Quick answer
350 patrons paying an average of $8 a month generate $2,800 gross. On the legacy 8% Pro plan, after platform fees, payment processing and a 1% payout fee, the creator keeps $2,365.90 — about 84.5%. Small pledges lose the most to the fixed $0.30 processing charge.
How the Patreon Tier Optimization works, step by step
Enter your patron count and average pledge, your platform plan's fee percentage, the per-transaction processing fee, and your payout fee percentage. The calculator applies the platform fee, then payment processing per pledge, then the payout fee, and returns your net monthly income and effective take rate. At the defaults — 350 patrons at an $8 average pledge on the 8% plan — gross is $2,800, fees total $434.10 and net is $2,365.90.
Patreon's platform fee depends on when the page was published. Pages published after 4 August 2025 pay a flat 10% standard fee. Pages published on or before that date keep legacy pricing — 5% (Lite), 8% (Pro) or 12% (Premium) — for as long as the page stays continuously published; unpublishing and republishing moves the page to the 10% plan.
Payment processing is separate: 2.9% plus $0.30 per successful pledge for standard card processing in US dollars. The fixed $0.30 is what punishes small pledges — it takes 10% of a $3 pledge by itself. On legacy plans, pledges of $3 or less use a micropayment rate of 5% plus $0.10 instead, which softens the damage.
The payout fee comes last and depends on method: US direct deposit costs a flat $0.25 per payout, while PayPal costs 1% (minimum $0.25, capped at $20). The calculator models the payout fee as a percentage of the after-fee balance. A 2.5% currency-conversion fee applies when a patron pays in a different currency from your payout currency.
Memberships bought inside the Patreon iOS app run through Apple's in-app purchase system, which takes 30% in the first year and 15% after a year of continuous billing — the calculator models web and Android pledges, so a large iOS share lowers net income further. Annual memberships reduce processing costs by charging once a year, and the income is self-employment income for tax purposes.
The formula
Net = gross - platform fee - processing - payout fee, where processing = gross x 2.9% + patrons x $0.30 and the payout fee is a percentage of the after-fee balance. Gross = patrons x average pledge.
Worked example — try it on the calculator above
Worked example: 350 patrons at an average $8 pledge, 8% plan
Gross: 350 x $8 = $2,800. Platform fee at 8%: $224. Processing per pledge: 2.9% of $8 = $0.232 plus $0.30 = $0.532; across 350 pledges = $186.20. After fees: $2,800 - $224 - $186.20 = $2,389.80. Payout fee at 1%: $23.90. Net: $2,365.90, an effective take rate of 84.5%. On the standard 10% plan for new pages, the same 350 patrons would net $2,310.46 — $55.44 less a month — because the platform fee rises from $224 to $280. The same page with 350 patrons on a $3 tier would gross $1,050 and keep only about $822 (78.3%) at the standard processing rate — or about $870 with the legacy micropayment rate — because the fixed fee takes a far larger share of each small pledge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Patreon take from creators?
A platform fee of 5%, 8% or 12% on legacy plans or a flat 10% for pages published after 4 August 2025, plus payment processing of roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per pledge, plus a payout fee when you withdraw ($0.25 for US direct deposit, or 1% via PayPal, capped at $20). All-in, most creators keep 80 to 88% of gross pledges; the share falls as average pledge size falls.
What is the best price for a Patreon tier?
The tiers that perform are anchored at $5, $10 and $25 for most niches: $5 as the accessible support tier (below $5, fixed processing fees eat a disproportionate share), $10 for the core benefits tier, and $25 for superfans with limited extras. Pages with more than five or six tiers usually fragment patrons and add fulfilment work without adding income.
How many patrons do I need to earn $1,000 a month?
At a net take of about 84.5%, you need roughly $1,183 of gross pledges: 148 patrons at $8, 237 at $5, or 118 at $10. Mixed pages average out — the worked example's page earns $2,365.90 from 350 patrons at an $8 average. Audience conversion of 1 to 5% of engaged followers to patrons is the realistic planning range.
Patreon or Substack or YouTube memberships?
Compare the fee stack and the format. Patreon keeps roughly 80 to 88% and suits mixed media and community benefits. Substack takes 10% plus processing and suits writing. YouTube channel memberships give YouTube a 30% share but sit where the audience already is. The deciding factor is usually where your audience will actually pay, not the few points of fee difference.
Estimates, not advice. This calculator provides educational estimates based on the inputs you enter and the assumptions shown on this page. It is not financial, tax or investment advice, and it cannot see your full situation. Verify important figures against official sources, and consider a qualified professional for decisions about your own money. See our Disclaimer and Methodology.