Happy Valley

Fourthwall vs Patreon

Fourthwall and Patreon are both creator monetization tools. Fourthwall is aimed at creators and E-commerce, while Patreon is aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.

Fourthwall

Creator storefront for merch, memberships and digital products

Patreon

Memberships for creators

PricingFreemium · $15Free
Starting price$15/moNot published
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forCreators, E-commerceCreators
Platformswebweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2019US · 2013
Rating——

Choose Fourthwall if

Video creators and streamers who want merch, memberships and digital products in one branded shop without managing inventory.

  • No inventory or upfront cost to launch merch
  • Merch, memberships and digital products in one branded shop
  • Fourthwall handles fulfillment and support for catalog orders

Look elsewhere if: Brands that need a fully custom store or sellers of digital products only (Shopify, Gumroad).

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).

Fourthwall vs Patreon pricing

Fourthwall

  • Free$05% fee on digital products and memberships; 2 team members
  • Pro$15/moSave $48 paying yearly; no digital fee, custom domain

Patreon

  • Free to start$0Create a page and offer free membership
  • Platform fee10%/of earningsPlus payment processing, conversion, payout fees

Fourthwall · Key features

  • Print-on-demand catalog of 200+ products with costs deducted per sale
  • Own-product sourcing, samples and production through vetted partners
  • Paid memberships with members-only videos and a branded mobile app
  • Digital downloads up to 5 GB on Free and 100 GB on Pro
  • YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitch selling and on-stream alerts
  • Customizable shop themes with promo codes and giveaways

Cons

  • 5% fee on memberships even on Pro
  • Print-on-demand margins are thin on low-priced items
  • Less design freedom than a full Shopify store

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

Fourthwall vs Patreon: FAQ

Do Fourthwall and Patreon have a free plan?

Yes, both Fourthwall and Patreon have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Not sure yet?