After years of avoiding Apple’s App Store fees, Patreon informed its creators this week that they will soon be subject to the same 30% fee as everyone else, and is offering a way to offset those costs.
In a post on its site Monday, Patreon explained, “Apple is forcing us to switch to their in-app purchasing system for all iOS transactions or risk being banned from the App Store entirely.” The new terms will apply to all new subscriptions purchased through the iOS app, and creators using first-of-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch to subscription billing to continue earning money in the iOS app.
Patreon says that “most” creators are using subscription billing and will require all creators to use subscription billing by November 2025. It’s worth noting that the change does not apply to existing subscriptions, only new signups. It will go into effect starting November 1st.
To help with the transition and provide creators with a way to offset costs, Patreon has created an optional tool that can automatically increase prices by 30% in the iOS app so they don’t lose revenue. Price increases will be enabled by default unless creators opt out.
It’s unclear why Patreon was previously exempt from the App Store’s terms, or why Apple is now enforcing them. The post states that the Patreon team will be available on its Discord community form from August 12 to 16 to answer any questions.
