Creator calculator
Patreon Earnings Calculator
Estimate your net monthly and yearly Patreon income after deducting platform fees and payment processing costs.
Currency conversion, payout fees, and taxes are not included. Payment processing rates differ for non-US cards and PayPal.
Estimated net monthly earnings
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How it works
Patreon takes a platform fee from each pledge you receive, and payment processors charge per-pledge fees as well. The platform fee depends on your plan: Pro creators pay 8%, Premium creators pay 12%, and legacy founders may qualify for a 5% rate. On top of that, payment processing costs apply to each individual pledge.
For pledges over $3, payment processing costs 2.9% of the pledge amount plus $0.30. For pledges of $3 or less (micropledges), the cost is 5% plus $0.10. These per-pledge fees hit smaller pledges proportionally harder because the fixed dollar amount ($0.30 or $0.10) represents a bigger percentage of the total.
This calculator starts with your gross monthly income (members × average pledge), subtracts both the platform fee and the total payment processing costs, and shows you your net income for the month and year.
Worked example
Suppose you have 100 paying members at an average pledge of $5 on the Pro plan (8% platform fee).
Gross monthly income = 100 × $5 = $500
Platform fee = $500 × 8% = $40
Payment processing per pledge = ($5 × 2.9%) + $0.30 = $0.145 + $0.30 = $0.445
Total payment processing = 100 × $0.445 = $44.50
Net monthly = $500 − $40 − $44.50 = $415.50
Net yearly = $415.50 × 12 = $4,986
Effective total fee = ($40 + $44.50) ÷ $500 × 100 = 16.9%
Why small pledges lose a bigger share
The fixed portion of payment processing fees ($0.30 for pledges over $3, or $0.10 for smaller pledges) is the same regardless of pledge size. This means a small pledge absorbs proportionally more of that fixed cost than a large pledge. For example, a $1 pledge loses $0.10 to processing, which is 10% of the pledge, while a $10 pledge loses roughly $0.39 (2.9% + $0.30), which is only 3.9%. Over a year, these per-pledge fees add up significantly for creators with many small pledges.
If you want to reduce the impact, consider encouraging annual billing instead of monthly. With annual billing, each member is charged once per year, so the per-pledge processing fee is incurred once instead of twelve times. You might also notice that pledges at round dollar amounts or slightly higher tiers can improve your net percentage because they shift into different processing fee brackets.
Frequently asked questions
Which platform fee tier applies to me?
Your platform fee depends on your Patreon plan. Pro plan creators pay 8%, Premium plan creators pay 12%. Legacy founders who joined before Patreon's fee restructure may still qualify for a 5% rate. Check your Patreon settings or account page to confirm your plan and fee tier.
Are payout fees included in this calculator?
No. Patreon also charges a payout fee when you withdraw your earnings, which varies by payout method (bank transfer, PayPal, etc.) and your country. Typical payout fees range from 0% to around 2%. This calculator shows your gross earnings after platform and payment processing fees but before payout fees and taxes.
How does annual billing affect my fees?
Annual billing charges each member once per year instead of once per month. Because payment processing fees are charged per pledge (per transaction), annual billing reduces how often you incur those fees. For example, a $60 annual pledge (equivalent to a $5 monthly pledge) is processed as a single $60 transaction, which costs 2.9% + $0.30 = $2.04 in fees, compared to 12 monthly $5 pledges that cost 12 × $0.445 = $5.34 in fees. Annual billing typically results in lower total payment processing fees.