What is Patreon, and how does it work?
Let’s break down what Patreon is, why it’s useful, and if it’s right for your content or business.
Today, we’ll cover:
- What is Patreon?
- How does Patreon make money?
- How does Patreon work?
- Who uses Patreon?
- What is Patreon used for, and what can you sell?
- What can’t you sell on Patreon?
- Why should you use Patreon?
- Does Patreon have any drawbacks?
- Is Patreon free to use?
- How much does Patreon cost for creators?
- Is there a Patreon app?
- Is Patreon safe?
- How to get started on Patreon
- Soundtrack your Patreon content safely with Epidemic Sound
What is Patreon?
Patreon is a subscription-based platform that lets professional content creators, established businesses, and everyone in between receive direct payment for their content, products, and services. It’s sometimes boxed in with crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and Kickstarter, but Patreon is a little broader in scope.
Founded in 2013, the platform was built to bridge the gap between creators and their fans, fittingly called patrons. It’s become more popular over the years, but the initial mission statement still rings true: Patreon doesn’t run on ad revenue or clicks.
Rather, patrons subscribe to get closer to the creators they love, while creators leverage Patreon’s paid membership and commerce tools to host great content and subscription packages.
How does Patreon make money?
Patreon takes a cut of subscription revenue. This allows the platform to remain a smooth, ad-free service.
How does Patreon work?
Patreon’s premise is refreshingly clean. Creators deliver content, services, or products, and patrons pay for them with a one-time fee or a subscription. More often than not, you’ll see content offered in a tiered pricing structure.
The higher a patron pays, the more access and content they’ll generally receive. The platform can be used for a one-off project or product, but as it’s become more established, creators are more comfortable using it on a long-term basis.
Patrons can access your content directly through your page, or if they’ve already subscribed, your posts will appear in their feed. Once subsscribed, they can comment on content, giving membership a real social element.
Who uses Patreon?
Patrons can browse, buy, and subscribe to content from their favorite Patreon creators. There’s no algorithm, meaning their search results are based on what they genuinely want to find.
For creators, Patreon is a place to thrive and make money your way. You can use it as a form of passive income, offering subscriptions for a few dollars in exchange for early-access or presale content.
On the other end of the scale, you can house a fully functioning store on the platform, plus tons of subscriber-exclusive content, Q&As, polls, and more.
You might be a podcaster, TikTok creator, musician, vlogger, non-profit organization, journalist. You could offer step-by-step tutorial videos, deep-dive retrospective podcasts, or data-rich case studies. Whatever it is, whoever you are, there’s likely space for you on Patreon.
What is Patreon used for, and what can you sell?
Patreon is well known for providing supplemental podcast content, but that’s not all. Here are more things you can sell on Patreon as a content creator:
- Early-access or ad-free content: Whether you’re producing podcasts, web series, or social media shorts, you can offer early-access and ad-free options for patrons. This is a popular option for creators with established fan bases — they know what their customers like, and can provide a streamlined version for a premium.
- Behind-the-scenes or archive content: Deleted scenes, bloopers, and alternative cuts are strong Patreon incentives, giving patrons the chance to discover more about your creative process.
- Opportunities to steer content: If you’re feeling brave, set polls for patrons to decide on which direction your future content should go.
- Personalized content: Higher tiers may include shoutouts, sponsored slots, or personalized sections in upcoming content.
- Merchandise: Patreon can host, create, and ship your items to patrons. This service is offered in exchange for 3% of your monthly earnings.
What can’t you sell on Patreon?
Patreon’s Terms of Use are pretty broad, but some products and services are prohibited. This includes, but isn’t limited to: pornography, the exchange of sexual services, illegal weapons, illicit drugs, “fake” services and content, and payment in exchange for “not” doing something.
Why should you use Patreon?
We’ve touched on what Patreon is, how it works, and who uses it. But why should you use it? Let’s dig into the pros of creating content with Patreon:
- It can provide a solid income stream: If you have enough monthly subscribers set at the right price, Patreon can become a sizable or even main income stream.
- It brings creators closer to fans: Perhaps that sounds a little clichéd, but it’s true. Exclusive content and fan-only spaces help to grow communities and make patrons feel special.
- It shows you what competitors are doing: Other creators and businesses in your field might be on Patreon. Check out what they’re doing, then see how you can do something different and better.
- It provides solid building blocks for the future: You are in charge of the content, and you alone. Whether you’re a solo creator or part of a wider brand team, your Patreon page represents you. If you don’t honor content deadlines and quality thresholds, patrons may unsubscribe. In that regard, Patreon’s model is great for accountability.
Does Patreon have any drawbacks?
As we’ve outlined, Patreon is a user-friendly platform with plenty of benefits. However, as is the case with most monetization methods, it’s not perfect. Let’s look at a few of Patreon’s drawbacks:
- It’s not ideal for new creators: Unless you have an established following, Patreon probably isn’t the way to go. It can certainly help grow your following with the right kind of content, but you’ll struggle to drum up much cash if you’re starting from zero.
- You’re tied to Patreon’s rules: If the platform changes a rule or increases a fee, there’s not much you can do about it. This goes for other platforms, too, but Patreon’s whole model revolves around creators offering content and goods for money. If you want 100% control, Patreon might not be the right fit for you.
- Patreon takes a considerable cut: If you make a solid amount on Patreon, you’ll take home a nice amount. But the platform does take a large chunk — more on that in a moment.
- You’ll need to keep an eye on your earnings: Depending on where you live, earning money with Patreon could come with unwanted tax implications. Double-check what these extra earnings mean for you and your taxes before you start using Patreon, otherwise you could be in for a nasty surprise.
Is Patreon free to use?
Joining Patreon is free for both creators and patrons. Creating an account, sizing up the competition, or finding other creators to support won’t cost a cent. There are no upfront fees, but once a creator starts making money, the costs kick in. Read more about that below.
How much does Patreon cost for creators?
Like other monetized platforms and services, Patreon takes a slice of your pie. Let’s break down the different fees you’ll find when distributing content on Patreon.
Platform fees
The platform fee is what Patreon charges for payments processed on the platform, calculated via the total sales amount minus sales tax. You only pay based on what you earn.
New creators pay 10% in platform fees. Legacy users pay anywhere between 5% and 11%, depending on their plan.
The platform fee is non-negotiable, remaining at the same rate regardless of how much money you make. If a creator nets $100 worth of monthly subscriptions on the Premium plan, they’ll be charged $10; if they make $100,000 every month, the platform fee will be $10,000.
One-time purchase fees
One-time purchase fees are based on individual sales rather than subscriptions. The fee applies to stand-alone digital items like whitepapers, comedy specials, and more.
Patreon takes between 5% and 12% for one-time purchase fees, depending on factors like your platform plan rate, taxes, and payment processing rate. Creators who signed up before May 26, 2025 are capped at 5%.
Payment processing fees
Patreon charges a small fee for processing payments, varying from country to country. This fee, which usually falls between 2.9% and 3.9%, sends your money from a customer’s wallet to a third-party payment processor, then finally to your Patreon balance.
App Store fee
If a patron is charged through the iOS Patreon app, you’re subject to a 30% service fee from Apple. This fee replaces the payment processing fee mentioned above.
Currency conversion fees
Patreon is a worldwide business. As such, your customers will probably come from more than one country, paying in different currencies than your own. The typical conversion fee is 2.5%, but varies between territories and payment methods.
Payout fees
The payment’s been made, processed, and converted. It’s in your Patreon account, but needs one last push to make its way to your bank — that’s where the payout fee comes in. US creators are charged $0.25 per payout transaction, with fees varying for other territories.
Is there a Patreon app?
Patreon has a free app, which can be downloaded via the App Store or Google Play. While it’s a handy hub for patrons, it lacks some of the features present on the full Patreon website.
Is Patreon safe?
Patreon is a secure platform for both creators and patrons. Payments are handled by verified partners, they have a 24/7 fraud monitoring system, and go out of their way to recover failed payments.
How to get started on Patreon
Let’s finish with a quickfire guide on how to get started on Patreon as a creator:
- Head to Patreon’s creator sign-up page. Decide whether you’d like to create a unique username and password, or log in with existing Facebook or Google credentials.
- Fill in your details, including your legal name, the proposed name for your Patreon page, and whether your content contains anything explicitly sexual. The latter point is for content safeguarding.
- You’re in. Click “Get Started” to head to your creator homepage and build your profile, adding core details like a profile photo, cover photo, and Patreon description. You’re still in the draft stage, though — read more about tiers below.
Set up your Patreon tiers
Patreon tiers divide your content into different pools, letting patrons choose how much they spend. Here’s how to build them:
- Log in, then click the “Membership” tab on your page.
- Select “Add tier,” which generates a tier based at $5 per month. Edit the title, description of the benefits, and price. Check out “More options” to customize further, or “Add benefit” to detail perks new members will receive upon joining.
- Create more tiers if you’d like, structuring them in the same fashion as the previous step. You can also create a free public tier, if you’d like to give non-patrons a taste of what they’re missing.
- Create your first post. This doesn’t have to be a content-led post. It could be a free-for-everyone video or text post, outlining what you have in store for patrons and how they can get involved.
- Ready to launch? Click the “Preview” button to double-check it all looks good. If you like what you see, click “Launch.”
Soundtrack your Patreon content safely with Epidemic Sound
Patreon is a great place to foster community, deliver exclusive content, and generate income. If you need next-level music to make your content pop, try Epidemic Sound.
The catalog is packed with more than 55,000 world-class tracks and 200,000 Hollywood-grade sound effects, catering to just about any mood you can imagine.
Subscribing unlocks unlimited access to advanced search functions, smart tools, and soundtracking features. Finding the right sound’s never been easier.
It’s high-quality, affordable, and safe, removing the headache of music licensing and freeing you up to do what you do best.
It’s better than royalty-free. It’s worry-free. Get started with Epidemic Sound below.
Related posts: