Statistics
Gross vs Net Income Gap (Platform Economy, 2026)
Updated 17 Oct 2026
The typical platform takes 17.4% of gross earnings before the earner is paid, and 21.7% on average. Running costs, unpaid time and tax come on top.
Cite this page
PlatformTaxHub. "Gross vs Net Income Gap (Platform Economy)." 4042 Solutions Group LLC, 2026. platformtaxhub.com/statistics/gross-vs-net-income-gap
The charts and figures on this page may be reused with credit to PlatformTaxHub and a link to this page.
Key Statistics
01
What comes out of platform earnings?
Five layers sit between gross platform earnings and take-home income: platform fees, transaction and currency costs, running costs, unpaid time and tax.
- 1
Platform fees
Commission, service fees and revenue splits the platform keeps.
- 2
Transaction and currency costs
Payment processing, currency conversion and withdrawal charges.
- 3
Running costs
Tools, software, advertising, fuel, vehicle, logistics and fulfilment.
- 4
Unpaid time
Hours spent bidding, waiting, searching and travelling that no platform pays for.
- 5
Tax
Income tax, self-employment or social contributions, and VAT or GST.
02
How much do platforms take?
The typical platform takes 17.4% before the earner is paid; the average is 21.7%.
17.4%
Typical platform fee
21.7%
Average platform fee
03
Which kind of platform takes the most?
Creator platforms take the most on average, 27.8%, and gig platforms the least, 17.8%.
Sources
- Each platform's own published fee terms, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- Excludes payment processors, money transfer services and programmes that no longer pay earners.
Research methods and reuse: Terms of Service, section 11.