So, once again, Patreon has Done Something, or Patreon and Apple have Done Something, but either way, it’s the kind of thing that affects basically every creator using the Patreon platform, and yet again, here I am, having to say something as a result.
Before I proceed much further: if you are a current subscriber to our Patreon, or a prospective one, make sure you are subscribing through a browser on your computer or using the Safari browser if you use an iPhone/iPad. Because it’s not using the official Patreon app, you won’t get hit with the extra 30% fee.
The short version is, because Patreon decided they needed an app in the iOS store, Apple is subjecting them to the same rules they use for every other app, which means that they require a fee of 30% of whatever purchases are made through the app. I think this is stupid on their part, because the app doesn’t offer much extra in terms of features or functions that the website doesn’t already do, but their choice, I guess. Their explanation is quoted from their post on the subject below:
“As we first announced last year, Apple is requiring that Patreon use their in-app purchasing system and remove all other billing systems from the Patreon iOS app by November 2024.
This has two major consequences for creators:
- Apple will be applying their 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app, in addition to anything bought in your Patreon shop.
- Any creator currently on first-of-the-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch over to subscription billing to continue earning in the iOS app, because that’s the only billing type Apple’s in-app purchase system supports.
Before we go any further, we want to be crystal clear about one thing: Apple’s fee will not impact your existing members. It will only affect new memberships purchased in the iOS app from November onward.”
What does this mean? If you subscribed through your computer or web browser, nothing. If you subscribed using the iOS app, maybe something. I am planning to take the option Patreon has given to increase iOS in-app subscription prices by 30%, because I can’t really afford to let a couple of multi million (and trillion) dollar companies eat into the little bit I’m able to make. Money from Patreon covers web hosting, domain name costs, software subscriptions, not to mention my increasing medical costs due to my disability, and other general survival. Ugh. I’m pretty annoyed by this turn of events, because all it does is smear Patreon even further and turn away potential new subscribers because it sounds like unnecessary complication and stuff that people just don’t want to deal with. Can you blame them?
In addition to all of this, I learned yet another ridiculous detail while checking Bluesky as I’m writing this right now, which is that purchases made through the iOS app don’t translate to immediate payments to the creator. It can take up to 75 days. Why? Who knows! That’s just Apple’s policy! (Thanks to @jendrawscomics.bsky.social for sharing this info.)
Regardless of all of this, I’m sort of stuck with Patreon because it has the most brand recognition of similar platforms and I currently have more supporters there than in other places. I could close it and suggest that everyone move to Ko-Fi, but I don’t realistically see that happening, because, again, who wants to deal with the complexity of changing entire platforms? This change is hostile to both creators and patrons.
I’ll be updating the Chio Club website with more information soon. I use that as the hub for anyone who wants to subscribe anywhere or support my comics in any fashion, so this little asterisk needs to go up there soon. But I’m also planning to clarify any other information about supporting Follower and our other comics in other ways, too.
In any case, I will keep you updated on any changes that I am making, and any silly thing that Patreon is doing and how it affects me. I am endlessly grateful for our Patreon supporters; in many instances you’ve literally helped keep me alive and functioning by funding my medication, and you keep my art alive online by paying for the tools to do that.
I think one of my next pieces is going to be about supporting artists online in general, both through financial and free means, so please look forward to it! As part of this, I’m also working on assembling a little Bluesky Starter Pack of comic artists, sci-fi/fantasy indie authors, and other creators, so if you’d like to be part of that please please jump on Bluesky and let me know! I’d love to showcase more creators who aren’t necessarily the same big names that get added to other packs, and hopefully draw in some more folks to Bluesky.
Anyway, thank you so much for reading!