Patreon, Apple, and the End of “Per‑Creation” Confusion: A Tactical Playbook for Creators (Dec 8, 2025)
Patreon, Apple, and the End of “Per‑Creation” Confusion: A Tactical Playbook for Creators (Dec 8, 2025)
Apple’s big App‑Store ruling plus Patreon’s ongoing billing changes have created a fast-moving window for creators to lock revenue, eliminate surprises, and actually increase net take‑home. This playbook walks through what changed in the last 72 hours, what it means for pages that still use per‑creation or first‑of‑month billing, and—most importantly—exact, money-first moves you can make this week to protect and grow income. 💸
What just happened (short version)
Two items creators must treat as facts right now:
- Federal court rulings around Epic vs. Apple significantly loosened Apple’s ability to force developers into in‑app purchases and collect fees on purchases made off‑app — meaning platforms can now point U.S. users to web checkout flows without Apple taking that 30% bite. [1]
- Patreon’s public docs and help center reflect the platform’s billing migration history and current guidance: most creators are already on subscription billing, Patreon has tooling and guidance for migration, and the company is treating the November 2025 migration timeline as paused / flexible after legal shifts — but iOS still behaves differently outside the U.S. (so your international mobile fans may still be affected). [2]
Why creators should care — immediate financial risk & opportunity
- If you rely on per‑creation billing, your iOS funnel for non‑U.S. fans may be restricted and Apple rules can change how new fans sign up through mobile. That translates directly into lost impulse purchases and worse onboarding conversion. [3]
- Because the court ruling now permits direct/alternate checkouts in the U.S., creators who get fans to sign up via web/Android can avoid app-store friction and the extra hold windows that delay payouts. That’s an immediate cash‑flow and margin win. [4]
- Patreon reports that ~95% of active creators are already on subscription billing (so most creators will be unaffected operationally), but a meaningful minority still use per‑creation-first models — and they need a plan, not panic. [5]
Playbook: 9 tactical moves to protect and increase revenue this week
1) Audit your payments funnel (30–90 minutes)
- Record % of signups by platform (web / iOS / Android / other) for the last 90 days.
- Identify where per‑creation vs subscription signups occur. If >20% of new fans are iOS (and you’re per‑creation), you have immediate risk.
2) Price‑math check: convert per‑creation to a monthly price using a multiplier
Patreon’s migration docs recommend a multiplier approach so current patrons pay roughly the same monthly amount after conversion; test 2×–4× depending on average paid posts per month and caps. Start with the conservative multiplier that preserves current revenue, then offer opt‑in annual pricing for fans who want a discount. [6]
3) Lock short‑term revenue with a 10–30 day “migration offer”
- Create an annual option at 10–20% off to move monthly spend up front (fewer Stripe fees; better cash flow). Example: a $5/mo per‑creation patron — offer $45/yr instead of $60/yr to lock them in today.
- Promote on email, pinned posts, and your most‑viewed video descriptions. Emphasize limited time and the benefits (content + early access, community perks).
4) Build an explicit iOS vs web sign‑up plan
- For U.S. fans: push web checkout (link in bio, description, pinned comment). The Epic v Apple ruling lets platforms point users to alternative payments — use that margin. [7]
- For international fans: keep options open in your Patreon settings (Patreon still requires subscription billing for iOS in many regions). Document which fans need to sign up on web/Android and clearly explain why (short help post + screenshots). [8]
5) Use Memberful or Ghost if you want a subscription‑first, lower‑fee escape hatch
Memberful: $49/mo + 4.9% transaction fee (Stripe fees separate). Good for creators who want a managed membership system and a clean site funnel. [9]
Ghost(Pro): plans from $18/mo (Starter) with 0% platform transaction fees — you only pay Stripe. Good for writers and newsletter creators who want to keep more revenue. Example pricing: Starter $18/mo, Publisher $29/mo, Business $199/mo. [10]
6) Communicate like a CFO (templates you can copy)
- Short public post: "We're changing billing to keep the app available and to pay creators faster. If you signed up on iOS outside the U.S., here’s what to expect..."
- Email to paid members: show exactly how their spend maps to the new monthly price (math it out) and offer a time‑limited annual upgrade with a special bonus (AMAs, Discord role, early content).
7) Recreate per‑creation benefits inside subscription tiers
Don’t lose the product that made you money — repackage it. If you charged $2 per post historically and averaged 6 posts/month (≈$12), create a $12/month tier that includes the same deliverables (or $10/month with a small extra benefit to sweeten the move).
8) Short‑term ad / partner plays — diversify revenue NOW
- Offer a time‑boxed sponsored post or holiday bundle (one‑off paid product) delivered via Gumroad or your own storefront to avoid membership friction.
- Launch a paid micro‑course or e‑book priced at $25–$99 promoted to your paid and top free fans — this reduces dependence on membership model change noise.
9) Fast payouts & new rails — consider stablecoin rails for cross‑border fans
Visa and payment providers are piloting stablecoin payout rails that promise near‑instant cross‑border settlement. If you have a lot of international creators or collaborators, track these pilots (and talk to your payment partner) — they can reduce currency loss and payout delays. [11]
Comparison: cost and choice (quick table to guide decision)
| Platform | Platform fee | Typical extra costs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patreon (notes & help center) | Varies; migration to subscription billing is heavily supported and documented — 95% of creators are already on subscription billing (Patreon will help with migration tools). [12] | Payment processing fees; app store behavior varies by region | Creators who want an integrated membership network and discovery |
| Substack | 10% platform cut of paid subscriptions. [13] | Stripe fees (~2.9% + $0.30 typical) | Writers, newsletters, long‑form creators who want built‑in email + paywall |
| Memberful | $49/mo + 4.9% transaction fee (Stripe separate). [14] | Stripe fees | Creators who want high control and a custom membership site without self‑hosting |
| Ghost(Pro) | Fixed plan fees (Starter $18/mo, Publisher $29/mo, Business $199/mo); no platform transaction fees (you pay Stripe). [15] | Stripe fees; optional add‑ons | Publishers who want to own their website, email, and membership stack |
Real examples & pricing math (copy‑ready)
Example A — Convert per‑creation to monthly without losing revenue
Average patron pays $1 per post and you publish 8 paid posts/month → average monthly revenue per patron = $8.
Migration multiplier approach: set the new monthly tier at $8 (or $7.50 with an “annual” incentive) so existing patrons are indifferent. Offer an annual option at $80/year (≈16% off) and push it hard via email. Use Patreon’s migration support to help patrons who signed up via Apple. [17]
Example B — Quick cash: convert a $5/mo per‑creation audience
500 patrons × $5/mo = $2,500/mo = $30,000/yr.
If 20% of those (100) upgrade to a $50/yr annual option, immediate cash = $5,000 — that’s two months of runway you didn’t have before. Promote this as an “insider holiday bundle” with a bonus livestream. (Example strategy works best when you offer a clear value increment.)
FAQ — quick answers
Q: Do I have to move to subscription billing now?
No. Patreon’s public guidance says the November 2025 hard deadline is on hold after recent legal developments, and creators can choose when to migrate — but iOS behavior still differs by country, so test your funnels and prioritize web/Android signups where possible. [18]
Q: Will I actually keep more if I use Ghost or Memberful?
Possibly. Ghost removes platform transaction fees (you only pay Stripe), but you pay a monthly hosting plan. Memberful is $49/mo + 4.9% transaction fee — better for creators who want a managed membership back end. Run your numbers: if your revenue is high (>~$5k–10k/mo), owning your flow (Ghost or Memberful) often wins. [19]
Q: How do I handle fans who subscribed via iOS and get charged differently?
Make a short help post and email explaining the difference, offer to move them to web with an incentive (free month or exclusive asset), and use Patreon’s migration support if you need help mapping per‑creation pledges to monthly tiers. [20]
Action checklist — what to do today (Dec 8, 2025)
- Export last 90‑day signup & revenue data by platform (web / iOS / Android).
- Create a migration post and 1‑email migration flow with an annual offer (48‑hour launch window).
- If you use per‑creation billing: set your conservative multiplier and draft the text to explain the change to patrons (show the math).
- Set up or test Ghost/Memberful demo pages this week if you want a migration path; pricing links below will help you pick quickly. [21]
- Update bios and pinned posts to point iOS traffic to web or Android to avoid app friction (and track conversion uplift).
Sources & further reading (selected)
- Patreon — Migration & subscription billing guidance (help center & FAQ). [22]
- The Verge / reporting on Epic vs. Apple ruling and its effect on external payments. [23]
- Memberful pricing page — $49/mo + 4.9% + Stripe fees. [24]
- Ghost(Pro) pricing — Starter $18/mo, Publisher $29/mo, Business $199/mo; no Ghost transaction fees. [25]
- Substack pricing and fee breakdown (10% platform fee + Stripe fees). [26]
- Visa’s stablecoin payout pilot — a new payout rail to watch for creators paid cross‑border. [27]
Bottom line — the strategy you can apply now
Platform rules changed, but revenue math hasn’t: owning the checkout, reducing transaction frequency (annual), and making migration frictionless are your three levers. Use them together: (1) audit where your money comes from, (2) create a clear migration/annual offer, and (3) push web/Android checkouts while testing Ghost/Memberful as longer term homes if you want more control. If you act this week, you preserve existing income and can actually increase cash‑flow and margins. 🚀
Want a quick, personalized checklist I can DM that maps your current Patreon page to a recommended new pricing grid and migration email copy? Reply "AUDIT MY PAGE" and tell me: (a) current pricing model, (b) monthly revenue, (c) % new signups on iOS — and I’ll draft a one‑page migration playbook for you.
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References & Sources
knowtechie.com
1 sourcesupport.patreon.com
2 sourcesmemberful.com
1 sourceghost.org
1 sourceusa.visa.com
1 sourceblog.hootsuite.com
1 sourceseoengine.ai
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