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Video & Audio Production · head to head

Anchor vs Patreon

Anchor logo

Anchor

Video & Audio Production

Free podcast hosting and creation platform by Spotify

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Patreon logo

Patreon

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Anchor no longer a standalone product. Spotify folded Anchor into its own podcaster tooling, and anchor.fm now redirects to creators.spotify.com; Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • They diverge on capability: Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, Patreon covers Membership tiers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anchor and Patreon actually diverge.

Attributes where Anchor and Patreon differ
AttributeAnchorPatreon
Pricing modelfreefreemium
CategoryVideo & Audio ProductionPodcast & Audio Publishing
Founded20152013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Anchor

  • Unlimited podcast hosting
  • One-click distribution
  • Built-in recording
  • Episode scheduling
  • Monetization tools
  • Spotify
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts

Only in Patreon

  • Membership tiers
  • Exclusive content
  • Private podcast feeds
  • Community features
  • Payment processing
  • Discord
  • Podcast apps
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Social media
  • Content protection
  • Privacy controls
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Anchor

  • Free podcast hosting and distributionnot Patreon
  • Recording and basic editing from a phonenot Patreon
  • Distributing an episode to Spotify and other directoriesnot Patreon
  • Audience analytics for a shownot Patreon

Patreon

  • Running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcastnot Anchor
  • Selling recurring access to exclusive content and communitynot Anchor

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Anchor

  • No longer a standalone product. Spotify folded Anchor into its own podcaster tooling, and anchor.fm now redirects to creators.spotify.com
  • Tying hosting to Spotify's platform means the analytics and monetisation follow Spotify's terms rather than a neutral host's

Patreon

  • Takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • Payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees are charged on top of that 10% and are not quantified on the pricing page
  • The total deduction is therefore not calculable from the pricing page alone, and requires reading a separate support article

Pricing, plan by plan

Anchor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Built-in recording tools

Patreon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Free membership page
    • Basic features
    • Community tools
  • ProFree
    • All free features
    • Analytics dashboard
    • Priority support
  • PremiumFree
    • All Pro features
    • Dedicated partner manager
    • Custom onboarding

Which should you pick?

Choose Anchor if

  • You need unlimited podcast hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want one-click distribution.
Anchor review

Choose Patreon if

  • You need membership tiers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want exclusive content.
Patreon review

Questions people ask

Is Anchor or Patreon better?
Neither clearly leads. Anchor starts at Free and Patreon at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anchor or Patreon?
Anchor starts at Free and Patreon at Free.
Does Anchor or Patreon run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Anchor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Anchor best used for?
Anchor is most often used for free podcast hosting and distribution, recording and basic editing from a phone, distributing an episode to spotify and other directories, audience analytics for a show. Of those, free podcast hosting and distribution and recording and basic editing from a phone are not what Patreon is typically brought in for.
What can Anchor do that Patreon cannot?
Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, One-click distribution, Built-in recording, Episode scheduling. Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Both handle Analytics, Social media, Content protection, Privacy controls.
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