This article will cover the Founders, Lite, Pro and Premium plans Patreon now offers creators. This will also cover Merch options for creators.
On 7 May 2019, Patreon launched our new creator plans and payment processing rates. Creators who launched on Patreon before this date will have no change to the fees they pay or the features they have. They will be considered founding creators and will be automatically placed into the Pro plan with the same platform fees and rates. Please visit our article for Founding Creators for more information on founding-creator rates.
These changes will help us invest in the features and services all our creators depend on and create a strong and independent Patreon that creators can build their businesses on for decades to come. The FAQs below provide more detail.
Contents
- General / The Plans
- Founders Status / Pricing
- Payment Processing Rates
- Creator-led workshops
- Premium plan
- Merch for Membership
When did the new plans and rates launch?
We launched the new creator plans on 7 May 2019
Why the new plans?
The new plans better serve new creators by offering options, including more powerful tools for those that are ready for them. And they allow us to develop new features like Team Accounts and Merch for creators who really want them. We want to be around serving creators for decades to come. These changes set us on a solid path toward that goal and will fuel investments in core product quality to improve the experience for all creators. You can find more details on the creator plans information page.
How will this change affect patrons?
There is no change to the patron experience whether you are a founding creator or future creator on the platform. Your patrons will be charged based on the model you set up (i.e. monthly, per post and CUF). Billing still takes place on the 1st of every month and patrons will still get unified checkout with a single receipt every month for all of their pledges.
What are you doing with the money you’ll be making from these higher prices for future creators?
We’ll be investing in core features and services to make Patreon better for all creators. Our roadmap is to: build a world-class payments infrastructure including internationalisation; improve features such as messaging and notifications; and create a more intuitive patron experience. Also, we’re adding new things that creators have been asking for, like someone who knows your business and will help you 1:1 to grow (Dedicated Partner Manager), a satisfying way to reward patrons that takes no extra time once you set it up (Merch for Membership) and a way to make collaboration easier (Team Accounts). We are happy to offer these new features as a choice for creators who really want them.
How easy is it to move back and forth between the different plans? Can I try one and then move to another one if I don’t like it?
Founding creators (creators on Patreon launched before 7 May 2019) were automatically placed in the Pro plan at their current pricing of 5%. There is no reason for founding creators to move to Lite since it would be the same price for them as Pro. Future creators joining Patreon can start with Lite and switch to Pro at any time. If they start with Pro and wish to switch to Lite, they can do so after disabling any features that aren’t included in Lite, such as multiple membership tiers and Special Offers if they have an active offer running. For creators who join Premium, there is a minimum three-month commitment before they can switch to a different plan.
In Lite, do you get to decide how much your membership is priced at?
Your patrons can choose to pay whatever they like. When they click on the “Become a Patron” button, they will find a suggested minimum of $5 USD / €5 Euro / £5 British Pounds but they can change that number to anything they choose.
Why are you raising prices for future creators?
Founding creators on the platform will not pay a dime more. Price increases for future creators will allow us to invest in key areas to make Patreon better for all creators. We are still offering an option at our original price of 5% and are putting the choice in creators’ hands about which features and services they want.
What is a ‘founding creator’?
A founding creator is one who is already on Patreon before these new plans and rates launch. Founding creators will experience no price changes at all and will get some new perks in the Pro plan when we launch (Creator-led workshops and Priority Customer Support). Founding creators will keep their founders pricing for the foreseeable future. We aren’t planning to change pricing for founding creators.
What is the cutoff date for creators to get the founders pricing?
The current plans launched on 7 May 2019. All creators who launched their page by 6 May 2019 at 11:59 PM Pacific time qualified for founders pricing, which is 5% for Pro and 9% for Premium. The Premium plan will have limited availability and will expand gradually. Sign up here to be notified when there are openings.
If my page was launched by the cutoff date for founders status but later I decide to revert or unlaunch my page, will I lose founders status?
If you revert or unlaunch your page, you will lose founders status and pricing. If you need to take a break, you can use our Pause Billing feature. To learn how to pause monthly billing, please visit our guide on pausing billing.
What is the change to payment processing rates exactly?
- Founding creators: no change. You will keep the same processing rate you have today. Learn More in our guide about Founding Creators.
- Creators on Patreon plans:
US Dollars ($) Euros (€) British Pounds (£) $3 or less: 5% + 10 cents €3 or less: 5% + €0.15 £3 or less: 5% + £0.15 Over $3: 2.9% + 30 cents Over €3: 3.4% + €0.35 Over £3: 3.4% + £0.35
Non-US PayPal processing fees is an extra 1%:- $3 and below: 6% + 10 cents
- Above $3: 3.9% + 30 cents
- This fee is not applicable to creators who have their billing currency set as Euros (€) or British Pounds (£)
Is the new payment processing rate for creators higher or lower than what founding creators are paying?
There is no one answer because each creator’s situation is different. Founding creators have a payment processing rate that varies depending on a number of factors, including the payment method used (credit card vs PayPal), the price of your tiers, and how many patrons you share with other creators. The new rates may be lower or higher than the current rates, depending on the creator. Visit our detailed guide on processing rates.
Is Patreon still using shared patronage between creators to combine transactions and give creators a break on transaction fees?
Founding creators will still experience the same variable payment processing fees with some reductions from shared patronage. For future creators we are removing the variable of shared patronage because it lacks transparency and it’s not equitable. Some creators benefit from it and some don't, depending on how many patrons you share with others. As a new way to support creators who want to offer a low payment amount tier that is more fair and transparent, we are introducing the new micropayment rate for pledges of $3 USD / €3 Euro / £3 British Pounds or less.
Can founding creators switch to the new payment processing rates?
At launch, we are only offering the new payment processing rates to future creators. We are working toward a solution that allows founding creators who will save money from the new rates to adopt them if they want.
Why is Patreon changing payment processing rates?
Nothing is changing for founding creators. They will continue at the same payment processing rate they paid in the past. We are updating payment processing rates for future creators in order to make them more fair and transparent. This new pricing ensures that creators with a large number of small pledges are not unfairly impacted by payment processing fees, and gives future creators stable, transparent payment processing rates for all their pledges.
If I am a founding Creator and I upgrade my plan to Premium, will my payment processing rate change?
No, It’s important to us that you pick the plan that will help you grow your membership. As a founding creator, making those changes will not impact your processing rate.
What are Creator-led workshops?
Creator-led workshops are livestreamed workshops taught by creators who are successful both on and off Patreon. We’re introducing creator-led workshops because we’ve heard from creators that they want to learn from other creators in their respective fields, i.e. musicians want to learn from other successful musicians, podcasters want to learn from other successful podcasters, etc. Creator-led workshops will cover topics like how creators are making Patreon work as part of their creative career, as well as other topics specific to the creator’s field. As we build out the programme, we’ll be taking requests from Patreon creators to find out more about which topics you’re most interested in.
Are Creator-led workshops different from Patreon workshops?
Yes. Patreon workshops are available to all creators on Patreon regardless of the plan they choose. They are taught by Patreon staff and focus on Patreon specific topics like optimising your tiers and benefits and how to market your membership.
Who are the creators teaching creator-led workshops? We are currently building our roster of creator teachers.
Who is the Premium plan for?
Premium is for established creators and creative businesses looking for a higher level of service and advanced features. The Premium plan will have a very limited number of openings at launch. We’ll be rolling it out gradually as spots become available. Here is the type of creator who will get the most out of Premium:
- Full-time creator, earning or expects to earn US$2500 (£1,775) a month or more on Patreon
- Has an engaged audience of at least 100K followers on a social platform
- Has team members that help manage your page
Want to learn more about the Premium plan? Visit our creator plans information guide.
What does it mean that there is a US$300 (£213)/month minimum on fees for Premium?
Premium is best for creators that expect to make at least $2,500 (£1,775)/mth on Patreon so that the 12% fee equals at least $300 (£213)/mth to Patreon. This ensures our cost to provide the services in Premium are covered, and creators are at a level where they can truly benefit from the advanced features. The fee is not $300 (£213)/month plus 12%; it is $300 (£213)/month OR 12%, whichever is higher.
Who are the Dedicated Partner Managers? How will they understand my business to be able to help me?
Our Dedicated Partner Managers are membership experts with industry expertise who will get to know you and your business and can help you grow your membership. Some have expertise with video creators and others with music creators or podcasters. Dedicated Partner Managers will help you think through strategies to continue to grow your business and the engagement with your audience. They have helped other creators make improvements and in some cases have doubled their membership earnings.
How does Dedicated Partner Manager differ from Creator Success?
Dedicated Partner Managers provide a 1:1 ongoing relationship with creators they work with, and spend more time getting to know the ins and outs of your particular business. Creator Success does programmes for all creators, like our livestreams for large groups of creators.
How will Team Accounts work?
The team lead, or owner of the account, will have sole access to the financial settings and information in Patreon, and teammates will have access to all other functions.
What is Merch for Membership?
It’s Patreon’s new merch solution. It’s designed to work with a membership business, rather than to sell one-off items. If you’re looking for a pure storefront, there are other tools in the marketplace that may be better suited to your needs. With Merch for Membership, the merch items you select and customise will be included in one or more of your membership tiers and will go out to patrons automatically. You can learn more about this feature in this guide on Merch for Membership.
How do I sign up for Merch for Membership?
Merch for Membership is included in our premium plan and can be added to the Pro plan at any time. Visit this guide on choosing the right Merch programme for your membership.
What’s included in Merch for Membership?
- Access to high-quality products, customised by you.
- Automatic fulfilment: Patreon will make sure your patrons receive the right items at the right time, handling all delivery, tracking, and support so that you don’t have to.
- Tracked delivery.
- Customer support, including lost and damaged items replacement (within reason).
- The cost of the items themselves and delivery are additional. Patreon always suggests which tiers should receive merch based on the cost of your merch items and the price of delivery (which is included in the flat-rate item cost).
What items are available to be customised and sent to my patrons?
At launch, we'll start by offering posters, mugs, and stickers. Over time we’ll expand the selection. Our long-term vision is to have a wide variety of unique items to choose from. As of 2020, we’ve also added T-shirts, tote bags, and hoodies.
How much do the items cost?
Prices vary by item from £6 to £35 depending on the choices you make about number of colours, designs, materials, and more. Delivery fees are included in the item price and we ship globally!
Can I send items to my patrons based outside of the US?
Yes, we ship globally to all your patrons. Visit this article for a full list of supported countries.
How do you handle lost packages and damaged goods?
Patreon will cover the cost of lost packages and damaged goods within reason as part of the included customer support.