Patreon is adjusting its app to align with Apple’s guidelines after a recent update gave U.S. users the ability to make purchases via the web. The platform’s web-based checkout has become the default for fans in the U.S., but now patrons must complete transactions through an external browser, as directed by Apple.
While this adds a step for users wanting to pay directly through Patreon, it allows the company to bypass Apple’s hefty 30% commission on in-app purchases. The app update followed a court ruling from the Apple-Epic legal battle, forcing Apple to allow external payments without charging commissions in its U.S. App Store. Recently, the Patreon iOS app included a web payment option using various methods like credit cards, Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay, initially offering a smoother experience via an in-app browser.
With Apple’s feedback, this checkout process now redirects to an external browser. Additionally, creators on older billing models can now also accept payments via Patreon’s iOS app, an improvement welcomed by many.
Before this, Apple’s policies limited creators to subscription billing, restricting other models like first-of-the-month or per-creation billing. This update allows creators to use these options on iOS, potentially boosting their earnings.
Within a week, Patreon promises that U.S. fans can purchase memberships at creator-defined tier prices directly through the iOS app, though outside the U.S., subscription billing remains necessary for new memberships.
Currently, about 95% of creators use subscription billing, benefiting from features like free trials and discounts. Now, Patreon can cater to the remaining 5% who need more flexibility.
Patreon has been in discussions with Apple and successfully advocated for a more lenient approach. As a result, the previous deadline requiring all creators to switch to Apple’s in-app purchase system by November 2025 has been lifted, providing more time and options for creators to transition as needed.
