What are my patrons’ payment options?

  • Updated

To serve our global community, we have multiple payment methods available for patrons to pay creators. Below, you'll find our current offerings and a summary of how each works:

Credit Card

Patrons can add their credit cards to their account or during checkout. We process payment to the card on file. The funds are then sent to your creator balance.

If funds are not available on the card or the card has expired, the patron's payment will be declined until they add a new payment method.

We do not currently accept pre-paid, or “gift” cards for membership.

PayPal

If your patrons have a PayPal account, they can add it to Patreon to pay you for membership. We process payment through the patron's PayPal wallet funding source. The funds are then sent to your creator balance.

If there is an issue with the PayPal funding source (i.e., the card on file has been declined, or the bank blocks the charge), PayPal will decline the payment. The patron can log in to their PayPal account or contact PayPal support to resolve the issue. They can then retry their payment on Patreon.

 

Please note that beginning 7 March 2022, consumers in Thailand will no longer be able to use PayPal as a payment method as a result of new local regulations. Thailand-based consumers can update their payment method to Credit Card or Apple Pay.

Apple Pay

Patrons paying in US dollars can choose Apple Pay from an authorised device when they first join your page or if they edit their membership. With Apple Pay, the patron asks Apple Pay to process payment with the wallet funding source they select. We submit payment through Apple Pay and send it to your creator balance.

Apple Pay is device-specific. If the card on file was added from a deactivated device, or there aren't enough funds on the funding source, the patron’s payment will be declined. The patron should resolve the issue with their Apple Pay account.

Our article on using Apple Pay offers more details for patrons with Apple Pay.

Venmo

US Patrons can add their Venmo account through the Patreon app. This can be done during checkout or when they attempt to edit their existing memberships. Once Venmo is added via the app, patrons can use it as a payment method across all browsers and devices.

Similar to PayPal needing a funding source, patrons need a payment method attached to Venmo to make the payment go through successfully. Patrons cannot make a payment with the balance on their Venmo account.

If there is an issue with the Venmo funding source (i.e. the card on file has been declined, or the bank blocks the charge), Venmo will decline the payment. The patron can log in to their Venmo account or contact Venmo support to resolve the issue. They can then retry their payment on Patreon.

Sofort

Important: We are no longer accepting Sofort for new memberships. If you are already paying for a membership with Sofort, we’ll continue to process your payment as expected; however, you’ll need to add a new payment method to start any new memberships. 

Sofort Direct Debit is an easy and trusted local payment method for many EU patrons using the Desktop, Mobile web and Android app versions of Patreon. With Sofort, patrons authorise direct debit with their local bank through a portal on Patreon. Monthly direct debit payments mean fewer issues with expired cards.

We submit the payment to the patron’s bank, and once acquired, the funds are sent to your creator balance.

Patrons can use Sofort if their memberships are processed in Euros and their account is registered in one of the following countries:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Germany
  • Netherlands
  • Switzerland
Payments will appear on your balance for seven working days while Sofort processes the debit. Once successfully processed, the funds will be available for withdrawal on your Payouts page.

Was this article helpful?

Thank you for your feedback!

What went wrong?