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Patreon description
Patreon is a platform that allows creators like artists, musicians, and podcasters to earn money directly from their fans. Fans pay a subscription fee to access exclusive content, community features, and direct interaction with the creator. This enables creators to build sustainable businesses around their work and engage more deeply with their audience.
Who is Patreon best for
Patreon empowers content creators to monetize their work and build thriving communities. Fans subscribe for exclusive content and direct interaction. Creators enjoy tiered memberships, private communities, and recurring billing. However, users report difficulties with canceling subscriptions and poor customer service. Despite this, many creators love the platform's ability to foster sustainable income and fan engagement.
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Best for small to medium-sized businesses.
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Ideal for creators in various fields.
Patreon features
| Supported Patreon allows creators to set up paid membership tiers with exclusive content access. |
| Supported Patreon provides private communities through chats and Discourse integration. |
| Supported Patreon supports member messaging via community chats managed by the creator. |
| Supported Patreon allows creating, updating, canceling, and tracking subscriptions. |
| Supported Patreon fully supports automated recurring billing for subscriptions. |
We evaluate the sentiment that users express about non-functional aspects of the software
Value and Pricing Transparency
Customer Service
Ease of Use
Reliability and Performance
Patreon reviews
We've summarised 157 Patreon reviews (Patreon TrustPilot reviews and Patreon G2 reviews) and summarised the main points below.
- Enables creators to build sustainable businesses and connect with fans.
- Offers tiered subscription options and exclusive content access.
- Provides a platform for diverse creative content, from music and art to podcasts and writing.
- Easy setup for creators to start receiving financial support.
- Facilitates direct interaction and community building between creators and their audience.
- Difficulty canceling subscriptions, often described as a confusing and frustrating process.
- Unexpected charges and difficulty obtaining refunds, leading to feelings of being scammed.
- Account deletion without clear explanation or recourse, sometimes attributed to vague "suspicious activity."
- Poor customer support responsiveness, often characterized by slow replies, generic responses, or no response at all.
- Accusations of political bias in content moderation decisions, leading to distrust and calls for alternative platforms.
Patreon pricing
The commentary is based on 36 reviews from Patreon G2 reviews and Patreon TrustPilot reviews.
Patreon's pricing and billing practices have drawn considerable criticism. Users report unexpected charges, difficulty canceling subscriptions, and withheld refunds, even for undelivered content. High fees and payment processing issues are also common complaints. Some users have had their accounts deactivated without explanation and their earnings withheld.
Users sentiment
See the Patreon pricing page.
Patreon alternatives
patreon vs PayPayBetter for businesses seeking a localized payment gateway in Portugal. Focuses on simplifying payment processing and improving the customer experience for Portuguese businesses. Has faster website traffic growth but slower employee growth.Read more
XeroBetter for managing business finances. A good Patreon alternative for small to medium businesses.Read more
MemberKitBetter for organizations with members like clubs and associations. A Patreon alternative, MemberKit simplifies membership, event, and payment management. Easier to use and more affordable for recurring billing. Integrates with Vimeo and YouTube. Lacks a direct support channel and mobile app.Read more
Stripe PaymentsBetter for broader business needs, not just creator monetization. Wider range of payment integrations and broader industry applicability. Growing faster than Patreon. More positive reviews on G2.Read more
Patreon FAQ
What is Patreon and what does Patreon do?
Patreon is a membership platform that empowers creators to run a subscription service. It enables creators to offer exclusive content and build community with their fans, in exchange for recurring monthly payments. This provides creators with predictable income and fosters stronger fan relationships.
How does Patreon integrate with other tools?
Patreon integrates with Discord for community features and offers various other tools through its App Directory. These tools enhance communication, marketing, analytics, and content creation, streamlining workflows for creators. However, users have reported frustrations with the platform's customer service and complex cancellation process.
What the main competitors of Patreon?
Top Patreon competitors include OnlyFans, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, and Memberful. These platforms offer similar services for creators to monetize their content and build communities through subscriptions, memberships, and direct fan support.
Is Patreon legit?
Patreon is a legitimate platform but has mixed reviews regarding its safety and practices. While many creators use Patreon successfully, users have reported issues with canceling subscriptions and account deletions. Do your research before using Patreon to ensure it is the right platform for you.
How much does Patreon cost?
Patreon offers three creator pricing plans: Lite at 5% of creator earnings, Pro at 8%, and Premium at 12%. There is no pricing information available for patrons.
Is Patreon customer service good?
Patreon's customer service receives negative feedback. Users report difficulties canceling subscriptions, getting refunds, and unexplained account deletions. Many also complain about slow or unhelpful responses from the support team.
Reviewed by
Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.
Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.