- Indonesia's place on Patreon's payout country list
- What a rupiah bank payout costs
- Setting up the bank details without a rejection
- GST of twelve per cent, effectively eleven
- Why rupiah isn't a billing currency here
- W-8BEN: the form that unlocks withdrawals
- PayPal and the other routes from Indonesia
- Holds and timing
- Before you launch your page
- Frequently asked questions
Creators in Indonesia are on Patreon's list for bank transfers that turn US dollars into rupiah, and Indonesia is also on its PayPal list. Patreon's tax table shows GST at 12% (effectively 11%) for Indonesia, collected on fan payments. The catch is that every payout carries a conversion fee, and you must file a W-8BEN first.
Indonesia is one of the places where I see the most curiosity about Patreon, and it's easy to see why. Plenty of people there already make videos, music, art and writing that overseas fans would happily pay for. What they want to know is how the money gets from a fan's card to a rupiah bank account. Here's what Patreon's help pages say, in the order you'll meet it.
Indonesia's place on Patreon's payout country list
Patreon's payout guide for creators outside the US has a table of countries where its bank transfer, processed by Payoneer, turns US dollars into local money. Indonesia is in that table, with IDR shown as the currency. Patreon's PayPal article also names Indonesia among the countries and regions where PayPal payouts are available.
That settles the first worry. Indonesia isn't left out. It also tells you which door you'll walk through: a US dollar balance on Patreon, converted to rupiah when you withdraw.
What a rupiah bank payout costs
For a US dollar to local bank transfer, Patreon says the cost is 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55% for the currency conversion on each payout, and the minimum is 10 US dollars. Patreon notes that the exchange rate can shift a little depending on when your withdrawal is processed in the hours after you start it, because rates move through the day.
Do the sums on a small payout before you pick a tier price. A fee made of a flat part and a percentage hurts most when the amount is low.
Setting up the bank details without a rejection
Patreon asks for little: your account number and the name on the account. It says you don't need a Payoneer account for this option and no extra paperwork is usually required. The one thing to watch is characters. Patreon says special characters aren't supported, so type the bank information with letters and numbers only.
There's also a useful line for anyone who lives in one country and banks in another. Patreon says that's fine, as long as you live in a country that Payoneer supports, you can still register your bank account.
GST of twelve per cent, effectively eleven
Patreon's sales tax and VAT table lists Indonesia with GST at 12% (effectively 11%). Patreon says it collects VAT or GST in places that have rules for non-resident suppliers of digital or intangible services, and that what gets taxed depends on the type of benefit and where the parties are. So a fan's payment can include tax on top of the tier price.
That tax belongs to the authorities, not to you. Patreon says its processing fee is calculated on the total including tax, which is worth knowing when you compare a gross payment with what reaches your balance. For your own Indonesian tax position, speak to a local accountant.
Why rupiah isn't a billing currency here
Patreon's table of non-dollar payout currencies has EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, DKK, NOK, SEK, HKD, SGD, NZD, CZK, HUF and PLN. IDR isn't in it. Patreon says the local-currency bank option only appears when your payout currency is your local currency, and otherwise you'll see the US dollar bank options.
In practice, that points to billing in US dollars. If a fan pays in a currency other than your payout currency, Patreon says a 2.5% conversion fee applies, so it can help to know which currencies your fans use. The platform side is covered in a guide to what Patreon takes from creators.
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W-8BEN: the form that unlocks withdrawals
Patreon says all creators who aren't US citizens have to submit a W-8BEN, or a W-8BEN-E for entities, to pay out. You fill it in on Patreon under Settings, then Payouts and Taxes, then Tax settings. Do it early. A payout that stalls because of a missing tax form is a very avoidable annoyance.
PayPal and the other routes from Indonesia
PayPal payouts for non-US creators paid in US dollars cost 1% of the amount, with a minimum of 0.25 US dollars, capped at 20 US dollars, and you need 10 US dollars to pay out. Payoneer Wallet costs 1.00 US dollars per payout, with a 25 US dollar minimum, and lets you move funds on to a bank or a prepaid card. Patreon says PayPal and Payoneer Wallet are available in every country on its bank list.
If you want to understand those accounts before committing, I've written about PayPal for Indonesian users and Wise for people in Indonesia separately.
Holds and timing
Add or change a payout method and Patreon puts a five-day hold on your balance. Once a payout starts, Patreon says it typically takes one to five days to reach you, and you can only start one every 24 hours. If a payout comes back as Returned, Patreon says the money returns to your Patreon balance.
| What I checked | What Patreon says for Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Bank payout currency | IDR, from a US dollar balance |
| Bank payout cost | 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55%, 10 US dollars minimum |
| PayPal | Indonesia is on the supported list |
| Tax on fan payments | GST at 12% (effectively 11%) |
| Tax form | W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E |
| Bank detail rule | Letters and numbers only, no special characters |
Before you launch your page
A short checklist helps. Confirm the payout screen offers the bank option for Indonesia. File the W-8BEN. Add your bank details and wait out the five-day hold. Then start with a modest first payout so you can see exactly what arrives. If you decide Patreon isn't the right fit, there's a comparison of membership platforms like Patreon that might help. None of this is financial advice, so please check bank limits and tax with your bank and an accountant.
Frequently asked questions
Is Patreon available in Indonesia?
Indonesia is on Patreon's list of countries for a US dollar to local currency bank transfer, with IDR as the currency, and it's also on Patreon's PayPal supported list.
Can I get paid in rupiah from Patreon?
Patreon's guide lists IDR for Indonesia on the bank transfer that converts from US dollars. The cost is 0.25 US dollars plus 1.55% per payout, with a 10 US dollar minimum.
Does Patreon charge tax to fans in Indonesia?
Patreon's sales tax table lists Indonesia with GST at 12% (effectively 11%), and says taxation depends on the benefit type and the parties' locations.
Do Indonesian creators need a W-8BEN?
Patreon says all creators who aren't US citizens must submit a W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E in order to pay out their funds.
Why was my bank detail rejected?
Patreon says special characters aren't supported, so enter bank information with letters and numbers only.
