Patreon's billing change on November 1, explained
Apple made a rule, and Patreon is passing it on to you. If you bill on the 1st or per post, your billing changes on November 1. Here's what happens and what to do.
Apple made a rule, and Patreon is passing it on to you. Every creator on Patreon has to use subscription billing by November 1, 2026. If you still bill on the 1st of the month, or each time you post, your billing is about to change.
Here’s who it hits, what Patreon does if you wait, and what to do now. Everything comes from Patreon’s own posts and help pages, checked on October 6, 2026.
The short answer
| How you bill today | What you need to do | If you do nothing |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription billing | Nothing | Nothing changes |
| First of the month | Switch in your settings by October 31 | Patreon switches you in November. New members are billed on the day they join |
| Per creation (per post) | Ask Patreon Support for help by October 15 | Billing pauses in November. Your prices are converted, and billing stays paused until you review them |
Not sure which one you use? Open your billing and payout settings on Patreon and look under Billing schedule. If you launched your page on or after September 27, 2022, you’re already on subscription billing.
Why this is happening
It’s Apple’s rule, not yours. Apple wants every membership sold in Patreon’s iPhone app to use its in-app purchase system, and that system only bills from the day someone joins.
The rule has gone back and forth:
- 2024: Apple told Patreon to move every creator to subscription billing by November 2025, or risk being removed from the App Store.
- May 2025: after a court ruling in Epic v. Apple, Apple told Patreon that deadline was no longer in effect. Patreon told creators they could keep their billing.
- January 28, 2026: Apple put the rule back, with a new deadline of November 1, 2026.
Patreon’s own words: “We strongly disagree with this decision.” It called this “the third such change from Apple in the past 18 months.” About 4% of creators on Patreon still use the old billing, and they’re the ones who have to move.
If you bill on the 1st of the month
You can switch yourself, from your billing and payout settings. Patreon says to do it before November 1, so you choose the timing.
If you wait, Patreon moves you anyway in November. Here’s what that means:
- Your current members stay on the 1st. That lasts until they cancel and rejoin, or move to an annual plan.
- New members pay the day they join, then monthly on that same date.
- Your benefits get harder to run. Members now pay on different days. Patreon suggests sending benefits in batches, or pulling a list of who paid at the end of each month.
Your payouts don’t change. You can still withdraw by hand, or get paid automatically on the 5th.
If you bill per post
This is the harder case. You can’t switch on your own. Patreon asked per-creation creators to contact Support by October 15 so they can review prices and plan the move.
If you don’t, here’s what happens in November:
- Your billing pauses. You don’t earn from memberships until you act.
- Your per-post prices become monthly prices. Patreon uses a multiplier based on how many paid posts you made recently, and emails you the number.
- Billing stays paused until you review the new prices.
Patreon’s own pages don’t agree on that multiplier. One help page says it’s the average number of paid posts over the last three months. Another says it’s the highest number. Check the email Patreon sent you, and ask Support if the number looks wrong.
There’s one protection for your fans. If a member set a monthly limit that’s lower than your new price, they’re only billed up to that limit. That stops if they edit their membership, or if you raise the price for existing members.
And the switch is one way. Patreon says it can’t be reversed.
What the switch doesn’t fix
Moving to subscription billing keeps Patreon’s iPhone app in the App Store. It doesn’t take Apple out of the picture:
- Apple takes 30% of memberships bought in Patreon’s iOS app, falling to 15% after a member’s first year.
- Your prices go up in the app by default. Patreon adds about 43% so you earn the same as on the web.
- iPhone earnings can sit for up to 75 days, because that’s how long Apple can take to pay.
- Only fans in the US can skip Apple’s fee, by choosing web checkout inside the app.
That’s on top of Patreon’s own 10% fee for new creators. Patreon fees in 2026, explained breaks down every one.
Billing that stays yours
The real problem isn’t one billing model. It’s that a rule between Apple and Patreon can pause your income, change your prices and move your fans’ billing dates.
On Drate, fans join on your own website and pay through your own Stripe account. You choose monthly, yearly or one-time plans. Fans who join on your website pay there, so Apple isn’t part of that sale. Pro is $12 a month with no platform fee.
You don’t have to leave Patreon overnight either. Drate connects to Patreon, so your patrons keep their access while they move. How to move off Patreon without losing patrons shows how, step by step.
Questions
Do I have to switch to subscription billing on Patreon?
Yes, if you still bill on the first of the month or per creation. Apple requires every creator on Patreon to use subscription billing by November 1, 2026. If you don't switch, Patreon switches you in November.
Will my patrons be charged on a new date?
Not existing patrons, if you bill on the 1st. They keep being billed on the 1st unless they cancel and rejoin or move to an annual plan. New members are charged the day they join, then monthly on that date.
What happens if I bill per creation and do nothing?
Patreon pauses your billing in November and turns your per-post prices into monthly prices with a multiplier. Billing stays paused until you review the new prices. Patreon asked per-creation creators to contact Support by October 15.
Can I switch back after the change?
No. Patreon says the switch to subscription billing can't be reversed.
Do patrons who already have a pledge limit pay more?
No, as long as nothing changes. If a patron's monthly limit is lower than your new price, they're billed up to that limit until they edit their membership or you raise the price of their tier for existing members.
Sources
Checked on October 6, 2026. Prices and terms change, so check the latest before you decide.
- Patreon: Reminder: All creators must be on subscription billing by November 1patreon.com
- Patreon: iOS in-app purchases and switching to subscription billing FAQsupport.patreon.com
- Patreon: How to move from per-creation to subscription billingsupport.patreon.com
- Patreon: Apple has reimposed its subscription billing mandate for creators on Patreonpatreon.com
- Patreon: An update on our iOS app experience and what comes nextpatreon.com
- Patreon: How iOS in-app purchases work on Patreonsupport.patreon.com
- TechCrunch: Apple says Patreon must switch to its billing system or risk removal from App Storetechcrunch.com
- TechCrunch: Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by Novembertechcrunch.com
