Apple Podcasts Subscriptions vs Patreon
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
30% Y1 / 15% · of revenue + $19.99/yr
10% · of revenue
Payout speed
monthly
monthly
Minimum payout
Apple default
$10
Countries
170+ regions
Wide (excludes RU, CN, IR, KP, SY, CU)
Email list export
None
Limited (CSV export of patron list)
Custom domain
No
No
Community features
None
Up to 10 Chat spaces, DMs, Discord integration
Best for
Podcasters with large Apple Podcasts audiences
Video creators, podcasters, visual artists, community builders with established audiences
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions vs Patreon: which one wins?
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions charges 30% Y1 / 15% (of revenue + $19.99/yr) versus Patreon at 10% (of revenue).
On payout speed, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions pays monthly while Patreon pays monthly. No difference here.
For audience ownership, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions offers none email export and Patreon offers limited (csv export of patron list). Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Apple Podcasts Subscriptions suits podcasters with large apple podcasts audiences. Patreon fits video creators, podcasters, visual artists, community builders with established audiences.