Buy me a Coffee and Patreon both offer creators membership platforms, but there’s a lot more to both platforms. Which one is better?
Which Membership Platform Is Better for You?
In today’s world, video creators, podcasters, streamers, musicians, and all kinds of artists can financially support themselves using online platforms. With websites like Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon on the market, creators can post content to their fan bases virtually and get paid in return.
Buy Me a Coffee vs Patreon: What’s the difference?
While there are a lot of similarities between the two, Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon are completely different online platforms that help creators make a living in different ways.
| Patreon | Buy Me a Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Monetization Features | Subscriptions: monthly/yearly | Subscriptions:monthly One-Time Payments: tips and paid for requests |
| Payouts | 1st of every month | Instant |
| Size | 2,000,000+ active patrons; 200,000+ active creators | 300,000+ active creators |
| Company Founded | 2013 | 2018 |
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| Fees | Platform Fee: 5-12% plus payment processing (3-5%) | Platform Fee:5% plus payment processing 3% + $0.3 |
| Best for… | Creators with a large audience | Casual Creators looking for tips |
What is Patreon?
Patreon is a membership platform designed for creators to share and monetize content and for fans to connect with their favorite creators and communities. Over 200,000 artists, writers, podcasters, streamers, video creators, musicians, developers, and cosplayers use Patreon to share monthly content with millions of followers.
What is Buy Me a Coffee?
Buy Me A Coffee is a crowdfunding platform that allows creators to share content and make money via membership, tips, and donations. Over 300,000 content creators and their millions of fans use Buy Me a Coffee to be part of like-minded communities consisting of all kinds of artists and creators.
Patreon vs Buy Me a Coffee: Fees and Payment for Creators
Regarding how creators get paid, there are a few critical differences between Buy Me a Coffee and Patreon, as shown in the table below.
Buy Me a Coffee | Patreon | |
|---|---|---|
Donation Fee | Takes 5% of donations | Takes 5-12% of donations (depending on plan) |
Cashout Method | Instant direct payments | Monthly payments from subscriptions |
Minimum Balance Requirement | None | $10-$25 (depending on region) |
Patreon offers three plans for creators to choose from designed with tools for growth: Lite, Pro, and Premium. Depending on the plan, Patreon takes 5%, 8%, or 12% of earnings from creators. Patreon payment methods come in the form of monthly deposits. They require a minimum balance of $10-$25, depending on the user's region
Buy Me a Coffee only takes 5% of donations, which means 95% of income goes directly to creators via instant payments. In addition, there is no minimum balance required, so Buy Me a Coffee users can get their money instantly no matter the amount. For this reason, many users consider Buy Me a Coffee to be a more cost-effective platform than Patreon.
Patreon vs. Buy Me a Coffee: Subscription Models
Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee offer different ways that creators can make money, as indicated by the table below:
Buy Me a Coffee | Patreon | |
|---|---|---|
Subscriptions | Monthly/yearly membership with tiers | Monthly subscription with tiers |
One-time Donations | Yes | No |
Commissions/Requests | Yes | No |
Sell Products | Yes | No |
Crowdfunding | Yes | No |
Patreon functions as a monthly membership service that allows fans to subscribe to their favorite creators. The Patreon cost per month will vary depending on which tier of membership users subscribe to. With no option for donations, commissions, sales, or crowdfunding, Patreon creators make money solely via monthly payments from patrons.
Buy Me a Coffee is a bit more flexible with its subscription model, offering the option for creators to set up monthly or yearly subscription plans. It also has features that Patreon lacks, such as accepting one-off donations, taking commissions and requests, selling products known as ‘Extras,’ and generating income from crowdfunding.
Patreon vs Buy Me a Coffee: Content Production & Schedules
For many creators, the decision to use Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon depends on what kind of audience they are trying to reach and their posting schedule.
Buy Me a Coffee | Patreon | |
|---|---|---|
Audience Type | Reach a more flexible audience | Reach a consistent, targeted audience |
Commitment Level | Lower commitment. Post content at your own pace | Publish content weekly or monthly to maintain subscriptions |
There’s a lot of overlap between the kinds of creators who use Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee, as both platforms are open to the same types of artists. However, in terms of content production, Patreon is designed for more serious creators who post content every month to reach a consistent, targeted audience.
Buy Me a Coffee is a better option for more flexible creators, allowing them to post at their own pace with less commitment. While Buy Me a Coffee still allows creators to earn an income, Patreon is often considered the better choice for creators who use these platforms as their primary source of income.
Patreon vs. Buy Me a Coffee: Platform Integration
Many creators like to promote themselves across multiple platforms, so it is essential to know which apps and websites Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee are compatible with before deciding which to use.
Compatible with: | Buy Me a Coffee | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
Discord | Yes | Yes |
Youtube | Yes | Yes (with a link) |
WordPress | Yes (with button or widget plug-in) | Yes |
Zapier | Yes | Yes |
Vimeo | Yes | Yes |
MailChimp | Yes | Yes |
Buy Me a Coffee can be integrated with a variety of other platforms, such as Discord, Youtube, WordPress, and Zapier, but it sometimes requires a link, button, or widget plug-in to do so.
Patreon can be integrated directly with various sites, such as Discord, WordPress, and Zapier, and included in links in descriptions.
How to set up Buy Me A Coffee
Follow these steps to set up a Buy Me a Coffee profile:
- Sign up and create an account
- Add a profile image and story
- Share Buy Me a Coffee Link via social media
How to set up a Patreon
Follow these steps to create a successful Patreon page:
- Create a Patreon account
- Promote Patreon on social media to an existing fan base
- Maintain a consistent posting schedule
- Create subscription tiers with rewards
- Send Patrons messages
- Connect Patreon to Discord
Buy Me a Coffee vs. Patreon: Pros and Cons
Buy Me a Coffee | Patreon | |
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Who is Buy Me a Coffee best suited for?
Buy Me a Coffee is an ideal platform for creators looking for an online tip jar for their side hustle or passion project, as it offers more flexibility plus a casual setup.
One example of a successful creator on Buy Me a Coffee is Trials Report, a page run by the developers of websites for popular video games. Trials Report offers a monthly membership that gives supporters access to badges, custom URLs, and a BFF-only Discord channel. With almost 2,000 supporters and countless donations, Trials Report has found much success on the Buy Me a Coffee site.
Who is Patreon best suited for?
Patreon is best suited for serious content creators looking to turn their craft into a full-time job. It also helps if creators have a following on another platform where they can promote exclusive content on their Patreon page.
The You’re Wrong About Podcast is a successful Patreon page that posts exclusive content for paying listeners. With over 23,000 patrons, the You’re Wrong About Podcast offers three subscription tiers ranging from $2-$10 per month. These tiers give subscribers access to rewards such as exclusive posts and the ability to message the creators privately.
