All creators still using legacy billing will be required to switch to subscription billing by November 1, 2026. If you'd like one-to-one assistance during this transition, you must contact Support via your settings by September 30, 2026.
Subscription billing offers a more predictable model for you and your members, and unlocks features like Free trials, Autopilot, Gifting, Discounts, and Tier Repricing.
For questions regarding the migration to subscription billing, visit our iOS in-app purchases and migrating to subscription billing.
FAQ
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No — for international fans, you cannot opt out of Apple’s 30% fee. To keep the Patreon app in the App Store, all memberships and digital goods sold through the iOS app outside the U.S. must go through Apple’s in-app purchase (IAP) system, which includes the fee.
⚠️ For U.S. fans, there is an alternative. When signing up in the iOS app, they can choose web checkout instead of Apple’s in-app purchase system, which avoids Apple’s fee. Apple requires that any paid content shown in the iOS app also be available through IAP, but only international purchases are restricted to IAP and cannot use web checkout.
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No. Your existing memberships will not be affected by the Apple fee. If a member subscribed to your page in June 2024, for example, in the Patreon iOS app, their future subscription payments will not incur the App Store fee.
The App Store Fee only applies to new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app after November 4, 2024. Your current members and new members who subscribe on other platforms (e.g. mobile web, desktop web, or Android) can continue to interact with your works in the iOS app.
⚠️ For U.S. customers: iOS users in the U.S. do not have to use Apple’s IAP flow. Instead, they can complete purchases directly through Patreon’s mobile web checkout, which is not subject to Apple’s 30% fee.
Please note: Tiers that utilize structured tier benefits may be exempt from the iOS in-app fee if they include physical goods, such as merch, commissions (delivered by mail), or other tangible goods. The increased offset price will not be included in these tiers when viewed in the iOS app, keeping the same price as on the Web and Android.
Visit our Advanced Sales Tax Settings article to learn more.
- Yes. If a fan subscribes to your membership in the iOS app once the change has taken place, every recurring subscription will incur the Apple App Store fee.
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For most creators, very little.
Your existing members are not affected. Apple’s fee does not apply retroactively to people who already support you.
Most U.S. fans won’t be affected either. Thanks to the current court ruling, U.S. fans on iOS can choose web checkout, which avoids Apple’s 30% fee.
Only new memberships purchased directly inside the iOS app are subject to Apple’s fee, and this primarily applies to non-U.S. fans.
You can always see how much of your revenue comes from iOS purchases in your earnings insights, so you have a clear picture of how (or if) Apple’s system impacts your business.
- Apple doesn’t allow platforms to direct members to cancel and re-subscribe in order to avoid in-app purchase fees. Because of this, Patreon can’t prompt or reroute existing iOS members on your behalf. That said, you can focus on clear, proactive communication for new fans about available checkout options where allowed, and you’re always free to communicate directly with individual members who’ve already joined via iOS if you choose.
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If you choose to maintain your earnings, we automatically calculate the higher price to ensure you earn at least the same on iOS memberships as you would on web and Android.
To calculate the iOS membership price, your list price is increased by roughly 43%*. That way, after subtracting Apple’s App Store fee, you will earn at least as much as you would if the purchase was made on the web.
Note: Fully offsetting the App Store fee to maintain your earnings (30% of the higher iOS sale price) requires an increase of 1 / (1-30%), which is 42.86%.
- To keep things simple for creators, we automatically add the price markup to your original tier price if you choose to maintain your earnings in the iOS app. Prices shown for iOS in-app purchases are not customizable. You can change your tier or product price if you’d like.
- Apple processes all transactions for sales in the iOS app, and then remits payment to Patreon, which can take up to 75 days after the transaction date. As a result of Apple processing the purchase, iOS purchases will show as pending in your Creator Balance for up to 75 days. Patreon is unable to expedite Apple processing.
- Apple’s in-app payments system supports over 44 currencies and 200 payment methods. You can see a list of currencies supported by Apple here.
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Fans can request refunds on products purchased from the iOS app directly from you (as they do today), or through Apple. Apple will process refunds within 60 days of the purchase taking place.
Through Patreon: Creators can refund purchases as you normally would for other Commerce purchases.
Through Apple: Fans can request a refund from Apple via reportaproblem.apple.com. Apple will handle the refund on the creator’s behalf and communicate with the fan on the status of the refund. If the refund is granted, funds will be issued back to the fan’s Apple account.
- We’ve created this Help Center article to share with your fans to help explain the price difference in the iOS app. You can explain to fans that prices in the iOS app are higher to cover Apple’s App Store fee while ensuring that you earn the same on a product and membership sales across platforms after the Apple fee.
- No, Apple’s fee only applies to purchases made in the iOS app. Mobile web purchases on an iOS device will not incur the Apple fee.
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Yes. Apple reduces its App Store fee from 30% to 15% after a member completes one year of continuous billing on an IAP subscription. Patreon will begin passing these lower App Store fee savings directly to you when your member's subscription surpasses one year. You can see this reflected in your Member transaction history CSV, available in the Documents tab.
Note that Apple updated its fees for members based in China in March 2026: 25% in the first year, and 12% when a member's subscription surpasses one year. Starting in April 2026, Patreon began applying these rates to new memberships. For existing memberships, Patreon will pass on the reduced App Store fees directly to creators.