Ko-fi vs Patreon:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Patreon had more branded searches than Ko-fi among creator membership and tipping platforms in New Zealand. Patreon had about 15,300 branded searches, while Ko-fi had 1,900. Patreon made up 55.4% of all creator membership and tipping platform searches we track, and Ko-fi accounted for 6.9%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about creator membership and tipping platforms, Patreon appeared in all five answers and Ko-fi in three. Ko-fi and Patreon were each mentioned first in two of the four answers.
Who do people search for more?
Patreon, about 8 searches for every 1 for Ko-fi
Who does AI mention more?
Patreon, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top creator membership and tipping platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Patreon appeared in all five answers. Ko-fi was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Ko-fi and Patreon were each listed first in two of the four answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- Patreon1st
Ko-fi2nd
Buy Me a Coffee3rd
Substack4th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Patreon5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Ko-fi3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Buy Me a Coffee3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Substack2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about creator membership and tipping platforms
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which creator membership and tipping platform should I use in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best creator membership and tipping platforms in New Zealand?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best creator membership and tipping platform in New Zealand for creator income?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best creator platform”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“creator membership platform nz”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in New Zealand on October 21, 2026.
Is Ko-fi or Patreon more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Ko-fi and Patreon by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all four creator membership and tipping platforms we track, month by month, from searches in New Zealand.
Share of searches by month for Patreon, Ko-fi. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Patreon | Substack | Ko-fi | Buy Me a Coffee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 64% | 27.6% | 6.8% | 1.6% |
| Nov 2025 | 63.1% | 27.1% | 7.8% | 2% |
| Dec 2025 | 63% | 27.1% | 7.9% | 2% |
| Jan 2026 | 60% | 31.9% | 6.2% | 1.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 59.2% | 31.4% | 7.5% | 1.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 55.3% | 35.7% | 6.9% | 2.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 55.5% | 35.9% | 6.9% | 1.7% |
| May 2026 | 54.4% | 35.3% | 8.6% | 1.7% |
| Jun 2026 | 60% | 32% | 6.2% | 1.9% |
| Jul 2026 | 59.2% | 31.5% | 7.4% | 1.9% |
| Aug 2026 | 54.9% | 35.6% | 6.8% | 2.6% |
| Sep 2026 | 55.4% | 35.9% | 6.9% | 1.7% |
How has the Ko-fi and Patreon comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Patreon was ahead of Ko-fi in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Ko-fi’s share of searches among creator membership and tipping platforms in New Zealand moved from 6.8% to 6.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.6K to 1.9K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Patreon’s share of searches among creator membership and tipping platforms in New Zealand moved from 64% to 55.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 15.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand creator membership and tipping platforms in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Patreon gained share of searches among creator membership and tipping platforms in New Zealand, from 54.9% to 55.4%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Ko-fi in New Zealand rose 17.3% over 12 measured months, from 1.6K to 1.9K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
13 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ko-fi’s and Patreon’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among creator membership and tipping platforms
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