Buy Me a Coffee vs Patreon
Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon are both creator monetization tools aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.
Buy Me a Coffee
Simple support page for creators
Patreon
Memberships for creators
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2018 | US · 2013 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Buy Me a Coffee if
Creators wanting simple support.
- Simple and friendly
- Quick setup
- Recognizable
Look elsewhere if: Complex memberships.
Choose Patreon if
Creators with an existing audience who want a trusted membership platform without building infrastructure.
- Largest audience familiar with paying creators
- Handles payments and sales tax
- Discord and video features
Look elsewhere if: Creators who want to own the site and relationship (Ghost, Memberful) or minimal fees (Ko-fi).
Buy Me a Coffee vs Patreon pricing
Buy Me a Coffee
- Free$05% platform fee on payments plus processing fees; no monthly fee
Patreon
- Free to start$0Create a page and offer free membership
- Platform fee10%/of earningsPlus payment processing, conversion, payout fees
Buy Me a Coffee · Key features
- One-off support
- Memberships
- Extras shop
- Posts
- Discord integration
- Widgets
Cons
- 5% fee
- Limited customization
- Fewer features
Patreon · Key features
- Membership tiers with monthly or per-post billing
- Posts, audio, video, polls and community chats
- Discord integration for tier-based roles
- Digital product sales (Commerce)
- Analytics, payouts and tax handling
- Mobile apps and creator discovery
Cons
- Percentage fees are higher than alternatives
- Limited design and branding
- Platform controls the relationship
Buy Me a Coffee vs Patreon: FAQ
Do Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon have a free plan?
Yes, both Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.