Statistics
Platform Economy Statistics 2026
Updated 17 Oct 2026
Platform earners pay an average effective platform fee of 21.7% in 2026, with workforce and earnings figures for gig work, freelancing, creators and online selling.
Cite this page
PlatformTaxHub. "Platform Economy Statistics 2026." 4042 Solutions Group LLC, 2026. platformtaxhub.com/statistics/platform-economy-2026
The charts and figures on this page may be reused with credit to PlatformTaxHub and a link to this page.
Key Statistics
01
How much do platforms take?
The average effective platform fee is 21.7%, from 4% to 80%.
21.7%
Average effective platform fee
4%
Lowest effective platform fee
80%
Highest effective platform fee
02
How many people do platform work?
Between 154 million and 435 million people do online gig work worldwide (World Bank, 2023).
154M
People doing online gig work as their main or regular work (lower bound)
World Bank, Working Without Borders, 2023
435M
Including secondary and occasional online gig workers (upper bound)
World Bank, Working Without Borders, 2023
46.4%
Of the world's workers are self-employed
ILO modelled estimates, 2025 (World Bank WDI, SL.EMP.SELF.ZS)
40 of 133
Countries that have measured platform employment
ILO, Digital labour platforms: Number of platforms and workers, February 2026
03
What do platform workers and creators earn?
Workers on online web-based platforms earn an average of US$3.4 an hour including unpaid time (ILO, 2021), and 98% of creators made $50,000 or less in the previous 12 months (Linktree, 2023).
US$3.4/hr
Average hourly earnings on online web-based platforms, including unpaid time
ILO, World Employment and Social Outlook 2021
US$2.1/hr
Half of these workers earn less than this
ILO, World Employment and Social Outlook 2021
98%
Of creators made $50,000 or less in the previous 12 months
Linktree, The 2023 Linktree Creator Report
72%
Of creators earned under $500 in the previous 12 months
Linktree, The 2023 Linktree Creator Report
Sources
- Platform fees: each platform's own published fee terms, checked 17 Oct 2026. Excludes payment processors, money transfer services and programmes that no longer pay earners.
- Workforce and earnings: the publications listed below.
- World Bank (2023). Working Without Borders: The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work
- World Bank. Self-employed, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate), SL.EMP.SELF.ZS
- ILO (2021). World Employment and Social Outlook 2021: The role of digital labour platforms in transforming the world of work
- ILO (2026). Digital labour platforms: Number of platforms and workers (research brief)
- Linktree (2023). The 2023 Linktree Creator Report
Research methods and reuse: Terms of Service, section 11.
Related statistics
Platform Fee Statistics 2026
What 145+ platforms charge earners.
ReadWhat Platform Earners Keep (2026)
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ReadGross vs Net Income Gap
What comes out of platform earnings before they reach the earner.
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How people combine work and income in 2026.
Read