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Patreon vs Podbean

Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podbean logo

Podbean

Software

All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform; Podbean upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage
  • They diverge on capability: Patreon covers Membership tiers, Podbean covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Patreon and Podbean actually diverge.

Attributes where Patreon and Podbean differ
AttributePatreonPodbean
Founded20132006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Patreon

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

Only in Podbean

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Built-in monetization
  • Live streaming
  • Video podcasting
  • Podcast app
  • Premium content
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • 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.

Patreon

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

Podbean

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast with an RSS feed and playernot Patreon
  • Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot Patreon

Where each one falls short

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

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

Podbean

  • Upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage
  • The Network plan at $99 a month meters bandwidth at 3 TB while cheaper plans are unmetered, so the middle tier is the only one with a bandwidth ceiling
  • Advanced analytics are excluded from every plan below Business
  • Private podcasting and live chat support are Business only
  • Team members are capped at 50 on Network despite being described as unlimited

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Podbean

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 5 hours total storage
    • 100 GB bandwidth
    • Basic analytics
  • Unlimited Audio$9/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited Plus$29/month
    • All audio features
    • Video podcasting
    • Live streaming
  • Business$99/month
    • All features
    • Team management
    • Enterprise security

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Podbean if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want built-in monetization.
Podbean review

Questions people ask

Is Patreon or Podbean better?
Neither clearly leads. Patreon starts at Free and Podbean at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Patreon or Podbean?
Patreon starts at Free and Podbean at Free.
Does Patreon or Podbean run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Patreon for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Patreon best used for?
Patreon is most often used for running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcast, selling recurring access to exclusive content and community. Of those, running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcast and selling recurring access to exclusive content and community are not what Podbean is typically brought in for.
What can Patreon do that Podbean cannot?
Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Live streaming, Video podcasting. Both handle Social media, Content protection, Privacy controls, Web support.
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