Patreon

Patreon is a creator platform that helps artists, writers, podcasters, video creators, musicians, educators, and other creators earn directly from their audience.

The main way to earn is through paid memberships. You create membership tiers and give paying members access to exclusive posts, videos, chats, downloads, podcasts, or other perks.

Patreon also supports one-time purchases. You can sell digital products, individual posts, collections, and other content without requiring someone to become a monthly member.

You can start a Patreon page for free. New creators who publish their page after August 4, 2025, are placed on Patreon’s standard 10% platform fee plan. Payment processing and payout fees are charged separately.

The platform gives creators tools for memberships, digital sales, community chats, comments, polls, video hosting, and audience insights. This lets you build several income sources around the same audience.

Your earnings depend on how many paying members you attract and what you charge. For example, 100 members paying $5 per month would generate $500 before Patreon fees, payment processing, taxes, and payout costs.

You can also offer free memberships. These people can join your community without paying, giving you a larger audience that you can later convert into paid members.

Patreon does not bring you a guaranteed stream of paying fans. You normally need an existing audience on YouTube, social media, a blog, a podcast, or another channel.

That is the part beginners often miss. Creating a Patreon page is easy, but getting people to pay each month requires content they value and a reason to stay subscribed.

For creators outside the United States, Patreon currently supports bank transfers through Payoneer, PayPal, and Payoneer Wallet in eligible countries.

Patreon can work well for creators with a loyal audience who want more control over their income. It is less useful if you are starting with no audience and expect the platform to find your first customers.