Patreon Raises Fees To 10% For New Music Creators This August

Patreon announced Monday it will charge new creators a 10% platform fee starting August 4th, consolidating its Pro (8%) and Premium (12%) plans into a single standard tier.

The change affects all creators who launch pages after the deadline—including musicians establishing new projects or side bands.

Why it matters:

Music represents the fourth-largest creator category on Patreon, with over 15,500 musicians earning from fan subscriptions.

The fee increase creates urgency for emerging artists to lock in legacy rates before August 4th—or face permanently higher costs.

• Revenue impact: Musicians earning $1,000 monthly will pay $20 more per month under new pricing.
• Competitive pressure: Substack charges 10%, OnlyFans takes 20%, making Patreon's new rate market-standard.
• Platform evolution: Funds expansion of video hosting, livestreaming, and podcast tools crucial for musicians.

Zoom in:

Music creator economics

Music creators collectively earn $1.2 million monthly on Patreon, making it a significant revenue stream for independent artists.

Only 6% of music creators have over 100 paying subscribers, while 94% operate with smaller, dedicated fanbases under that threshold.

Legacy protection mechanism

Existing creators keep current rates indefinitely—but only if they never unpublish their pages.

Musicians launching side projects or rebranding efforts after August 4th face the higher 10% rate permanently.

By the numbers:

• Current Pro plan: 8% fee (will discontinue August 4th)
• New standard plan: 10% fee for all creators joining after deadline
• 15,500+ music creators currently active on platform
• Average successful musician earns $777 monthly from 100+ subscribers
• $3.5 billion total paid to creators since platform's 2013 launch

The catch:

Musicians thinking about launching Patreon pages have just seven weeks to secure lower rates.

The decision creates a two-tier system where identical artists pay different rates based solely on when they joined.

Artists must maintain continuous publication—even brief unpublishing triggers the higher rate permanently.

What's next:

Patreon expects significant signup surge before August 4th as creators rush to lock in 8% rates.

The company plans expanded video storage (100 hours monthly), livestreaming capabilities, and enhanced podcast tools to justify higher fees.

Competitor platforms may adjust pricing strategies as creator economy consolidates around 10-20% standard rates.

The bottom line:

Patreon's fee increase reflects creator platform maturation, aligning with industry standards while funding feature expansion.

Musicians considering fan subscriptions should launch by August 4th to secure permanent cost savings worth thousands annually.