GitHub Sponsors vs Liberapay (2026): Which Pays Better?

Both are popular donation, tip & crowdfunding tools. Here is how GitHub Sponsors and Liberapay stack up on requirements, what you keep, payout terms, strengths and weaknesses, and which one we would pick.

GitHub Sponsors

Recurring and one-time sponsorship for open-source maintainers and developers, with zero fees for individuals.

8.2 /10

Pricing: Free

Pros

No platform fee and native to where developers already are
Companies can sponsor with invoices

Cons

Developer projects only
Country availability limits

Visit GitHub Sponsors ↗

Liberapay

Non-profit recurring donation platform with no platform fee, popular in open source.

6.8 /10

Pricing: Free

Pros

No platform fee
Recurring by design

Cons

Small user base outside open source
Basic features

Visit Liberapay ↗

GitHub Sponsors vs Liberapay at a glance

	GitHub Sponsors	Liberapay
Editor score	8.2 / 10	6.8 / 10
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free	Free
Web rank	–	#35k
Minimum traffic	None	None
Revenue share / fee	0% for individual developers (payment fees on some methods)	0% (payment processor fees only)
Commission	–	–
Payout	Monthly	Weekly
Methods served	donations tips, memberships subscriptions	donations tips, memberships subscriptions
Niches accepted	Tech & SaaS	Tech & SaaS, General
Reader upvotes	0	0
Best for	open source, sponsorship, developers	recurring donations, open source, non-profit

Our pick

GitHub Sponsors edges it with a score of 8.2 versus 6.8. GitHub Sponsors is the better fit if you value: no platform fee and native to where developers already are, companies can sponsor with invoices. Choose Liberapay instead if you need: no platform fee, recurring by design.