Patreon keeps more money in your pocket per member. YouTube brings more members in. The right answer depends on whether your bottleneck is fees or conversion \u2014 for most sub-1M-subscriber channels, conversion wins.
| Feature | Patreon | YouTube Membership |
|---|---|---|
| Fee structure | Pro 8% · Premium 12% | Flat 30% |
| Creator share (web) | ~87–92% | 70% |
| Creator share (iOS) | ~60% (Apple 30% + 8–12%) | 49% (Apple 30% + 30%) |
| Payment processing | Included in the fee | Included — YouTube absorbs |
| Minimum payout | $25 | $100 |
| Audience ownership | Creator owns email + CRM | YouTube owns the relationship |
| Discoverability | Zero — destination site | In-app Join button |
| Setup friction | Medium — new brand, new URL | Low — toggle in YouTube Studio |
| Best for | High-ticket tiers, communities, physical rewards | Volume sign-ups, badges, members-only videos |
When Patreon wins
Patreon wins when the per-dollar math outweighs volume. If your fan base is willing to leave YouTube and navigate to a separate site, you\u2019ll net 20\u201325 percentage points more per member on web sign-ups. At a $9.99 tier, that\u2019s roughly $2/member/month \u2014 $24 per member per year \u2014 multiplied by your member count. For creators with 100+ members willing to make the jump, the delta adds up fast. Higher-ticket creators ($20+ tiers) gain the most because absolute dollars scale with price.
Patreon also wins on audience ownership. You get the member\u2019s email, you control the communication channel, and if Patreon ever sunsets or changes terms you can migrate to another platform. YouTube memberships vanish if your channel vanishes.
When YouTube Membership wins
YouTube wins on conversion. The Join button lives inside the viewer\u2019s feed, next to every video. No app switch, no sign-up form to find, no separate account. For most channels, this single-tap conversion delivers 3\u20135\u00d7 more sign-ups than Patreon at the same effort level.
YouTube also handles video hosting, members-only livestreams, badge/emoji infrastructure, and viewer identity. You build on top of a mature system instead of duplicating production on Patreon\u2019s more limited player. For creators whose primary perk is \u201cmembers-only videos,\u201d the feature set alone makes YouTube the obvious home.
The math at common price points
Here\u2019s what a single member pays you at each price point, web sign-up, under each platform\u2019s best plan:
- $4.99 tier. Patreon Pro (8%): ~$4.59. YouTube Membership: $3.49. Patreon advantage: $1.10/mo per member.
- $9.99 tier. Patreon Pro: ~$9.19. YouTube: $6.99. Patreon advantage: $2.20/mo per member.
- $24.99 tier. Patreon Pro: ~$22.99. YouTube: $17.49. Patreon advantage: $5.50/mo per member.
Now the iOS side, where the App Store takes 30% first on both platforms:
- $4.99 iOS. Patreon Pro: ~$3.21. YouTube: $2.44. Patreon advantage: $0.77/mo per member (narrower gap after IAP).
- $9.99 iOS. Patreon Pro: ~$6.43. YouTube: $4.89. Patreon advantage: $1.54/mo per member.
Which should you pick?
Three decision rules:
- Low-ticket, high-volume ($0.99\u2013$4.99, members-only videos) \u2014 YouTube Memberships. The conversion advantage matters more than the per-member delta.
- High-ticket, tiered rewards ($10+ with physical or community perks) \u2014 Patreon. The 20-percentage-point fee advantage compounds at scale, and Patreon\u2019s tier infrastructure matches the complexity.
- Both \u2014 Lower tiers on YouTube for volume, a premium tier on Patreon for serious fans. Most established creators run this stack.
Regardless of platform: push sign-ups to the web. A pinned comment with the direct membership URL is worth several percent of your annual recurring revenue.