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Patreon vs SamCart

Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SamCart

Software

The number one checkout platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Patreon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform; SamCart plans start at $79 per month, and features like subscription saver and A/B testing are reserved for the higher $199 per month Scale tier

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Patreon and SamCart actually diverge.

Attributes where Patreon and SamCart differ
AttributePatreonSamCart
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded2013Unknown

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 Patreon

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

Only in SamCart

Nothing recorded that Patreon does not also cover.

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 SamCart
  • Selling recurring access to exclusive content and communitynot SamCart

SamCart

No use cases recorded yet. See the SamCart review.

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

SamCart

  • Plans start at $79 per month, and features like subscription saver and A/B testing are reserved for the higher $199 per month Scale tier

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

SamCart

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the SamCart review.

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 SamCart if

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

SamCart review

Questions people ask

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

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