An important update about Patreon, specially the IOS/Apple app.

From November 2024 any new memberships (I think that also includes if you were to leave and rejoin after November 2024) and purchase a membership to myself or any other Patreon creator via the Apple app store, Apple is going to add on a 30% fee that subscribers have to pay and all that extra 30% will go to Apple, not to the creators. If you already subscribed in the past via the IOS app, you won't be subjected to this new 30% charge. As long as you signed up via the website/Android, using the IOS app won't charge you, only subscribing via the app will. So please be aware subscriptions to Patreons will cost 30% more money if you do it via the IOS app, it's cheaper so sign up via the website/Android.

It is also getting rid of the first-of-the-month billing option. I have the choice to switch now, or be forced to in November 2025 when every creator on Patreon will be forced to switch to subscription billing (which means if you joined on the 4th of August you'd be charged on the 4th of every next month, etc). This also means pay-per-creation that many creators use who make content like long video essays only once or twice per year and thus only charge their Patreon members those one or two times a year they upload, will be forced to charge their Patreon members every month once November 2025 hits. This forced changed is only happening because Apple is demanding it, wants a cut of every creator's earnings, and has threatened to remove Patreon from the app store if they don't force these changes.

I know me being forced to charge you guys the date of you signed up on every following month, but it does screw me over a big. It screws over creators who give out physical rewards like sticker clubs, in fact Patreon used to advertise first-of-the-month billing as being for creators who had physical rewards to mail out. Why does this matter to me when I don't offer physical rewards? It's not the biggest deal for me personally, but I do collect audio requests on the first of every month, the Patreon outro is recorded once at the start of each month based on who is there on the 1st of the month and I will not be re-recording it every day when new people join. And my brain just finds everyone being charged on the same day easier to keep track off.

I'm sure some of you will prefer the new billing method. I know some people have been bothered if they sign up on the 31st of one month just to be charged again the next day, but that has always been written out when you sign up for memberships, you could have chosen to just wait a day before joining.

So I'll be making the switch now, because if I wait until they force me in November 2025 I will have forgotten and it'll catch me off-guard. So any new Patreon members will be charged recurring on the date they signed up (e.g. if you signed up on the 17th of August, you'd be charged on the 17th of each month. I have no idea how this works if you sign up on a leap day or on the 31st of August when there's no 31st of September, I don't know if Patreon picks a day earlier or a day later).

Now, what does switching mean for existing Patreon members? Nothing. If you signed up before today then you'll keep getting charged on the first o each month. Which feels a bit unfair for old Patreon members to not get to switch to the new system, but Patreon forces you to stay on the old one. I don't know if cancelling your subscription and rejoining would allow you to join the new system or not, I don't know if Patreon would remember you.

Sorry this is sudden, Patreon just sent out the email at around 3pm today and I only just saw it.