Softwr

Software · head to head

Customer.io vs Patreon

Customer.io logo

Customer.io

Software

Data-driven messaging for teams getting started, scaling and beyond

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Patreon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Customer.io essentials plan caps at 5,000 profiles (people and objects) and 1,000,000 monthly emails, with overages billed at $0.12 per 1,000 emails beyond that; Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Customer.io and Patreon actually diverge.

Attributes where Customer.io and Patreon differ
AttributeCustomer.ioPatreon
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Customer.io

Nothing recorded that Patreon does not also cover.

Only in Patreon

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

What people use each for

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

Customer.io

No use cases recorded yet. See the Customer.io review.

Patreon

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

Where each one falls short

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

Customer.io

  • Essentials plan caps at 5,000 profiles (people and objects) and 1,000,000 monthly emails, with overages billed at $0.12 per 1,000 emails beyond that
  • Standard and Premium tiers show custom pricing only, and Enterprise is negotiated rate, so three of the four published tiers require a sales conversation
  • Monthly plans accept credit card only; annual billing via invoice (ACH/wire) requires the annual commitment

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

Customer.io

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Customer.io review.

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 Customer.io if

Nothing in the data separates Customer.io from Patreon on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Customer.io 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 Customer.io or Patreon better?
Neither clearly leads. Customer.io starts at On request and Patreon at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Customer.io or Patreon?
Patreon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Customer.io and Free for Patreon.
Does Customer.io or Patreon run on more platforms?
Customer.io runs on Web. Patreon runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Patreon for free?
Yes. Patreon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Customer.io starts at On request.
What can Customer.io do that Patreon cannot?
Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Customer.io

More on Patreon

Keep looking

Other head to heads