Do supporters need an account to tip?

On some platforms yes and on others no, and it changes the conversion rate noticeably. Requiring an account buys you a repeatable relationship and loses the impulse gift, which is most of what a tip jar collects.

Tips suit an audience that gives occasionally after something specific. Memberships suit one that wants ongoing access and gives you predictable income. Most creators end up with both, because they collect from different people rather than from the same ones twice.

Is the platform's cut the whole cost?

No. Payment processing sits underneath it and is charged separately, and currency conversion may sit on top. A stated zero platform fee still arrives net of the processor, which is why the useful figure is what lands in your account.

Best Tip Jar and Donation Tools for Creators 2026

A tip jar for people who want to pay you and have nothing to buy.

16 tools in this category.

A tip jar exists for the people who want to pay you and have nothing to buy. The whole comparison is friction and cut: how much the platform keeps, whether a supporter has to make an account before they can give you a few pounds, and how quickly the money reaches you.