Patreon.com

Patreon

Creator platform

3.9 Patreon.com Since 2013 San Francisco, United States

Membership platform with built-in video hosting, podcasts and community, standard 10% cut

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10%

Platform fee

$10

Minimum payout

3.9

Editorial rating

1.2

Trustpilot

About Patreon

Patreon runs paid memberships, one-time digital sales and community tools for podcasters, artists, writers, video makers and musicians. Creators who published a page after August 4, 2025 pay a standard 10% platform fee, while earlier creators keep legacy rates of 5% to 12%. The core fee bundles up to 100 hours per month of video hosting, native chats and DMs, email newsletters, and Spotify and RSS podcast distribution.

Who it fits

Patreon fits creators with an existing audience who want recurring membership income without building or hosting their own site, especially podcasters and visual artists who use the included community and distribution tools. Small creators earning under about $1,500 a month often pay less here than on flat-fee platforms. Skip it if you sell structured courses, need explicit adult content, or want responsive support, since payout and cancellation complaints run high.

Platform facts

Platform fee10%Standard 10% platform fee for pages published after August 4, 2025.

Minimum payout$10Local bank transfer minimum is $10 or the local currency equivalent.

Payout scheduleWithdraw manually once every 24 hours or enable automatic payouts on the 5th of each month. A 5-day hold applies to new creators.

Payout methodsBank transfer (Stripe US) Bank transfer (Payoneer non-US) PayPal Payoneer Wallet

AvailabilityUS creators are paid by Stripe bank transfer; creators outside the US use Payoneer bank transfer, PayPal or Payoneer Wallet depending on country and currency. Availability follows Patreon's sanctions policy and country eligibility list, and some creators report their country is unsupported for PayPal payouts.

VerificationAdult/18+ creators face identity and age verification through Jumio, requiring an ID document and a selfie. Some creators report repeated verification errors. New accounts can be placed under review for suspicious activity before launch.

Discovery trafficYesPatreon has on-platform discovery that can surface pages to new supporters, though most creators drive their own traffic from outside the platform.

MonetizationSubscriptions PPV Tips Live streaming Memberships, one-time digital products (5% to 12% fee) and ticketed live events.

Agency accessYesTeam Accounts opened to all creators on August 5, 2025. One Team Lead owns the page and sole access to payouts, earnings and account settings; invited teammates get separate logins to post, message and manage tiers but cannot see financial data.

Analytics & APIOfficial APIPublic OAuth REST API (v2, with v1 being deprecated), webhooks, a WordPress plugin and Zapier integration; member analytics and earnings breakdowns appear in the Insights dashboard.

Content rulesAdult/18+ material must stay behind the paywall and off public-facing areas; sexual activity between real people is banned, while animated, illustrated, written or audio depictions are allowed on 18+ pages. AI-generated adult figures are permitted only if illustrated/animated, or hyperrealistic using the likeness of consenting real adults; AI adult-image generators, sexbots and deepfakes are prohibited.

Official sources Creator fees overview How payouts work Community Guidelines AI policies for Adult/18+ creators API reference

Pros and cons

Pros

10% standard fee bundles video hosting, community tools and podcast distribution
No upfront or monthly cost; you pay only when you earn
Legacy creators keep 5% to 8% rates as long as the page stays published
Team Accounts give agencies separate logins with locked financial access
Public OAuth API, webhooks, WordPress plugin and Zapier integration
Strong consumer brand recognition among podcast and art audiences

Cons

1.2 TrustScore on Trustpilot with 90% one-star reviews across 909 ratings
Frequent complaints about billing errors and slow, looping support
Processing plus conversion fees push real cost to roughly 13% to 16%
Explicit content between real people is not permitted
iOS purchases add Apple's 30% cut and up to 75-day pending holds

Fees and what you actually keep

Pages published after August 4, 2025 pay a flat 10% platform fee. Creators from before that date keep legacy Lite (5%), Pro (8%) or Premium (12%) rates, but lose them for good if the page is unpublished and republished. On top of the platform cut sit payment processing (about 2.9% + $0.30, or 5% + $0.10 on tiers priced $3 or under) and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when a patron pays in a currency different from your payout currency. Third-party analyses put the all-in cost near 13% to 16% of gross.

Getting paid

US creators receive Stripe bank transfers; international creators use Payoneer bank transfer, PayPal or Payoneer Wallet. Local bank transfer has a $10 minimum (or local equivalent) with a flat fee around $0.50, while PayPal and Payoneer Wallet cap payouts at $20,000. Withdraw manually once per 24 hours or set automatic payouts for the 5th of the month. A 5-day hold hits new creators and anyone who edits payout details, and iOS in-app purchase funds can stay pending up to 75 days.

Discovery, teams and integrations

Patreon runs on-platform discovery that can bring new supporters, but most creators still import their own audience. Team Accounts, available to all creators since August 5, 2025, let a Team Lead invite unlimited teammates with their own logins to post, message and edit tiers, while payouts, earnings and account settings stay locked to the lead. Developers get a public OAuth v2 API, webhooks, a WordPress plugin and Zapier, useful for agencies syncing member data into their own tools.

Content and AI rules

Nudity, sexual activity and sexually explicit works must sit behind the paywall and stay out of profile images, banners, tier descriptions and free posts. Sexual activity between real adults is banned; animated, illustrated, written and audio depictions are allowed on pages categorized as Adult/18+. Following a Q4 2025 update, AI-generated adult figures are permitted when illustrated or animated, and hyperrealistic AI is allowed only with documented consent from the real adults depicted. AI adult-image generators, sexbots and non-consensual deepfakes are prohibited.

Reputation

Patreon's Trustpilot page shows a 1.2 TrustScore across 909 reviews, with 90% rated one star and no recent replies to negative reviews. The recurring themes are billing after cancellation, charges tied to accounts users say they never created, and support that loops through automated responses. Creators separately report accounts suspended for unstated suspicious activity and held balances. G2 and Software Advice scores run far higher (around 4.1 to 4.4), reflecting a split between product satisfaction and billing and support frustration.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Patreon take in 2026?

New creators pay a standard 10% platform fee. Payment processing (about 2.9% + $0.30, or 5% + $0.10 on tiers at or under $3) and a 2.5% currency conversion fee apply on top, so the real cut on a $10 membership lands around $1.59 before payout fees.

Is Patreon legit and safe to use?

It is an established platform used by many creators, but its Trustpilot TrustScore is 1.2 across 909 reviews, with heavy complaints about billing and support. Payouts do work for most creators; the risk is slow resolution if something goes wrong.

When and how do Patreon creators get paid?

You can withdraw manually once every 24 hours or turn on automatic payouts on the 5th of the month. New creators face a 5-day hold, and after that funds usually reach your account within 1 to 5 days depending on method.

Can I post adult or NSFW content on Patreon?

Yes, on a page categorized as Adult/18+, but it must stay behind the paywall and off public areas. Sexual activity between real people is banned; animated, illustrated, written and audio depictions are allowed if they meet the guidelines.

Does Patreon allow AI-generated content?

AI-generated adult figures are allowed if illustrated or animated. Hyperrealistic AI is permitted only using the likeness of real adults who documented consent, and AI adult-image generators, sexbots and deepfakes are banned.

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Creators keep 90% of earnings. Check current terms on the official site.

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