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itch.io Fee Calculator UK

itch.io has a unique developer-set fee model. Default is 10%, but creators can pick 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 30%. Most pick 0-10%. Plus payment processing (~2.9% + £0.30). Calculator below shows take-home for each fee level.

Last verified: 25 April 2026 Source: itch.io creator docs: Fees Next review: 25 October 2026
Inputs
Sale price —
itch.io platform fee —
Payment processing —
Total fees —
Developer take-home —
Effective fee % —
£9.99 game — 0% chosen
£9.99 · 0% itch.io fee · Stripe processing only

£9.99 × 0% itch.io = £0. Stripe 2.9% + £0.30 = £0.59. Total £0.59. Net £9.40 (94.1% retention). Most generous platform terms in gaming. Many developers DO choose to give itch.io 5-10% to support the platform.

£9.99 game — default 10%
£9.99 · Default 10% itch.io · Stripe

£9.99 × 10% itch.io = £1.00. Plus Stripe £0.59. Total £1.59. Net £8.40 (84.1% retention). Default rate when you create a new product. Equivalent to Apple/Google first tier rate.

£9.99 game — 30% generous support
£9.99 · 30% itch.io · Stripe

£9.99 × 30% itch.io = £3.00. Plus Stripe £0.59. Total £3.59. Net £6.40 (64.1% retention). Some developers choose 30% to mirror Steam/App Store rates and support itch.io meaningfully. Rare but appreciated.

itch.io is the most developer-friendly digital game distribution platform. Its unique ‘developer-set fee’ model lets creators choose what percentage to give itch.io — from 0% (you keep everything except payment processing) to 100% (you give it all). Default is 10%. Calculator above shows take-home at each common choice.

The developer-set fee model

You choose itch.io’s cut from these standard options:

  • 0%: You contribute nothing to itch.io
  • 5%: Light support
  • 10% (default): New products start here
  • 15%: Active support
  • 20%: Strong support
  • 30%: Mirrors Apple/Google/Steam standard rate

The default is 10% but many developers select 0% (legitimately — itch.io’s whole point is that you can). Some choose 20-30% as a meaningful contribution to a platform they value.

What itch.io’s 0% actually means

Even at ‘0% itch.io fee’, you still pay payment processing:

  • Stripe (default): 2.9% + £0.30
  • PayPal: ~3.4% + £0.30

So ‘free’ actually costs ~3% effective. itch.io covers its own infrastructure costs through the developers who DO choose to contribute. The economics work because most developers choose 5-10% voluntarily, but the option to give 0% is genuine.

When to use itch.io vs Steam vs alternatives

itch.io best for: - Game jams (Ludum Dare, Global Game Jam, etc.) — itch.io is the de facto host - Experimental / art games where Steam’s curation hurts - Pay-what-you-want releases (not supported on Steam) - Charity bundles (itch.io’s bundle infrastructure is best-in-class) - Alt-payment / supporting causes (Bundle for Racial Justice, Bundle for Ukraine, etc.) - Free or sub-£5 releases (Steam Direct’s submission fee is prohibitive) - HTML5 / browser games (Steam doesn’t support; itch.io does natively) - Retro / pixel-art / minimalist aesthetics

Steam best for: - Mainstream commercial PC games - Multi-player / online infrastructure needs - Established franchises with audiences expecting Steam features - Sub-£20 indie titles aiming for broad reach (Steam’s user base is 50× larger)

Most successful indies dual-publish on both.

Pay-what-you-want pricing

itch.io’s signature feature. Set minimum to £0 (or any value), allow buyers to pay above. Useful for:

  • Game jam outputs
  • Demos / playable previews
  • Tip-jar style releases
  • Charity / cause-supporting releases
  • Newsletter signup gates

Default suggested price + minimum can be set independently. Buyers paying minimum get the same product as buyers paying generously.

Bundles

itch.io’s bundle creation is best-in-class. Combine multiple developers’ games into a single bundle, distribute revenue automatically by pre-set splits. Used for:

  • Bundle for Racial Justice (June 2020): a multi-million pound-equivalent total raised across 1,700+ developers
  • Bundle for Ukraine (March 2022): a multi-million pound-equivalent total raised
  • Indie game charity bundles generally (multiple per year)

Combined with 0% fee election, bundle revenue can flow almost entirely to charity recipients.

UK tax treatment

  • itch.io revenue: UK trading income (Self Assessment)
  • itch.io fees fully deductible
  • Stripe / PayPal fees fully deductible
  • Pay-what-you-want revenue counts as income at whatever amount buyer paid
  • VAT on EU digital goods: register for OSS if above local thresholds (most small UK indies below)
  • £1,000 trading allowance for sub-threshold

For dual-platform indies (itch.io + Steam), both revenues add together for trading-allowance and self-employment thresholds.

What this calculator doesn’t model

  • PayPal vs Stripe rate difference (~0.5pp)
  • itch.io currency conversion fee (2.5% on cross-currency purchases)
  • Pay-what-you-want variable pricing
  • Bundle revenue split economics
  • itch.io app (mobile-friendly storefront) separate fee structure
  • Refund handling

For mainstream PC distribution comparison, see Steam UK calculator. For mobile game equivalents, see Apple App Store calculator and Google Play calculator. For UK indie game tax basics, see Side hustle tax calculator.

Common mistakes
  • Defaulting to 10% without considering 0%. itch.io’s unique value is letting developers choose. Most developers stick with default 10% out of habit, not philosophy. If you actively want to support itch.io, choose deliberately. If you want maximum margin, choose 0%.
  • Forgetting payment processor fees still apply. itch.io’s 0% means itch.io takes nothing. Stripe still charges 2.9% + £0.30. Net effective minimum rate is ~3% on £9.99 sales, not 0%.
  • Not testing different fee levels. itch.io lets you change fee at any time. Some developers experiment with promotional 0% windows. Others lock at 10% permanently.
  • Skipping itch.io for mainstream releases. itch.io’s audience is indie/experimental/jam games. Mainstream/AAA-style games get less reach. itch.io best for: game jams, experimental fiction, retro/pixel-art aesthetic, alt-payment-supporting causes, free/pay-what-you-want.
  • Forgetting itch.io supports pay-what-you-want pricing. Set minimum £0 and allow buyers to pay any amount above. Useful for game jam outputs, demos, tip-jar releases. Not available on Steam/Apple/Google.
  • Not utilising itch.io’s bundle features. itch.io has built-in bundle creation (sell multiple games together at discount). Used for charity bundles (Bundle for Racial Justice raised multi-million pound-equivalent totals on itch.io). Combine with 0% fee for maximum charity bundle effectiveness.
What this calculator doesn't cover
  • Doesn’t model PayPal alternative (slightly higher rate, ~3.4% + £0.30 vs Stripe ~2.9% + £0.30).
  • Doesn’t include itch.io’s 2.5% currency conversion fee (when UK users buy from non-GBP-denominated games).
  • Doesn’t account for the unique pay-what-you-want pricing structure (variable buyer-set price).
  • Doesn’t model bundle pricing dynamics (developer’s share calculated on bundle revenue split).
  • Doesn’t include the itch.io app store fee (separate, similar structure but for itch.io’s mobile-friendly storefront).
  • Doesn’t include refund handling fees (rare on itch.io but possible).

Frequently asked questions

What % should I set for itch.io's platform fee?

Pure self-interest: 0%. Active support: 5-10%. Generous support: 15-30%. Most developers stick with the default 10%. The ‘right’ answer depends on your relationship with the platform — if you’ve used itch.io for jams, charity bundles, or community-building, contributing meaningfully is reasonable. If you’re using itch.io as one of many sales channels, 0% is justifiable.

Does choosing 0% hurt my visibility on itch.io?

No — itch.io’s algorithms don’t prioritise high-fee games. Discovery is based on content tags, recency, ratings, sales velocity. Fee choice has no algorithmic impact.

Can I change my fee % over time?

Yes — change anytime via your itch.io dashboard. Some developers run promotional 0% periods, then return to 10%. Some rise from 10% to 30% as their products grow. Fully flexible.

How does itch.io handle UK VAT?

itch.io collects EU/UK VAT for digital goods sold to EU/UK customers IF you’ve opted into the VAT MOSS programme (now OSS post-Brexit). Otherwise, the UK developer is responsible for VAT compliance on EU sales above local thresholds. Most small UK indie devs are below threshold and don’t need to worry. Above £8,818/year of EU digital goods sales, register for OSS.

Why are itch.io's fees so much lower than Steam?

Different business model. Steam funds large infrastructure (multiplayer servers, anti-cheat, regional CDNs, achievements, workshop, etc.). itch.io is a leaner marketplace focused on indie/experimental games. itch.io’s lower fees reflect lower infrastructure costs and a developer-first ethos.

Is itch.io revenue UK-taxable?

Yes — UK trading income via Self Assessment. itch.io fees and Stripe fees fully deductible. Pay-what-you-want revenue still counts as income (whatever the buyer paid). See side hustle tax calculator for thresholds.

Should I dual-publish on itch.io and Steam?

Generally yes for indie games. itch.io reaches the experimental/jam/retro audience; Steam reaches mainstream PC gamers. Dual-publishing covers both segments at minimal extra effort (similar build/upload process). Different audiences = additive sales, not cannibalising.

About this calculator. Maintained by Jordan — a UK seller and creator who actually uses these platforms (Etsy, eBay, Vinted, DistroKid). Built to be accurate, mobile-fast, and honest about its limits. Spot a bug? Email hello@payoutmath.co.uk.