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Software · head to head

Patreon vs Podtrac

Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podtrac logo

Podtrac

Software

Industry-standard podcast measurement and analytics

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; Podtrac the Publisher Plans & Pricing page names four tiers, Getting Started, Grow Your Show, Grow Your Show Plus and Enterprise, but publishes no figure for any paid tier and offers no contact sales button, only a registration link
  • They diverge on capability: Patreon covers Membership tiers, Podtrac covers IAB-certified measurement.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Patreon and Podtrac actually diverge.

Attributes where Patreon and Podtrac differ
AttributePatreonPodtrac
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20132005

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Podtrac

  • IAB-certified measurement
  • Download analytics
  • Industry rankings
  • Audience demographics
  • Trend analysis
  • Custom reporting
  • All podcast hosts
  • Advertising platforms

Both cover

  • Web 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 Podtrac
  • Selling recurring access to exclusive content and communitynot Podtrac

Podtrac

  • Podcast measurementnot Patreon
  • Industry rankingsnot Patreon
  • Advertiser reportingnot Patreon
  • Audience analysisnot 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

Podtrac

  • The Publisher Plans & Pricing page names four tiers, Getting Started, Grow Your Show, Grow Your Show Plus and Enterprise, but publishes no figure for any paid tier and offers no contact sales button, only a registration link

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

Podtrac

Free
  • PublisherFree
    • Podcast measurement
    • Download analytics
    • Industry rankings
  • Premium$undefined/month
    • Advanced demographics
    • Custom reporting
    • API access

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 Podtrac if

  • You need iab-certified measurement.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want download analytics.
Podtrac review

Questions people ask

Is Patreon or Podtrac better?
Neither clearly leads. Patreon starts at Free and Podtrac at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Patreon or Podtrac?
Patreon starts at Free and Podtrac at Free.
Does Patreon or Podtrac run on more platforms?
Patreon runs on Web, Ios, Android. Podtrac runs on Web.
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 Podtrac is typically brought in for.
What can Patreon do that Podtrac cannot?
Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Podtrac covers IAB-certified measurement, Download analytics, Industry rankings, Audience demographics. Both handle Web support.
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