Patreon — A membership platform where creators sell paid subscription tiers directly to fans, taking a percentage-based platform fee plus payment processing on every pledge.
By Noahlast updated
Patreon screenshots & video
Patreon in 20 seconds
Best for: creators who want built-in recurring membership-tier billing and community tools instead of relying on ads or one-off sales
Pricing: Free to join; new creators pay a flat 10% platform fee plus payment processing (2.9%+$0.30 per charge).
- New Patreon creators (since August 2025) pay a flat 10% platform fee on membership revenue, plus payment processing of 2.9%+$0.30 per charge (or 5%+$0.10 under $3).
- Creators who joined before August 4, 2025 keep legacy tiered rates (5% Lite, 8% Pro, 12% Premium) as long as their page stays continuously published.
- Patreon is free to sign up and browse; it only earns revenue once a creator's memberships start generating money.
- Patreon has native iOS and Android apps in addition to the web, with mobile payouts rolling out gradually.
- Patreon's Trustpilot rating is around 1.2/5 from 800+ reviews, driven by billing and customer-support complaints.
Limitations: Combined platform fee and payment processing can take a meaningful cut of small membership pledges.; Trustpilot reviewers report duplicate billing and account suspensions with slow support resolution.; iOS purchases often route through Apple's in-app purchase system, adding Apple's cut on top of Patreon's fee.
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What is Patreon?
Patreon is a membership platform, not a one-off tip jar: creators set up tiered subscriptions (for example $5, $10, $25/month) and fans who join a tier get recurring access to exclusive posts, community chats, early releases, or other perks the creator defines. Patreon handles billing, tier management, and payouts, and creators post updates through Patreon's own feed rather than relying entirely on a separate blog or video platform. Patreon takes a percentage of membership revenue as its fee, plus separate payment processing charges. Historically this ran on a tiered plan structure (Lite/Pro/Premium at 5%/8%/12%), but Patreon moved new creators to a flat 10% platform fee starting August 2025; creators who signed up earlier keep their old rate as long as their page remains continuously published. The product is free for fans to browse and free for creators to set up — Patreon only earns money once paid memberships start generating revenue.
Patreon is a membership platform that lets creators (podcasters, YouTubers, writers, musicians, artists) sell recurring paid subscription tiers directly to fans in exchange for exclusive posts, community access, and perks. As of August 2025, new creators pay a flat 10% platform fee on membership revenue; creators who joined before August 4, 2025 keep their legacy tiered rates (5% Lite, 8% Pro, or 12% Premium) as long as their page stays continuously published, and every plan adds standard payment processing on top (2.9% + $0.30 per charge, or 5% + $0.10 for pledges under $3). Patreon has iOS and Android apps in addition to the web, with mobile payouts rolling out gradually (iOS first, Android following) and iOS purchases still routed through Apple's in-app purchase system in many cases. Patreon's Trustpilot rating sits around 1.2/5 from 800+ reviews, driven by complaints about duplicate billing, account suspensions, and slow customer support, a sharp contrast to its stronger reception among creators on G2.
Standout feature: Built-in recurring membership-tier infrastructure — billing, tier gating, community posts, and payouts — purpose-built for creators rather than adapted from a generic e-commerce or newsletter tool.
Biggest weakness: Fees compound against creators: the new flat 10% platform fee plus 2.9%+$0.30 payment processing (or 5%+$0.10 on small pledges) can take a meaningful cut of low-value memberships, and Trustpilot reviewers rate the overall support experience around 1.2/5, citing duplicate billing, account suspensions, and slow issue resolution.
Pros
- No fee to sign up or browse; Patreon only takes a cut once a creator starts earning.
- Built-in tiered membership, community post, and payout tooling purpose-built for creators.
- iOS and Android apps in addition to the web, with mobile payouts gradually rolling out.
- Legacy creators who joined before August 2025 can keep a lower 5% platform fee.
Cons
- Trustpilot rating around 1.2/5 from 800+ reviews, with duplicate billing and slow customer support as recurring complaints.
- New creators pay a flat 10% platform fee plus separate payment processing (2.9%+$0.30, or 5%+$0.10 on small pledges).
- iOS purchases are often routed through Apple's in-app purchase system, adding Apple's own cut on top of Patreon's fee.
- Account suspensions are a frequently cited complaint, cutting off a creator's income with limited recourse reported by reviewers.
Patreon pricing
Free
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (new creators, from Aug 2025) | Custom | Flat 10% platform fee on membership revenue, plus payment processing (2.9% + $0.30 per charge, or 5% + $0.10 for pledges under $3). No monthly software fee — Patreon only earns when a creator earns. |
| Legacy Lite (creators before Aug 4, 2025) | Custom | 5% platform fee plus payment processing, for creators who joined before the August 2025 pricing change and keep their page continuously published. |
| Legacy Pro (creators before Aug 4, 2025) | Custom | 8% platform fee plus payment processing; adds membership tiers, analytics, and app integrations. |
| Legacy Premium (creators before Aug 4, 2025) | Custom | 12% platform fee plus payment processing, aimed at larger creator operations. |
What reviewers say
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