How to Take Paid Commissions as a Creator or Artist

To take paid commissions, define one custom deliverable, set a fixed price and revision limit, collect full or partial payment before starting, and state the turnaround and refund terms in writing. Use Ko-fi for a creator-page storefront, a direct invoice for workflow control, or FanBell for an all-in-one paid-request link.

Last verified: August 2026.

The tool matters less than the setup: every commission needs a countable deliverable, payment terms, revision limits, a delivery window, usage terms, and a written cancellation or refund policy. On FanBell, commissions are offered through Creator Services.

What is a paid commission?

A paid commission is custom work created for one buyer’s brief, such as an illustration, video edit, track, article, or design. Unlike a ready-made digital product sold substantially unchanged to multiple customers, a commission is bespoke and usually has limited resale value.

The safest approach is to sell a defined deliverable rather than open-ended access to your time. Give the commission a clear title, fixed price, revision limit, stated exclusions, usage rights, and realistic turnaround. How to write a creator service offer explains how to describe an offer so buyers know what they will receive.

Which commission method is best: Ko-fi, a direct invoice, or FanBell?

Ko-fi is best for creators who want commissions displayed on an existing creator page. A direct PayPal or Stripe invoice is best for creators who want to manage the brief, agreement, payment schedule, and delivery themselves. FanBell is best for creators who want payment, scope, turnaround, and request controls combined on one link.

Use Ko-fi if you want a creator-page commission storefront

Ko-fi lets creators publish commission listings and receive orders through its Commissions feature (Ko-fi commission documentation, verified August 2026). Ko-fi states that its free plan charges 0% on tips and 5% on commissions, shop sales, and memberships, while Ko-fi Gold removes that 5% service fee (Ko-fi pricing, verified August 2026).

Use a direct invoice if you want to control the agreement yourself

A direct invoice works well when you already communicate with the buyer and are comfortable maintaining a separate brief, contract, approval process, and delivery record. PayPal and Stripe both provide invoicing tools, but neither automatically defines your creative scope, revision allowance, or ownership terms (PayPal invoicing; Stripe invoicing, verified August 2026).

Do not apply Stripe’s published rate to PayPal. Stripe lists 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic US card payments (Stripe pricing, verified August 2026), while a PayPal invoice is subject to PayPal’s current account, transaction, currency, and regional terms (PayPal business fees; PayPal User Agreement, verified August 2026). Confirm the rate shown for your provider, country, and account before setting a price.

Use FanBell if you want a paid-request link

FanBell is free to start with no monthly fee and charges a 12% platform fee only when a fan pays; Stripe’s processing fee is separate (pricing, verified August 2026). FanBell uses Stripe for payouts and places advance payment, scope, turnaround, and decline-and-refund controls in the request workflow (how it works, verified August 2026).

How do you scope a commission so it does not sprawl?

A commission scope should answer these questions before the buyer pays:

• What exactly will you make? Specify one character illustration, one 30-second edit, one logo concept, or another countable deliverable.
• How many revision rounds are included? State a fixed number and define what counts as a revision.
• What files will the buyer receive? List the format, dimensions, duration, resolution, or source-file access where relevant.
• What is excluded? Identify extras such as commercial usage, source files, additional concepts, rush delivery, or major changes to the original brief.
• When is the brief final? Explain whether a concept change after work begins requires a revised quote or new order.
• What rights does the buyer receive? Distinguish personal use, commercial use, exclusivity, and permission to display the work in your portfolio.

Revision limits should be presented as your offer terms, not as an assumed industry rule. How to scope a custom creator request provides a reusable structure for turning a vague request into a clear brief.

What does a practical commission scope look like?

Use this example as a starting point and replace each detail with terms appropriate to your work:

Deliverable: One full-color character portrait of one person, supplied as one PNG file at the dimensions stated in the order. Included: One initial concept and one revision round covering minor color or detail changes. Excluded: Additional characters, major pose changes after concept approval, source files, printing, and commercial usage. Turnaround: Delivery within 14 calendar days after payment and receipt of the final brief. Buyer responsibilities: Provide reference images and consolidated feedback. Delayed feedback pauses the delivery schedule. Additional work: Changes outside this scope require a new quote and written approval.

The numbers and deliverables in this template are examples, not universal commission standards.

Should you take full payment or a deposit?

For a smaller, clearly defined commission, full payment before work begins is the simplest option. For a larger project, you can use milestones or a deposit—for example, 50% before starting and 50% before final delivery—provided the amounts and release conditions are written clearly.

That 50/50 arrangement is an example, not a universal standard. Choose a split based on the project’s duration, non-recoverable work, and your ability to pause delivery if the remaining balance is unpaid.

A clear 50/50 milestone clause could say:

The buyer pays 50% of the agreed price before work begins. After the buyer approves the preview, the remaining 50% is due before delivery of the unwatermarked final files. Work pauses while an overdue balance remains unpaid. Any change outside the agreed scope requires a separate written quote.

Upfront payment reduces the risk of completing bespoke work for a buyer who disappears. If you use an invoice, state when work begins, when the balance is due, and whether previews are watermarked. A FanBell paid request collects the fan’s payment before work starts (how it works, verified August 2026).

How long should a commission take?

Set the turnaround before accepting payment and base it on your current queue rather than your fastest possible working day. A realistic promise such as “about two weeks” is more useful than “a few days” if two weeks is what your workload actually requires.

Clarify when the delivery clock starts. Possible triggers include the payment date, acceptance of the request, receipt of the final brief, or approval of a required deposit. Also explain what happens if the buyer delays feedback or changes the brief. How to set delivery times for services covers choosing a delivery window and managing a backed-up queue.

A practical turnaround clause could say:

The delivery period begins after payment and receipt of the complete brief. If the buyer does not provide requested feedback or materials, the schedule pauses until they respond. A material change to the approved brief may require a new price and delivery date.

What should your refund and cancellation policy say?

A creator’s voluntary refund policy and a payment processor’s dispute process are not the same thing. Your policy explains when you will cancel or refund a commission; PayPal or Stripe may separately review payment disputes under its own rules. Stripe documents refunds and disputes as separate processes (Stripe refunds; Stripe disputes, verified August 2026).

Before publishing an offer, write down:

• whether the buyer can cancel before work starts;
• whether completed milestones are refundable;
• what happens if the original brief changes;
• what happens if you miss the agreed delivery window;
• whether final files are withheld until the balance is paid; and
• how the buyer should report a delivery or quality problem.

A customizable refund clause could say:

If I decline the request or cannot provide the agreed deliverable, I will refund the applicable payment. If the buyer cancels, any refund will be calculated according to the work already completed and the written milestone terms. Changes of preference after delivery are not treated as non-delivery. This policy does not replace any rights or dispute process provided by the payment provider or applicable law.

Adapt that clause to your workflow and local legal requirements. Do not promise that a transaction is categorically “non-refundable” without considering applicable consumer law and the payment provider’s rules.

There is no universal refund window stated by the pricing sources cited in this guide, so do not copy an unsupported number into your policy. Check your payment provider’s current refund, dispute, and chargeback terms for your country and account type. PayPal explains how sellers issue refunds in its refund documentation (PayPal refund documentation, verified August 2026). How to handle refunds for creator services explains how to communicate a creator-service refund clearly.

What tax and transaction records should commission creators keep?

Platform and processing fees affect take-home revenue, while tax and reporting obligations vary by location, business structure, and activity. Keep records of gross payments, processor and platform fees, refunds, chargebacks, business expenses, invoices, and payout dates.

In the United States, the IRS describes Form 1099-K as a record of reportable payment transactions and advises recipients to use it with their other tax records (IRS guidance on Form 1099-K, verified August 2026). A tax form does not replace your own transaction records, and creators outside the United States should consult the rules that apply in their location.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to use Ko-fi to take commissions?

No. You can use Ko-fi’s Commissions feature, send a PayPal or Stripe invoice, or use a paid-request link. Ko-fi provides a creator-page listing, direct invoices leave the commission-specific scope and delivery workflow to you, and FanBell packages payment and request terms into the offer.

Should I charge before or after doing the work?

Collect full payment or an agreed deposit before beginning custom work. If you use a deposit, specify the exact amount, when the remaining balance is due, and whether the buyer receives watermarked previews or final files before paying it.

How do I handle a commission I cannot finish?

Tell the buyer promptly and follow your written cancellation policy. If you cannot provide the agreed deliverable, the cleanest resolution is generally to return the applicable payment rather than substitute work the buyer did not request. Keep records of the cancellation, communication, and refund.

What is the difference between a commission and a digital product?

A digital product is created once and sold in substantially the same form to multiple buyers. A commission is created for one buyer’s brief. Commissions can support higher prices because they are bespoke, but each order requires fresh work and therefore scales less easily.

How can you start taking commissions on your own link?

If you want to take custom commissions with payment, scope, and turnaround handled in one workflow, Create your free FanBell page, turn on Creator Services, and describe your offer—there is no follower minimum (how it works, verified August 2026), no monthly fee, and a 12% platform fee only when a fan actually pays (pricing, verified August 2026).