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Software · head to head

Gumroad vs Patreon

G

Gumroad

Software

Sell your stuff, see what sticks

From
On request
Rated
-
Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Patreon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Gumroad charges a 10 percent plus $0.50 transaction fee on direct sales, rising to 30 percent on sales made through its Discover marketplace; Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gumroad and Patreon actually diverge.

Attributes where Gumroad and Patreon differ
AttributeGumroadPatreon
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 Gumroad

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.

Gumroad

No use cases recorded yet. See the Gumroad review.

Patreon

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

Where each one falls short

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

Gumroad

  • Charges a 10 percent plus $0.50 transaction fee on direct sales, rising to 30 percent on sales made through its Discover marketplace

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

Gumroad

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Gumroad 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 Gumroad if

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

Choose Patreon if

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

Questions people ask

Is Gumroad or Patreon better?
Neither clearly leads. Gumroad 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, Gumroad or Patreon?
Patreon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Gumroad and Free for Patreon.
Does Gumroad or Patreon run on more platforms?
Gumroad 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. Gumroad starts at On request.
What can Gumroad do that Patreon cannot?
Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features.
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