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Discovery+ vs Patreon

Discovery+ logo

Discovery+

Software

Unscripted content at your fingertips

From
$4.99/month
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: Discovery+ standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month; Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • They diverge on capability: Discovery+ covers Streaming, Patreon covers Membership tiers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Discovery+ and Patreon actually diverge.

Attributes where Discovery+ and Patreon differ
AttributeDiscovery+Patreon
Starting price$4.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tvWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202013

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 Discovery+

  • Streaming
  • Unscripted content
  • Reality TV
  • Originals
  • Downloads
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Account security

Only in Patreon

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

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Discovery+

  • Unscripted streamingnot Patreon
  • Reality TV watchingnot Patreon

Patreon

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

Where each one falls short

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

Discovery+

  • Standard plan starts at 5.99 USD per month but includes ads; an ad-free tier costs 9.99 USD per month

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

Discovery+

$4.99/month
  • Standard$4.99/month
    • HD
    • Ad-supported
  • Premium$8.99/month
    • 4K
    • Ad-free

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 Discovery+ if

  • You need streaming.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv.
  • You also want unscripted content.
Discovery+ 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 Discovery+ or Patreon better?
Neither clearly leads. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month and Patreon at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Discovery+ or Patreon?
Patreon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4.99/month for Discovery+ and Free for Patreon.
Does Discovery+ or Patreon run on more platforms?
Discovery+ runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Roku, Fire-tv. 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. Discovery+ starts at $4.99/month.
What is Discovery+ best used for?
Discovery+ is most often used for unscripted streaming, reality tv watching. Of those, unscripted streaming and reality tv watching are not what Patreon is typically brought in for.
What can Discovery+ do that Patreon cannot?
Discovery+ covers Streaming, Unscripted content, Reality TV, Originals. Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
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Related pages

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