Pros and Cons of Patreon – Is it Really Worth it?

We have talked about the tools you can use to teach online art courses to your students. 

Now let’s talk about the tools your students can use to introduce their art to the world. 

There are many online platforms where artists, musicians, vloggers, bloggers, and gamers can share their creative content with supporters.

Patreon is a great option to take up this task. 

To address whether or not it will be the best option for you, we will discuss the pros and cons of using Patreon and its alternatives in detail. 

Quick Summary of the Main Product

Patreon is a subscription-based platform that supports artists in sharing and getting connected with their fans. It hosts a majority of musicians, artists, podcasters, and vloggers. 

Ever since 2013, Patreon has assisted artists by helping them become recognized. The majority of the artists, who started with a simple Patreon account, now have their own successful websites. 

Fans support artists on Patreon financially. This depends on how the content hosts set up their Patreon page. Patrons either pay monthly or on a per post-basis.

Artists can set up different levels of support called membership tiers according to which patrons can select the method of donation.

In return, fans receive VIP treatment, exclusive content, and other rewards that are decided by the artists. 

Our team advises you not to assume Patreon will be your sole source of income. While supporters pay a monthly fee, the revenue generated is not enough.

You should give Patreon a try, however, the smart way to run a business would be to depend on different sources of income.

Patreon requires a high level of commitment. To get a monthly payment, you need to update content regularly. Higher paying tiers require extra content updates. 

Moreover, Patreon is expensive. Charges from payment processors and fees add up to be more costly than beneficial. Patreon also cuts 5% to 12% of your monthly income. 

Features and Benefits

Cost-Effective

Patreon charges money on the backend which means you can set up your account without any fees upfront. The site will cut a percentage of the amount from what you earn.

This percentage depends on the plan you choose:

Lite

This plan takes 5% commission and offers:

• Patreon Workshops
• Patron Communication Tools
• Hosted Creator Page

Pro

This plan takes 8% commission and offers:

• All features included in Lite
• Membership tiers
• Analytics and Insights
• Priority Customer Support
• Creator-led Workshops
• Unlimited app integrations
• Special Offers Promo Tool

Premium

This plan takes 12% commission and offers:

• All features included in Lite and Pro
• Team Accounts
• Dedicated Partner Manager
• Merch for Membership 

Patreon Account Charges

You can use Patreon as a source of supplemental cash flow. 

The money you receive from your patrons will most likely be reused in the funds of your Patreon projects. These funds typically cover website charges.

Third-Party Integrations

Patreon is integrated with many popular platforms with customized scripts and plugins. It has a built-in app directory for third parties.

The integrations include:

• TubeBuddy
• Vimeo
• Discord
• Google Sheets
• Polls & Voting
•  WordPress plugin
• MCLink
• Crowdcast
• MailChimp
• Manage and Track your Benefits
• Patreon Lens
• Patronizer
• Sonix
• Patron plugin
• Goodbits
• Discourse
• Bonjoro
• Automated Early Access
• Itch.io
• StreamLabs
• Private RSS Feed

Features 

Artists can give rewards to their supporters. Incentives are also present for patrons to switch up to higher tiers. 

When patrons pledge to an artist, they become curious about content from other artists as well. This increases creator-supporter engagement.

There is a community page to allow supporters to maintain a connection with artists.

Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Patreon

Patreon Fees 

There are three subscription-based plans:

• Lite Plan: Basic tools to help you receive recurring support from patrons and cut 5% of your income.
• Pro Plan: Unlocks more features including Lite tools and cuts 8% of your income.
• Premium: Offers more features along with Lite and Pro features and cuts 12% of your income.

Patreon also breaks down payments into batches to allow patrons to pay minimum transaction fees. 

Processing Fees

Patreon uses PayPal to process transaction fees. PayPal charges:

• Standard Rate: 2.9%+$0.30 on more than $3 
• Micropayment Rate: 5%+$0.10 on $3 or less
• Currency Conversion Charges: 2%-3% lower than market rates 
• Foreign Currency Charges: Fixed $1

You can get Paypal Payment Pro for an additional $10/month to handle your subscriptions.

US-based users are charged $0.25 for every withdrawal using their Patreon or PayPal accounts. 

International users are charged $0.25 or 1% of the entire amount they earn with a $20/deposit upper limit.

Using Patreon allows you to get monthly income and you do not have to rely on a one-time donation service.

Additional Factors

We strongly advise you to consider the following features before you choose Patreon. These are a few of the factors due to which our team does not recommend this site. 

These factors include:

• This platform is extremely saturated. It is nearly impossible to find an artist even through the search function. Getting recognition is not easy on Patreon.
• You can no longer stop or add your pledges.
• You cannot export content that you directly publish on Patreon.

In case you already have a huge fanbase, we advise you to find a platform that can link with your existing website or tech stack. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Patreon

What we liked	What we didn’t like
• Supports niche artists • Monthly income • You can customize prices  • Built-in communication tools • Set your own funding goals	• Expensive • Content restrictions • Saturated

Social Proof

Customers are satisfied by the features Patreon offers such as financial help and customizable prices through tiers. The communication tools are a big help because it keeps fans connected to their favorite artists. 

Some of the customer reviews we found online include:

Patreon Review – Alternatives (Recommendations)

#1: Best All-in-One Platform – Podia Review 

Podia is a great platform for online course creators. It is an all-in-one marketing website that helps you sell online courses, digital products, and memberships. 

This platform has very creator-friendly policies which attract potential beginners to their site. It’s highly affordable and provides instant payout with no transaction fees on sales.

People who can benefit from Podia greatly are sole entrepreneurs or start-ups who want to create and sell digital content, memberships, and online courses.

Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Podia

Podia Fees

There are three plans you can choose from:

• Mover Plan: $39/month, $390/year
• Shaker Plan: $79/month, $790/year
• Earthquaker Plan: 179/month, 1790/year

Processing Fees

Podia does not charge any fees itself when it comes to processing transaction charges. However, it uses PayPal to process payments that charge a lot of money. 

The standard transaction fees for PayPal are 2.9%+$0.30. The fee varies based on your location. 

Additional Factors

While Podia has received a lot of praise for its great customer support and intuitive website user interface, it has a few shortcomings.

This platform is not very advanced for digital designers and developers. It does not give you the full ability to customize your storefront. You do not get full control over your site that results in design limitations. 

What we liked	What we didn’t like
• Affordable • Incredible customer support • No transaction fees • Built-in marketing tools • Hosting support via videos • Checkout tools	• Expensive membership plans • Lack of control • Not customizable

Best All-in-One Platform

Podia has gradually gained popularity and become one of the best e-learning platforms. It is the most affordable option available. This platform offers a ton of one-stop-shop solutions on a user-friendly interface.

#2: Best Bio-Link Builder – Hypage Review 

Hypage is a great way to run your own website and add a hyperlink to your creative content at the same time. It acts as a bio link for your social media for supporters to easily access your content.

We believe that Hypage is the best for when you have multiple pages to manage such as Ko-fi, Patreon, Linktree, and Gumroad. 

You can simply add hyperlinks on a single page on Hypage and give easy access to the supporters of your content on other platforms. 

The idea behind Hypage is to sell:

• Sell digital products such as videos, ebooks, and files
• Fan requests
• Collect donations
• Manage memberships

Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Hypage

Hypage Fees 

There is a generous free plan that allows you to create bio links.

The pricing plans involve:

• Pro Plan: $19/month, you can use your own domain name and sell products
• Enterprise Plan: $39/month, you can sell content on a monthly membership

Processing Fee

Hypage uses Stripe and PayPal to process payments. 

As mentioned earlier, PayPal charges 2.9%+$0.30 for transactions.

Additional Factors 

Hypage has become a great alternative for some of the more expensive sites such as Patreon. It offers intuitive software and high-quality features. 

A point to note is that Hypage has mainstream features and tools. There are no innovative features that offer specialty.

What we liked	What we didn’t like
• No charge plan • Customizable • Does not charge a commission  • Build multiple membership sites • Easy-to-use	• Does not have API

Best Bio-Link Builder

Hypage has become a strong contender in the market and its affordability makes it more attractive. It is quite affordable and offers extra projects at low prices. 

Guide to Buy

As an online course creator, you should recommend the best platforms to your students where they can share their creative content. 

Here are some of the factors you can consider before you decide which is the best option for you:

Fees

Consider how much the subscriptions cost of a donation-based site. Moreover, carefully identify their commission schemes. Make sure they do not cut large amounts of your income.

Since these platforms are integrated with expensive payment processors, the fees can add up to high charges.

Processing Fee

As mentioned above, payment processors are very expensive. They come with hidden costs and can significantly impact user experience due to high charges.

Additional Factors

You should look for unique tools offered by these platforms:

• Managing finances
• Subscription management tools
• Communication tools
• Third-party app integrations
• Click buttons
• Customizable memberships

Wrapping Things Up…

This concludes our post on the Pros and Cons of Patreon. 

Patreon is a great tool to share your creativity with your supporters for small donations. It also provides innovative and high-quality features. 

If you are willing to spend money on an expensive donation-based platform then Patreon is the best option. It provides value in its tools and supports effective communication.

Let us know what you decide!