Yes, Patreon is a legitimate membership platform run by Patreon, Inc., which lists a San Francisco address. Its terms put creators and patrons on different hooks: creators accept several fee types and content rules, while patrons accept subscriptions that renew automatically and a stated policy of no refunds, so each side should read its own half.
Patreon is one platform with two very different customers. On one side, a creator sets up a page and offers memberships or one-off items. On the other, a fan joins as a member, which most people still call a patron, and supports that creator. Both click the same agree button, but the terms ask quite different things of each.
That's why I've built this review around one table: what the terms commit creators to on the left, and what they commit patrons to on the right. I haven't run a Patreon page or subscribed to one for this piece, so it's all drawn from the company's own site and terms.
A little background first. Its site says musician Jack Conte started Patreon with his friend Sam Yam as a way to connect creators with the people who want to support them, and it describes itself as a place for creators to build community with their biggest fans and share exclusive work. Its site also says starting a Patreon is free, with creators choosing whether to launch a digital shop or run a membership.
Creator column versus patron column
Read across each row. The left cell is what a creator signs up to; the right is what a patron signs up to on the same topic.
| What creators commit to | What patrons commit to |
|---|---|
| Platform, payment processing, payout and currency conversion fees, which its terms say may change with notice | Paying the subscription or offering they choose, plus any VAT or sales tax Patreon must collect where they live |
| Offering one-off items or memberships that renew automatically, with charges converted to a member's local currency at a rate Patreon sets | Subscriptions that renew monthly or annually until they cancel, with Patreon as the billing entity |
| Keeping creations and benefits within its Community Guidelines: nothing illegal, abusive, misleading, or using others' intellectual property without permission | Accepting that Patreon has limited control over the quality and specific benefits a creator offers |
| Handing over tax identification details when asked, and reporting their own income for tax | Accepting its stated policy of no refunds, with exceptions only at its discretion, and that gift memberships are final |
| Accepting that Patreon may block or withhold funds for policy breaches or compliance reasons, and that refunds and chargebacks can push a balance negative | Accepting that they can lose access to benefits if they cancel, drop a tier, their payment fails or the creator blocks them |
| Keeping ownership of their creations while granting Patreon a licence to use them to run the service | Keeping ownership of what they post, under the same licence |
What the left-hand column means if you create
The fee row is the one to slow down on. Its terms list four kinds: a platform fee, a payment processing fee, a payout fee that varies with your payout method, and currency conversion fees. They also say these may change with notice. I'm not quoting rates here because they shift, so check the current figures on its own pages before you set your tiers.
The second thing creators tend to miss is the funds clause. Its terms say Patreon may block or withhold access to your funds if it believes you've broken its rules, or for compliance reasons such as collecting tax reporting information, and that it tries to tell you why promptly. They also say refunds to members and chargebacks can take your balance below zero, and fees already charged may not come back to you. That's normal for a payments business, but it's worth knowing before you plan around a monthly figure.
On the upside, the terms are clear that creators keep full ownership of their creations. Patreon takes a licence to use them to operate its service, not the rights themselves. If you're working out how to grow a page once it's live, my Patreon marketing strategy guide picks up from there.
What the right-hand column means if you support someone
For patrons, three clauses do most of the work. First, subscriptions renew on their own, monthly or annually depending on the type, until you cancel. Its terms say you can cancel a free trial or recurring payments at any time, and that a free trial rolls into a renewing subscription if you don't cancel before it ends. Put a reminder in your calendar the day you sign up.
Second, its terms say its policy is not to provide refunds, including if you lose access to benefits, though it may make exceptions at its own discretion. If you bought through an app store, it may not be able to deal with a refund request at all, and you'd go to the store instead.
Third, Patreon is upfront about its limits on creators. Its terms say it attempts to screen for fake creator pages but can't guarantee a creator's identity or the claims they make, and that it has limited control over benefits. In plain terms, you're backing a person, and Patreon is the till, not a guarantor. Pick creators whose work you already know.
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The rules that bind both sides equally
- Age. You must be at least 13 to use Patreon, and under 18 you need a parent or guardian's permission to run a creator page or buy a subscription. Adult creator pages need the member to be 18 or over.
- Account action. Its terms say it may terminate an account that breaks its terms or policies, and in most cases it tries to work with people to resolve a problem first. If you think it got it wrong, its terms point to an appeal route in its Help Center.
- Payment disputes. Its terms say Patreon typically handles payment issues such as chargebacks and disputes, except where an app store processed the purchase.
- Leaving. Anyone can permanently delete their account at any time through its Privacy Center.
- Support. Its site runs a Help Center and FAQ for questions on any of the above.
If you're in Britain, my piece on using Patreon in the UK covers the British side of setting up and supporting creators.
Who should sign which half
As a creator, Patreon fits you if you already have an audience that likes your work enough to back it every month, and you're comfortable with several layers of fees and a rulebook on content. I'd skip it if your work sits close to its content limits, or if you'd rather own the billing relationship directly, in which case Ko-fi, Substack, Buy Me a Coffee, Memberful and Gumroad are the names people usually weigh up.
As a patron, it's a legitimate way to support someone whose work you value, as long as you treat each subscription as a commitment that keeps renewing and accept that refunds aren't the norm. If either side of that table doesn't sit right with you, my roundup of other platforms creators use instead of Patreon compares the options.
Frequently asked questions
Is Patreon free to join?
Its site says starting a Patreon is free for creators, and fans can join and follow creators. Creators then face platform, processing, payout and conversion fees on what they earn, and members pay for the subscriptions or offerings they choose.
How do I cancel a Patreon membership?
Its terms say you can cancel a free trial or recurring payments at any time from your account. Subscriptions renew monthly or annually until you cancel, and cancelling may end your access to that creator's benefits.
Does Patreon give refunds?
Its terms say its policy is not to provide refunds, with exceptions possible at its own discretion. Gift memberships are final, and app store purchases may need to go through the store.
How old do you have to be to use Patreon?
Its terms say you must be at least 13, and under 18 you need a parent or guardian's permission to have a creator page or buy a subscription.
Who runs Patreon?
Patreon, Inc., which lists a San Francisco, California address. Its site says musician Jack Conte started it with his friend Sam Yam.
