Patreon Announces New Pricing Structure for Creators

Patreon has announced an update to its pricing structure, consolidating its Pro and Premium plans into a single offering starting August 5th. The new plan will take 10 percent of creators’ earnings, a change from the current eight percent for Pro users and 12 percent for Premium users. This adjustment will result in a price increase for many new users; however, existing users will not experience any increase, nor will those who sign up before the change takes effect. To access all the features from the previous Premium tier, creators will need to opt for an add-on that adds an additional three percent to the default rate.

Details of the New Pricing Plan

Currently, Patreon’s more expensive Premium plan provides access to coaching and support staff, team accounts, and merchandise options. Starting in August, all of these features, except for merchandise, will be included in the new standard plan plan, which is fixed at 10 percent of creators’ earnings on the platform. An optional add-on for merchandise will be available, which will increase the overall rate by three percent. Thus, in effect, there will still be two plans available for creators. As before, payment processing, currency conversion, and payout fees will remain additional costs on top of this new structure.

Impact on Existing Users

Creators currently on the Pro tier will continue to pay the eight percent rate, as will anyone who launches a Pro creator page on or before August 4th. The Pro plan will be upgraded to include all the same features as the new standard plan, ensuring that existing users maintain access to essential tools.

For creators currently on the 12 percent Premium rate, there is good news: they will actually save money by migrating to an 11 percent rate that encompasses all their current features. Additionally, they will have the option to forgo the merchandise add-on and revert to an eight percent rate, aligning with legacy Pro users.

Previous Pricing Updates and Future Changes

Patreon’s last pricing update occurred in sunset its five percent Lite tier in 2023, when the Pro and Premium prices were set back in 2019. In a statement explaining this year’s increase, Patreon noted that since 2019, it has “expanded beyond just payments to include media hosting, community, and discovery.” The platform emphasized that the increased prices are necessary to “continue investing in the platform creators are building their businesses on.”

Upcoming Video Pricing Updates

Later this summer, Patreon will also update its pricing for video services, which remain in early access despite launching in 2022. Initially, Patreon’s video tools launched with 500 free lifetime hours for creators, which was later reduced to 100 hours. However, eligible creators will soon receive 100 free hours of video per month, enhancing the value of the platform for content creators.

As these changes roll out, creators are encouraged to review their options and consider how the new pricing structure may affect their earnings and access to features on the platform.