How to Make Money with Patreon

Are you a content creator looking for a way to earn money from your work? Patreon may be the solution you’ve been looking for. In this post, we’ll explore how to make money with Patreon and offer some tips and advice for getting started on the platform.

Patreon is a crowdfunding platform that allows fans to support their favorite creators by pledging a set amount of money on a regular basis. This provides a steady stream of income for creators, allowing them to focus on their craft and create even more great content.

To get started with Patreon, creators need to set up an account and create a profile that showcases their work and what they’re offering to their supporters. They can then set up different “tiers” of support, with each tier offering different rewards and perks to patrons who pledge at that level.

In this post, we’ll go over the steps for getting started with Patreon and offer some tips for making the most of the platform. Whether you’re a new creator looking to make your first dollar, or an experienced artist looking to monetize your work, Patreon can be a great way to earn money from your passion.

What is Patreon?

Patreon is a platform that allows creators to build a steady stream of income from their work by offering exclusive content to their fans in exchange for a monthly membership fee. The platform also offers the ability to directly connect with fans and share insight into their vision. Patreon was founded in 2013 by musician Jack Conte and his college roommate Sam Yam, who aimed to address the financial challenges creatives often face. Today, over 200,000 creators use Patreon and have received support from over 6 million patrons. Over $2 billion has been paid out to creators on the platform.

How does Patreon work?

To use Patreon, creators must first sign up for an account and set up a creator page where they can offer exclusive content to members. Patreon offers starter kits to make the setup process easier, which are pre-made templates that creators can use to quickly launch their page. During the setup process, creators can specify the type of content they create, choose their preferred currency, and save a custom URL for their page. They can also add a profile picture, cover image, and links to their social media accounts. If they have a pro account, they can set up tiers with different incentives for members. Patreon is free to use, but the company takes a percentage of creators’ earnings plus a payment processing fee. The percentage depends on the subscription level chosen. This is how the tiers and pricing work:

As a creator, you have the option to offer membership plans or charge for individual exclusive posts. You can provide your patrons with benefits such as access to restricted content, patrons-only livestreams, exclusive forums, live chat through Discord, exclusive newsletters, live-streamed workshops, discounts, and merchandise. There are tools available for creators of all types.

Who can make money with Patreon?

Many different types of content creators can use Patreon to receive financial support from fans, such as:

• Podcasters
• Video creators
• Musicians
• Visual artists
• Communities
• Writers and journalists
• Game creators
• Nonprofits
• Educators
• Local businesses

*This is not a comprehensive list, as many other types of creators can also use Patreon.

Patreon is a platform used by a wide range of creators, including political podcasters, game developers, and musicians like Amanda Palmer. Mortician and YouTube personality Caitlin Doughty creates “death positive” content, and the True Crime Obsessed podcast has over 44,000 patrons. Creators like The Normies offer a variety of content, such as comedy sketches and video reviews.

To create a Patreon account, you must be at least 13 years old. To join a creator’s membership as a patron or offer membership as a creator, you must be 18 years old or have permission from a parent or guardian. There are no other requirements, but you must have a bank account to receive payments.

Ben Taylor, a successful Patreon creator and owner of Homeworkingclub.com, advises that having an existing audience is crucial for success on Patreon. “My main tip would be to think of where you’re going to get your audience from – and you do NEED an existing audience. I already had 10,000 email subscribers, so finding my initial group of members was easy, but getting people to sign up to a Patreon group ‘cold’ would be much more difficult.”

How much can you earn with Patreon?

The amount you can earn with Patreon depends on the size of your existing audience. However, many creators have had success with the platform. For example, according to the website Graphtreon, which tracks followings and earnings for Patreon creators, The Tom Dillon Show earns over $130,000 per month on Patreon.

Patreon estimates that around 15% of a creator’s following will click through to Patreon from their public content, whether it’s hosted on YouTube, a blog, or a social media page. Of those who click through, 1-5% are likely to become patrons. Patreon suggests that if creators offer membership tiers ranging from $2 to $100, they will likely have an average monthly value of $7 per patron.

If you have 100,000 followers, you could earn between $1,050 and $5,250 per month on Patreon. This calculation is based on an estimated 15% of your followers clicking through to Patreon, and 1-5% of those becoming new patrons. If you offer membership tiers from $2 to $100, the average monthly value per patron is likely to be $7. 

Here is a formula: 100,000 followers X 15% X 1%-5% X $7 = $1,050 – $5,250 per month

Patreon takes a percentage of your earnings depending on the service tier you choose. The platform fee ranges from 5% to 12%, plus payment processing fees. For pledges under $3, the payment processing fee is 5% plus 10 cents. For pledges over $3, the fee is 2.9% plus 30 cents. For example, if you earn $5,250 and are signed up for the Lite tier, you’ll need to subtract the payment processing fees and the 5% platform fee to calculate your actual monthly income.

Your final earnings might look something like this:

$7 x 2.9% + $0.30 = $0.503 payment processing fee per patron

750 x $0.50 = $377.25 total payment processing fee

$5,250 x 5% = $262.50 platform fee

$5,250 – $377.25 – $262.50 = $4,610.25 monthly income

As a Patreon creator, you can choose when to receive payments or set up monthly automatic payments. You can accept funds via direct deposit, PayPal, or Payoneer. However, there are fees for transferring money from your creator balance, including a 25-cent charge for U.S. creators requesting a direct deposit, a $1 charge for Payoneer, and up to $20 for PayPal. There’s also a 2.5% currency conversion fee for patrons paying in a different currency than your designated one.

How to maximize earnings with Patreon?

To maximize your earnings on Patreon, consider the following strategies:

• Create a high-quality intro video that introduces yourself and your work, showcases the benefits you’ll provide to patrons, and explains how financial support will help you create better content. This can help persuade potential patrons to join and support your work.
• Promote your Patreon page on social media and other platforms, such as your blog or YouTube channel. This can help drive traffic to your page and increase the visibility of your work. Be sure to regularly share updates and engage with your followers to keep them interested in your content.
• Offer multiple membership tiers with different perks and incentives to appeal to a wider audience. By providing a range of options, you can cater to different budgets and preferences, and increase the likelihood that more people will support you. Be sure to price each option strategically so patrons see value in each option.
• Choose great incentives that will be attractive to your following. Offer exclusive access to content that your patrons can’t get anywhere else, such as gated content, members-only livestreams, exclusive forums, or integrated Discord live chat. Consider offering extra perks for higher-priced tiers, such as discounts and merchandise, to incentivize patrons to choose those options.
• Send messages to your patrons to keep them engaged and invested in your work. Communicate with them regularly and provide updates on your plans, progress, and achievements. This can help maintain their interest and support for your work.
• Take advantage of the free educational resources offered by Patreon, such as workshops, blog posts, and tutorials. These can help you learn more about using the platform effectively and becoming a successful creator. Watch videos with tips from top creators, read articles with guidance on how to convert more fans to patrons, and attend live workshops to learn about the platform and its features.

How to sign up for Patreon

To create a Patreon account, follow these steps:

1. Go to Patreon.com and click on the “Create on Patreon” button, or explore the Starter Kits link to get started quickly.
2. Sign up for an account using your email, Google, or Facebook account.
3. Add a profile picture, cover photo, and any other relevant information to your page, such as links to your social media accounts.
4. Set up your membership tiers and choose the perks and incentives that you’ll offer to your patrons.
5. Preview your page and make any necessary adjustments before launching it.

To sign up for Patreon, you only need your name, email, and password. However, you should have a professional profile picture and cover photo ready to upload, as well as your payment information to receive payments from your patrons.