Steady
European creators, independent journalists, podcasters, and publishers who want recurring income from paying members rather than one-off donation campaigns.
A Berlin-based membership platform that lets creators, journalists, and publishers earn recurring income from paying members, charging a platform commission plus payment processing.
- Founded i
- 2016
- Headquartered in i
- DE
- Funding model i
- Recurring memberships
- Platform fee i
- 10%
- Payment processing fee i
- 2.9% + £0.00
- Recipient gets i
- £87.10 / £100
- Data residency i
- —
- Registered entity i
- Steady Media GmbH, HRB 176276 B (Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, Berlin)
- Refund policy i
- 14-day right of withdrawal with full refund
- Payout speed i
- Slow
- Countries i
- 32
- Languages i
- 5
- Trustpilot i
- 2.6 / 5
- Domain Rating i
- 77 / 100
- Transparency i
- 4 / 5
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Our overall editorial assessment. Full weights are published in the methodology.
The review
Steady is a Berlin-based membership platform that helps creators, independent journalists, podcasters, and publishers earn recurring revenue directly from their audiences. Rather than one-off donation campaigns, it centres on ongoing paid memberships — readers and listeners subscribe on a monthly or annual basis to support and access a creator's work — and it operates across much of Europe.
Steady's model is commission-based: it takes a platform commission widely reported at around 10% of revenue, with payment-processing costs of roughly 1-3% on top depending on method and currency, and VAT handled according to the creator's circumstances. Registering and creating a project is free, and fees apply only once a creator starts earning. Because these figures come from secondary summaries rather than a cleanly verified pricing page, the exact current rates should be confirmed before publication.
Steady's strength is purpose-built recurring-membership tooling for media and creators, with European data handling and multi-currency support across euro, pound, Swiss franc, and US dollar. The trade-offs are a commission notably higher than 0%-platform donation models, and a product oriented to ongoing memberships rather than one-off cause-based donation campaigns, which makes it a different fit from classic donation crowdfunding platforms.
For European creators, journalists, and publishers who want to build a sustainable base of paying members, Steady is a strong, sector-specific choice. Nonprofits or individuals running one-off donation or cause campaigns are usually better served by donation-crowdfunding platforms. Members can pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, and SEPA direct debit.
What’s good, what’s not.
- ✓Purpose-built recurring-membership tooling for creators, journalists, and publishers.
- ✓Free to register and create a project; fees apply only once you earn.
- ✓European data handling with multi-currency support (euro, pound, Swiss franc, US dollar).
- ✓Members can pay by card, PayPal, Apple Pay, and SEPA direct debit.
- ✓Available across much of Europe for cross-border membership audiences.
- −Platform commission (reported around 10%) is well above 0%-platform donation models.
- −Oriented to ongoing memberships rather than one-off cause-based donation campaigns.
- −Exact fees come from secondary sources and should be verified on the pricing page.
Where each £100 actually goes.
Fees vary by payment method. We default to Credit card because that’s the dominant method in the United Kingdom.
| Payment method | Per transaction | Of £100, recipient gets | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Pay · PayPal · SEPA | 11% + £0.00 | £89.00 | 10% platform fee |
| Card | 12.9% + £0.00 | £87.10 | 10% platform fee |
32 countries · 5 languages · 4 payment methods.
Better-fit alternatives to Steady.
Our curated shortlist — the platforms we’d actively recommend instead of Steady for fundraising in the United Kingdom, with the figures behind the call.
WhyDonate lets more of each donation through than Steady — £97.85 reaches the recipient per 100, against £87.10.
Zeffy lets more of each donation through than Steady — £100.00 reaches the recipient per 100, against £87.10.
JustGiving lets more of each donation through than Steady — £97.80 reaches the recipient per 100, against £87.10.
See how Steady stacks up head-to-head.
Frequently asked questions
What does Steady charge?
Steady charges a 10% platform fee and 2.9% + £0.00 in payment processing per donation.
Where is Steady based?
Steady was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Germany. Data residency is unspecified.
Which countries does Steady operate in?
Steady operates in 32 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Czechia.
Which payment methods does Steady support?
Steady accepts Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, SEPA.
Is Steady suitable for nonprofits?
Steady’s primary audience is individual fundraisers and groups; nonprofits can use the platform but may find specialized alternatives better suited.
Rankings are produced by a public editorial methodology — open to peer review. We disclose ownership, scoring weights, and every change.