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The trade-off is cost and control. New creators generally pay Patreon a 10% platform fee, then may also pay payment-processing, payout, currency-conversion, tax, and—on eligible iOS purchases—Apple App Store charges. Patreon is convenient, but convenience needs to be priced into your business model.
What Patreon does
Patreon combines several creator-business functions in one hosted platform:
- Monthly and annual paid memberships
- Free memberships for audience growth
- Paid membership tiers with different benefits
- One-time sales of posts, collections, and digital products
- Text, image, audio, and video posts
- Comments, polls, chats, and direct messages
- Email newsletters and audience exports
- Membership analytics and audience filters
- Podcast importing and syncing, including Spotify integration and Synced Feeds
- Native video hosting and livestreaming for eligible creators
There is no upfront subscription fee to start a Patreon page. Patreon takes fees when you earn money. That makes it relatively low-risk for testing an idea, although a page with little revenue may still require considerable work to maintain. See Patreon’s pricing page.
#1 Best Overall
- Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
- Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
- What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
- Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
- Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life
Patreon pricing: the headline 10% is not the whole cost
Creators who published their Patreon page after August 4, 2025 are generally placed on the standard plan, which charges a 10% platform fee on successfully processed membership and one-time-purchase revenue, excluding sales tax. Patreon describes the plan and fee in its creator fees overview.
That fee is separate from other possible deductions:
| Cost | What to know |
|---|---|
| Patreon platform fee | Generally 10% for new creators on the standard plan. |
| Payment processing | Varies by currency, payment method, and transaction amount. Patreon gives 2.9% + $0.30 as a USD commerce example. |
| Currency conversion | A 2.5% conversion fee can apply when a member pays in a currency different from your payout currency. |
| Payout | Depends on the payout method and currency. |
| Taxes | Applicable taxes may be charged on fees in some regions. |
| Apple App Store | Eligible new purchases made through Patreon’s iOS in-app checkout can be subject to Apple’s 30% fee. |
Patreon’s payment guidance and creator fees FAQ explain that processing and payout costs vary. For a simple illustration, $1,000 in successfully processed revenue would mean $100 in Patreon platform fees at the standard rate. It would not mean $900 necessarily reaches your bank account: payment processing, payouts, currency conversion, taxes, refunds, and other adjustments may reduce the amount further.
Fixed processing fees also make inexpensive tiers less efficient. A $3 membership loses a larger percentage to a fixed per-transaction charge than a $30 membership. Before choosing prices, check the actual fee breakdown in Creator studio → Earnings rather than relying only on the advertised percentage.
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Creators who published by August 4, 2025 may retain a legacy plan if their page has remained continuously published. The legacy platform fees are:
- Founders: 5%
- Pro: 8%
- Pro + Merch: 11%
These plans are not available to new creators. A legacy creator whose page is unpublished—by the creator or Patreon—can lose the legacy rate and move to the standard 10% plan after republishing. If you need a temporary break, Patreon recommends using its pause tool instead of unpublishing, as explained in its creator fees overview.
Rank #2
- Word-first 16K Pressure Levels: The upgraded stylus features 16,384 levels of pressure sensitivity and supports up to 60 degrees of tilt, delivering smoother lines and shading for a natural drawing experience. With no battery or charging needed, it operates like a real pen, making it easy for beginners to create effortlessly. This functionality helps novice artists develop their skills and explore their creativity without the intimidation of complex tools
- Designed for Beginners: This drawing pad desinged with 8 customizable shortcuts for both right and left-hand users, express keys create a highly ergonomic and convenient work platform
- Perfectly Adapted for Android: The XPPen Deco 01 V3 art tablet supports connections with Android devices running version 10.0 and above. It is recommended to download the XPPen Tools Android application, which adapts to your smartphone's screen aspect ratio, ensuring accurate mapping. It also supports mapping on Android screens with different aspect ratios in portrait mode
- Large Drawing Space, Bigger Bold Inspiration: This expansive drawing pad has10 x 6.25-inch helps you break through the limit between shortcut keys and drawing area
- Easy Connectivity for Beginners: The Deco 01 V3 offers USB-C to USB-C connectivity, plus adapters for USB C. This ensures easy connection to various devices, allowing beginner artists to set up quickly and focus on their creativity without compatibility concerns. Whether using a laptop, tablet, or desktop, the Deco 01 V3 provides a seamless experience, making it an ideal choice for those just starting their digital art journey
How memberships and billing work
You can create one or more paid tiers. Each tier can have its own price, benefits, member limit, shipping-address requirement, and Discord role.
Patreon’s current default for new creators is subscription billing:
- A member is charged when they join.
- The member receives access immediately.
- They are charged again on the same day of each following month.
Creators still using legacy billing must switch to subscription billing by November 1, 2026. This matters for cash-flow planning because subscription billing charges members according to their join date rather than necessarily charging everyone on the first day of the month. See Patreon’s membership billing guidance.
Free memberships
Free memberships let visitors click Join for free and provide a name and email address. You can publish posts for free members, paid members, selected tiers, or the public.
This can be useful as a funnel: a visitor joins for free, receives updates, and may later upgrade. It is not the same as owning a complete email list, however. Members can opt out of sharing their email address with creators. People imported as email-only subscribers also need a Patreon account to comment, vote in polls, join chats or livestreams, and play audio or video. See Patreon’s email-list import guidance.
What you can sell on Patreon
Patreon supports recurring memberships and one-time digital sales. Products can include:
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
- Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
- Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
- Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
- Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.
- Text products
- Audio
- Video
- Images
- Attachments
- Paid posts
- Collections
To sell content, publish it to your creator Shop. Listing is free, and fees apply to successfully processed sales. Commerce is available to Adult/18+ creators on subscription billing, subject to Patreon’s guidelines. See Patreon’s one-time purchase guidance.
This makes Patreon more flexible than a membership-only service. For example, you could offer a $5 monthly tier for ongoing posts and sell a standalone $25 guide to people who do not want a recurring subscription.
Useful Patreon workflows
Create a post
- Select Create in the left navigation.
- Select Post.
- Enter a title.
- Add text, images, video, audio, attachments, buttons, dividers, or a paywall.
- Choose whether the post is for paid members, specific tiers, free members, or the public.
Edit a membership tier
- Select Creator studio.
- Open the Membership tab.
- Scroll to the relevant tier.
- Click Edit tier.
- Open Advanced for member limits and shipping-address collection.
New tiers automatically receive access to posts published for Paid members only. Review the access settings after creating a tier so a new benefit does not accidentally become available to the wrong audience.
Export audience data
- Open Creator studio.
- Select Audience.
- Open the Relationship manager.
- Filter by categories such as Paid members, Free members, Active, Canceled, Payment declined, or New this month.
- Use the table-settings icon to choose columns.
- Click CSV to download the filtered list.
Patreon’s former Mailchimp integration is no longer supported. To use the data elsewhere, export the list and upload it manually. Also remember that some members may not share their email address, so the export is not guaranteed to be a complete customer database.
Preview your page as a member
- Select Creator studio.
- Click Edit page.
- Use the preview dropdown to select Paid member, Free member, or Public.
- Choose Computer or App view.
You can also use More → View page. Previewing matters because Patreon’s public page is now a dashboard-style landing page, not simply a chronological feed. Visitors can see the 20 most recent posts, but only public posts reveal their contents. See Patreon’s public-page guidance.
Video hosting has meaningful limits
Patreon Video provides native hosting and livestreaming for eligible creators with published, all-audiences pages in good standing. It is currently unavailable to creators whose pages contain 18+ content.
Rank #4
- PLEASE NOTE：XPPen Artist13.3 Pro drawing tablet Need to connect with computer,you need to use it with your computer or laptop, the 3 in 1 cable is included
- Drawing Tablet with Screen: Tilt Function- XPPen Artist 13.3 Pro supports up to 60 degrees of tilt function, so now you don't need to adjust the brush direction in the software again and again. Simply tilt to add shading to your creation and enjoy smoother and more natural transitions between lines and strokes
- Graphics Tablets: High Color Gamut- The 13.3 inch fully-laminated FHD Display pairs a superb color accuracy of 88% NTSC (Adobe RGB≧91%，sRGB≧123%) with a 178-degree viewing angle and delivers rich colors, vivid images, and dazzling details in a wider view. Your creative world is now as powerful as it is colorful
- Drawing Pad: One is enough- The sleek Red Dial on the display is expertly designed with creators in mind, its strategic placement allows for natural drawing postures. With just one wheel, you can effortlessly zoom in and out, adjust brush sizes, and flip the canvas—all tailored to suit the habits of everyday artists. The 8 customizable shortcut keys allow you to personalize your setup, streamlining your workflow and enhancing creative efficiency
- Universal Compatibility & Software Support：supports Windows 7 (or later), Mac OS X 10.10 (or later), Chrome OS 88 (or later), and Linux systems. Fully compatible with major creative software including Photoshop, Illustrator, SAI, and Blender 3D. Register your device to access additional programs like ArtRage 5 and openCanvas for expanded creative possibilities.
Important limits in Patreon’s Video overview include:
- 720p or 1080p upload resolution
- A combined limit of 100 hours per month for video uploads and livestreaming
- Creators without a paying fan start with 100 hours of total capacity
- The monthly allowance requires at least one paying fan within the previous 90 days
- Draft media is deleted after six months
- Published media is stored indefinitely under the current policy
That is useful for regular lessons, behind-the-scenes videos, or member updates. It is not unlimited video storage. Creators who are not eligible can still link to or embed video hosted elsewhere.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minutePatreon and iOS: who pays Apple’s 30%?
New memberships and digital purchases initiated through Patreon’s iOS in-app-purchase system can be subject to Apple’s 30% App Store fee. This is an Apple charge on eligible in-app purchases, separate from Patreon’s platform fee; it does not apply to existing memberships or purchases made elsewhere. See Patreon’s iOS purchase guidance.
Creators generally face a practical choice: raise iOS prices to offset the charge or keep the same prices everywhere and absorb the lower margin. For U.S. fans, Patreon offers a mobile-web checkout option that avoids Apple’s App Store fee.
When comparing your Patreon revenue with your advertised price, ask where the purchase originated. A web checkout and an eligible iOS in-app purchase may not produce the same economics.
Advantages of Patreon
- Fast setup: You do not need to build subscription billing, payment recovery, or a member login system.
- Flexible monetization: You can combine recurring memberships with one-time digital products.
- Community features: Posts, comments, polls, chats, and direct messages are included in the same service.
- Free-to-paid funnel: Free members can receive updates before deciding to upgrade.
- Audience tools: Filters and CSV exports help identify active, canceled, declined, and new members.
- Multiple billing options: Annual memberships, discounts, free trials, and other subscription tools are available.
- No upfront platform subscription: You can test demand before committing to a separate website and payment stack.
Disadvantages and financial risks
- High total cost: The 10% platform fee is only one possible deduction.
- Small tiers are less efficient: Fixed payment-processing fees consume more of a low-priced membership.
- iOS creates margin differences: Apple’s fee can raise the fan’s price or reduce your earnings.
- Video is not unlimited: Eligibility and the 100-hour combined monthly limit may affect video-heavy businesses.
- Email ownership is incomplete: Members can decline to share their email addresses, and email-only imports do not provide the full Patreon member experience.
- Platform dependence: Patreon controls checkout rules, discovery, policies, and the member experience.
- Legacy pricing can disappear: Unpublishing a legacy page, including by Patreon, can move it to the standard rate.
- Profile setup matters: Creators who had not combined their creator and fan profiles by July 6, 2026 could lose normal posting and payout functionality until they completed the process.
Patreon explains the profile requirement in its paid tiers and benefits guidance.
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- Battery-Free Pen: StarG640 drawing tablet is the perfect replacement for a traditional mouse! The XPPen advanced Battery-free PN01 stylus does not require charging, allowing for constant uninterrupted Draw and Play, making lines flow quicker and smoother, enhancing overall performance
- Ideal for Online Education: XPPen G640 graphics tablet is designed for digital drawing, painting, sketching, E-signatures, online teaching, remote work, photo editing, it's compatible with Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Zoom, Xsplit etc. Works perfect than a mouse, visually present your handwritten notes, signatures precisely
- Compact and Portable: The G640 art tablet is only 2 mm thick, it's as slim as all primary level graphic tablets, allowing you to carry it with you on the go
- Chromebook Supported: XPPen G640 digital drawing tablet is ready to work seamlessly with Chromebook devices now, so you can create information-rich content and collaborate with teachers and classmates on Google Jamboard’s whiteboard; Take notes quickly and conveniently with Google Keep, and effortlessly sketch diagrams with the Google Canvas
- Multipurpose Use: Designed for playing OSU! Game, digital drawing, painting, sketch, sign documents digitally, this writing tablet also compatible with Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and more. Create mind-maps, draw diagrams or take notes as replacement for mouse
Who should use Patreon?
Patreon is a good fit if you already have an audience on YouTube, a podcast, social media, a newsletter, or another channel and want to convert part of that audience into recurring revenue. It is especially practical when your benefits are digital, repeatable, and easy to deliver to many members at once.
It is less suitable when your margins are thin, your products are mostly low-priced, or you need complete ownership of your website, checkout, and customer database. A self-hosted or lower-percentage alternative may cost less at scale, but you would take on payment administration, fraud handling, software maintenance, customer support, and often community management yourself.
Before signing up: a practical financial checklist
- Model your net revenue. Start with expected members × price, then subtract the 10% platform fee, estimated processing, payouts, conversion costs, taxes on fees, refunds, and any iOS impact.
- Set a sustainable tier price. Do not price solely by what competitors charge. Include the time required to create and support the promised benefits.
- Keep benefits repeatable. Custom work for every member can make a seemingly profitable tier unprofitable.
- Decide how you will handle Apple purchases. Either account for lower iOS margins or direct eligible U.S. fans to mobile-web checkout.
- Export your audience regularly. Patreon gives you useful data, but the export may omit members who withhold email addresses.
- Pause rather than unpublish. This is particularly important for legacy creators who want to preserve a lower platform fee.
- Check eligibility before promising video. Confirm that your page qualifies and that the monthly upload and livestreaming limits fit your schedule.
- Confirm your profiles are combined. Patreon’s July 6, 2026 deadline has passed; if you have not completed the creator and fan profile combination, check your account and complete the required setup to restore normal posting and payout functionality.
FAQ
Is Patreon worth the fees?
Patreon can be worth the cost when you value quick setup, recurring billing, member access, and community features more than maximum margin. New creators generally pay a 10% platform fee, with processing, payout, conversion, tax, and possible iOS costs added separately.
How much does Patreon take from creators?
New creators generally pay 10% of successfully processed membership and one-time-purchase revenue, excluding sales tax. The final deduction can be higher after payment processing, payout charges, currency conversion, applicable taxes, and eligible Apple App Store fees.
Can Patreon replace an email list?
Not completely. You can filter and export audience data as a CSV, but members can opt out of sharing their email address. Email-only subscribers imported to Patreon also need an account to use member features such as commenting, polls, chats, livestreams, and media playback. Patreon’s former Mailchimp integration is no longer supported, so list transfers require a manual export and upload.
Does Patreon have unlimited video hosting?
No. Eligible creators can use Patreon Video at 720p or 1080p, but video uploads and livestreaming share a 100-hour monthly limit. Eligibility rules apply, including restrictions for pages containing 18+ content.
What happens if I unpublish a legacy Patreon page?
A legacy creator who unpublishes a page—or whose page is unpublished by Patreon—can lose the legacy platform fee and move to the standard 10% plan after republishing. Patreon recommends pausing memberships instead when a temporary break is needed.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Patreon remains a strong all-in-one starting point for creators who want memberships and digital sales without building payment infrastructure. Its real cost is more than “10%”: processing, payouts, currency conversion, taxes, and certain iOS purchases can reduce your net revenue further. Use Patreon when its convenience and built-in community tools justify that cost; consider a more owned or lower-fee setup when your revenue is large, margins are narrow, or control of customer data and checkout is a priority.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
