I am seeing a lot of misinformation about Patreon and the “new” Apple 30% platform fee, and I’m also seeing a lot of knee-jerk misinformation going on about it.
Patreon has always given creators the choice of charging 30% more on iOS to cover the non-optional platform fees. The only difference between Apple and Google (and other platform stores) is that Apple enforces their rules about their platform fees and platform usage.
That’s it.
Smooth your skirts and adjust your ties, ladies and gentlemen.
In your Patreon settings, change it so the users pay the platform fees. That’s it, that’s all. Paying through the app is a choice the users make for their convenience. They can pay through the web browser.
I do my best to remind my supporters of this every time I post to the site, but ultimately, if they want to pay Apple the 30% for the convenience of using apps on their store, that is their choice.
Patreon isn’t doing anything other than abiding by the rules required to use the Apple platform.
Google does this same thing, they’re just slower at implementing it.
Example: Google began insisting Amazon actually pay their platform fees on kindle devices. Amazon refused. Amazon had to remove all payment options out of their kindle stuff, something they’d had to do for iOS long prior because Apple enforces their policies more than Google does.
It’s not the end of the world, and there is no need to fuss. Don’t want to pay the iOS fee? Buy in your web browser directly on the site. Don’t care about the 30% fee because you like the convenience? Continue as normal.
Patreon has always given the creators the option for iOS. And the smart creators will have the user pay the 30%. This is not Patreon “trying to steal from creators.”
Patreon is literally my highest paying platform. (They take the lowest amount of fees.) Stop biting the hand that is feeding you.
The choice has been yours all along, creators. Just make the users pay the 30% platform fee, remind your Patrons that this is the case, and move on with life without all the drama and misinformation. This isn’t anything new or even exciting.
Don’t want to eat the 30% platform fee?
So don’t.
That’s it, that’s all.
I’m so glad you clarify stuff for us! It’s gets confusing and I’d rather get the reminder from you than not have you on Patreon.
There are other major issues such as no longer lump charging on first of the month but instead when the subscription renews, because it means that people can get access to monthly things twice by only paying once.
I hated the lump charging on the first of the month, and I’m personally happy that’s gone. I’m sorry that’s a problem for some creators, but it’s not a problem for me; if a user gets a little extra, that’s fine to me–they’re going far above the call of duty even considering a monthly subscription.