Patreon vs Substack
Verdict. The fees are nearly identical. Both take 10%, and our math puts costs at $159 on Patreon and $166 on Substack for $1,000 a month, because Substack also passes on Stripe's 0.7% Billing fee on renewals. So pick on format. Substack edges it for anyone whose main product is writing, because free publishing has no subscriber cap and its app and recommendations can send you readers you would not find alone. Patreon is the better home for video and community, with up to 100 hours of video hosting a month and chat built in.
Pick Patreon if
you make video and want up to 100 hours a month of hosting plus community chat, all under the same 10%.
Pick Substack if
you write, want to build a free email list at no cost, and hope the Substack app and recommendations bring you readers.
Side by side
| Compared | Patreon | Substack |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 6.1 / 10 | 6.1 / 10 |
| Best for | Video creators, podcasters and artists with loyal fans | Writers starting a paid newsletter with no upfront cost |
| What it costs | New creators pay a 10% platform fee plus 2.9% + $0.30 card processing per payment, a 2.5% currency conversion fee when fans pay in another currency, and a small payout fee. | Publishing is free, and on paid subscriptions Substack keeps 10% while Stripe adds 2.9% + $0.30 per US card payment and 0.7% on recurring charges. |
| Keep from $1,000 | $841 (Standard) | $834 (Paid subscriptions) |
| Plans from | Free | Free |
| Payouts | You withdraw manually up to once every 24 hours, or turn on automatic payouts on the 5th of each month. US bank transfers cost $0.25 per payout, PayPal costs 1% capped at $20 with a $10 minimum, and Payoneer costs $1 with a $25 minimum. Money arrives in 1 to 5 days, and iOS in-app earnings stay pending for up to 75 days. | Web payments land in your own Stripe account and pay out to your bank on Stripe's schedule. Apple pays Substack for iOS subscriptions once a month, up to 45 days after the month ends, and Substack then moves the money to your Stripe account or bank. Bank-direct app earnings are held until they reach $100. |
| Who can join | Open to anyone 18+, or younger with a parent's or guardian's permission. US creators get paid by bank transfer, and creators elsewhere use Payoneer, PayPal or local bank transfer in supported currencies. | Open to anyone 16 or older. Paid subscriptions need a Stripe account in a country Stripe supports. |
| Founded | 2013 | 2017 |
Scorecards
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$159 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 1.23 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.60 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.20 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 1.00 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| Total | 10.0 | 6.1 |
| Criterion | Possible | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Fees$166 on $1,000 a month | 3.0 | 1.11 |
| FeaturesDepth for its category | 2.0 | 1.40 |
| EaseSignup to first sale | 1.5 | 1.35 |
| OwnershipExport, domain, own payments | 2.0 | 1.20 |
| PayoutsSpeed, methods, countries | 1.5 | 1.05 |
| Total | 10.0 | 6.1 |
Where Patreon falls short
- New pages pay 10%, up from the old 8% Pro rate, before any processing.
- Unpublishing your page even briefly moves a legacy plan to the 10% standard plan.
- iOS in-app purchases outside the US lose 30% to Apple, or 15% after a member's first year.
- iOS in-app earnings sit pending for up to 75 days before you can withdraw.
- A $3 tier loses about 23% to the platform fee and processing combined.
Where Substack falls short
- The 10% never shrinks. At $10,000 a month you hand Substack $1,000 before Stripe.
- iOS in-app payments are on by default and can't be turned off while payments are connected.
- Apple-billed subscribers can't follow you if you leave. You keep only their emails.
- Less design control than Ghost or a website builder.
Still deciding? See every option in membership platforms and newsletter platforms.