name: Itch.io FinOps
description: >-
  Itch.io uses an Open Revenue Sharing model where creators voluntarily decide
  what percentage of their sales revenue to contribute to the platform.
  There are no mandatory platform fees or subscription costs. Transaction costs
  are determined by third-party payment processors (Stripe and PayPal).
  Additional costs may arise from tax compliance, chargebacks, and payout
  transfer fees.
costs:
  - name: Platform Revenue Share
    type: voluntary
    description: >-
      Creators choose what percentage of gross sales to share with itch.io.
      The platform suggests 10% as a default to cover operational costs
      (servers, bandwidth, development) but the rate can be set to 0%-100%.
    amount: 0-100%
    currency: percentage of gross sales
    notes: >-
      Creator Day events periodically offer 0% platform share for a 24-hour
      window. Revenue shared goes toward server costs and platform development.

  - name: Stripe Payment Processing
    type: per-transaction
    description: Per-transaction fee charged by Stripe when processing card payments.
    amount: '$0.30 + 2.9%'
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      Applies when using Stripe as the payment processor for direct payments
      or itch.io-collected payments. Reduces creator net revenue per transaction.

  - name: PayPal Payment Processing
    type: per-transaction
    description: Per-transaction fee charged by PayPal when processing payments.
    amount: Variable (~$0.30 + 2.9%)
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      PayPal fee rates may vary by account type and region. Similar structure
      to Stripe but check PayPal's current rate card for exact amounts.

  - name: Tax Identity Verification
    type: one-time
    description: >-
      Flat fee charged by itch.io for W-8/W-9 tax identity verification for
      international and US sellers receiving payouts via the collected model.
    amount: '$3.00'
    currency: USD
    notes: Required once per creator account for tax compliance.

  - name: Foreign Withholding Tax
    type: conditional
    description: >-
      Default 30% withholding applied to foreign (non-US) seller payouts
      unless the seller provides a valid Tax ID and qualifies under a tax
      treaty to reduce the rate.
    amount: Up to 30%
    currency: percentage of payout
    notes: >-
      Reducible by providing Tax ID and invoking applicable tax treaty
      benefits. Only applies to the "Collected by itch.io" payout model.

  - name: Unclaimed Earnings Maintenance Fee
    type: periodic
    description: >-
      Maintenance fee applied to earnings that remain unclaimed for more
      than one year.
    amount: Undisclosed
    currency: USD
    notes: Creators should claim earnings regularly to avoid this fee.

  - name: Payout Transfer Fee
    type: per-payout
    description: >-
      Transfer fee charged by PayPal or Payoneer when receiving payouts from
      itch.io's collected model.
    amount: Variable by provider
    currency: USD
    notes: >-
      Minimum $5 balance required before requesting a payout. itch.io
      enforces a 7-day transaction waiting period and 7-14 day staff review
      before disbursing funds.

paymentMethods:
  - Stripe (card payments)
  - PayPal
  - Payoneer (payouts only)

payoutModes:
  - name: Direct to You
    description: >-
      Each purchase routes directly to the creator's connected PayPal or
      Stripe account. Creator is the merchant of record and responsible for
      VAT and tax reporting. No co-op bundle support.
  - name: Collected by itch.io
    description: >-
      itch.io collects payments and distributes earnings on payout request.
      itch.io is the merchant of record, handles VAT automatically, and
      provides a single tax interview. Minimum $5 balance and 7-day
      waiting period apply.

references:
  - title: Accepting Payments and Getting Paid
    url: https://itch.io/docs/creators/payments
  - title: Pricing Documentation
    url: https://itch.io/docs/creators/pricing
  - title: Open Revenue Sharing Announcement
    url: https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/itch-io-launches-open-revenue-sharing