Patreon vs Substack
Patreon and Substack are both creator monetization tools aimed at creators. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Creators | Creators |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2013 | US · 2017 |
| Rating | — | — |
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).
Choose Substack if
Writers starting out who value discovery and simplicity over control.
- Zero upfront cost; discovery network
- Simple, writer-focused
- Payments and hosting handled
Look elsewhere if: Publications with revenue that want to keep 100% and own SEO (Ghost, beehiiv).
Patreon vs Substack pricing
Patreon
- Free to start$0Create a page and offer free membership
- Platform fee10%/of earningsPlus payment processing, conversion, payout fees
Substack
- Free$0Free publishing, no monthly fee
- Paid subscriptions10%/of revenuePlus credit card processing fees
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
Substack · Key features
- Newsletter, podcast and video publishing
- Paid subscriptions with free and paid tiers
- Recommendations network, Notes and Chat
- Hosted site with custom domain
- Mobile app for readers
- Basic analytics and import tools
Cons
- 10% revenue share
- Limited design and SEO control
- Platform dependence
Patreon vs Substack: FAQ
Do Patreon and Substack have a free plan?
Yes, both Patreon and Substack have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.