast with no monthly bill, and Memberful once you have a website and want members' cards in your own Stripe account. - [Patreon vs Substack 2026: fees, ownership and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/patreon-vs-substack/): Patreon and Substack cost almost the same. Both take 10% from new creators, so 100 US card payments of $10 leave about $841 on Patreon's standard plan and $834 on Substack. Writers should pick Substack for its reader network and Stripe-owned billing. Creators selling video, art, downloads or livestream tickets should pick Patreon. - [Substack vs beehiiv 2026: fees, discovery and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/substack-vs-beehiiv/): Substack is cheaper for small paid newsletters and beehiiv is cheaper once paid revenue passes about $590 a month on a 1,000-subscriber list. On 100 payments of $10, beehiiv's Lite plan leaves $875 and Substack leaves $834. Pick Substack to grow from zero through its reader network, and beehiiv if you already have readers and want ad income alongside subscriptions. - [Substack vs Ghost 2026: fees, ownership and which to pick](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/substack-vs-ghost/): Ghost is cheaper once paid revenue passes about $350 a month on a list of 1,000 members, and it gives you full ownership of your site, list and billing. On 100 payments of $10, Ghost's Publisher plan leaves $899 and Substack leaves $834. Substack is the better start if you have no readers yet, because its network finds them for you. - [Twitch vs Kick 2026: sub splits, requirements and payouts](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/twitch-vs-kick/): Kick pays far more per fan dollar. Kick keeps 5% of subs and tips, so $1,000 in subs leaves a streamer $950, while Twitch's standard 50/50 split leaves $500 at most, or $700 at most at Plus Program Level 2. Stream on Twitch only if your viewers already watch there, because Kick's discovery is weaker and its Partner pay comes from a formula it does not publish. - [YouTube vs TikTok 2026: requirements, revenue shares and pay](https://creatorpaper.com/compare/youtube-vs-tiktok/): YouTube is the better place to earn and TikTok the faster place to grow. YouTube pays a published 55% of long-form ad revenue from 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours, and 70% of web memberships from 500 subscribers, so $1,000 in memberships leaves $700. TikTok's Creator Rewards Program needs 10,000 followers and 100,000 views in 30 days and pays at rates TikTok does not publish, so use TikTok for reach and brand deals. ## Guides - [Creator economy statistics 2026, each with source and date](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/creator-economy-statistics/): Goldman Sachs estimated the creator economy at about $250 billion in 2023 and projected $480 billion by 2027. The IAB projects US brands will spend $37 billion on creators in 2025 and $44 billion in 2026. Earnings are concentrated, with about 4% of creators earning over $100,000 a year in Goldman's estimate and 9% of US independent creators in MBO Partners' 2023 survey. - [Creator platform fees explained: what you keep in 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/creator-platform-fees-explained/): From $1,000 of fan payments, creators keep anywhere from $500 on Twitch's standard sub split to $950 on Kick, and most membership, newsletter and product platforms leave between $760 and $941. The platform's headline cut is only one of several fees. Card processing of about 2.9% + $0.30 per payment, payout and currency fees, app store cuts and monthly plans often cost as much again. - [Creator taxes basics: a US guide for 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/creator-taxes-basics/): Most US creators are self-employed, so they owe income tax plus 15.3% self-employment tax once net earnings reach $400 a year. For 2026, payment apps send a Form 1099-K only above $20,000 and 200 transactions, brands send a Form 1099-NEC at $2,000 or more, and all income is taxable whether or not a form arrives. If you expect to owe $1,000 or more, pay estimated tax four times a year. - [How brand deals work: pitches, contracts, FTC rules and getting paid](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-brand-deals-work/): A brand deal is a contract in which a company pays a creator, in money or product, to make and publish content, and in the US the FTC expects the creator to disclose that relationship in the post itself. Deals move from outreach to brief, contract, approval, posting and invoice. The clauses that change the price most are usage rights, exclusivity and whitelisting, such as TikTok Spark Ads or Instagram partnership ads. - [How creators make money: 10 income streams and what platforms take](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-creators-make-money/): Creators make money from ten main streams: ad revenue share, brand deals, affiliate commissions, memberships, digital products, courses, merch, tips and live gifts, licensing and services. As of October 2026, platform cuts run from 0% on Ko-fi tips to 55% of allocated Shorts ad revenue on YouTube, which keeps 45% of long-form ad revenue and pays creators the other 55%. - [How much do YouTubers make? RPM, CPM and the 55% split explained](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-much-do-youtubers-make/): YouTube pays Partner Program creators 55% of net long-form ad revenue and 45% of their allocated Shorts revenue, so a YouTuber's income depends on RPM, the money earned per 1,000 views. YouTube publishes no standard RPM. vidIQ's April 2026 estimates put long-form RPM at about $5 to $17 in personal finance, one of the best-paying niches, while its CPM ranges for entertainment and vlogs start at $2. - [How to become an influencer: a step-by-step path for 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-to-become-an-influencer/): Pick one narrow topic, build on one platform whose format suits it, and post on a schedule you can keep for six months. First income usually comes from tips, affiliate links and small brand deals, because platform payouts have gates such as YouTube's 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours for ad revenue and TikTok's 10,000 followers plus 100,000 views in 30 days. Add a second platform and an email list once the first one grows without you forcing it. - [How to choose a creator platform: a decision guide for 2026](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-to-choose-a-creator-platform/): Choose one platform to be found on and one to be paid on. Discovery comes from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitch, while direct payment platforms such as Ko-fi, Patreon, Substack, Kit and Gumroad let fans pay you, with platform fees from 0% to 10% plus card processing. Use percentage-fee platforms while revenue is small, and switch to flat-fee ones such as Ghost or Kajabi once the fee would cost more than the plan. - [How to make a media kit: what to include and what brands check](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-to-make-a-media-kit/): A media kit is a short document that shows a brand who your audience is, how your content performs and what you charge. Include audience location, age and gender, median views, engagement rate, past brand work and starting prices. TikTok One lets brands filter creators on follower count, audience country, age, gender, median views and engagement rate, so lead with those numbers and update them at least monthly. - [How to price sponsored posts in 2026: CPM, flat fees and add-ons](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-to-price-sponsored-posts/): Price a sponsored post from your median views per post. Multiply them by a CPM you choose, divide by 1,000, then add fees for usage rights, exclusivity and extra deliverables. Published 2026 benchmarks disagree widely, from Collabstr's average marketplace payouts of $186 to $255 per engagement to Later's $500 to $2,500 per post for micro creators, so treat them as a sanity check, not a price list. - [How to start a paid newsletter in 2026: platform, price, growth](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/how-to-start-a-paid-newsletter/): Start free, build a list that opens your emails, then put a clear slice of your work behind a paywall. On 100 payments of $10, Kit's free plan leaves $935, Ghost $899, beehiiv $875 and Substack $834, because Substack keeps 10% plus Stripe fees while the others charge a flat fee or a monthly plan. Substack still suits writers starting from zero, since its recommendation network brings readers. - [TikTok Creator Rewards Program 2026: requirements and how pay works](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/tiktok-creator-rewards-program/): TikTok's Creator Rewards Program pays creators who are 18 or older, with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the last 30 days, for original videos over one minute long. A video starts earning after 1,000 For You feed views, and TikTok pays monthly on the 15th once you have $50. TikTok does not publish a standard rate per view. - [YouTube Partner Program requirements 2026: both tiers and 2027 changes](https://creatorpaper.com/guides/youtube-partner-program-requirements/): As of October 2026, the YouTube Partner Program has two entry points. Fan funding opens at 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. Ad revenue sharing needs 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views, rising to 8,000 hours or 20 million views for new applicants from February 1, 2027. ## Optional - [Full text](https://creatorpaper.com/llms-full.txt): Every review, guide, comparison and list as Markdown in one file. - [Creator economy glossary](https://creatorpaper.com/glossary/): Plain definitions of creator economy terms.