In short
- August 2024: Apple ordered Patreon onto in-app subscription billing, with a November 2025 deadline.
- May 2025: that deadline was paused after the Epic v. Apple ruling.
- January 28, 2026: Apple reinstated it, with November 1, 2026 as the new date.
- Apple takes 30% of purchases made in the iOS app; joining on the web avoids it.
- What happened on the day has not been reported.
What happened
Apple first told Patreon in August 2024 that all creators would have to use subscription billing for purchases in the iOS app by November 2025. TechCrunch reported in May 2025 that the deadline was no longer in effect after the Epic v. Apple ruling. On January 28, 2026, Engadget reported that Apple had renewed the requirement with a new deadline of November 1, 2026. About 4% of creators were still on legacy billing at that point. Patreon's response: We strongly disagree with this decision.
What it costs
Patreon's fee page says Apple takes 30% of purchases made in the iOS app, and Patreon charges no processing fee on those. On the web, a creator on the standard plan pays Patreon 10% (for pages published after August 4, 2025) plus card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 in the US. On a $10 pledge that is about $1.59 on the web against $3 or more through the iPhone app.
What it means for fans and adult creators
Fans can keep joining and paying through a web browser, on any device, and that route avoids Apple's cut. For adult comic artists the picture has one extra wrinkle: Patreon's help page on features for Adult/18+ creators lists their payments as Web & Android Payments
, so fans of adult pages are already pointed to the web or Android.
Patreon's adult rules are unchanged by this: explicit work must sit behind the paywall, public previews must be clean and adult creators pass ID checks. Those rules and the alternatives are compared on creator content rules and creator subscription platforms; the model itself is explained under creator subscription. Fans who want to pay creators with as little lost to fees as possible can read supporting adult comic creators. More stories are on the news page.
FAQ
Does Apple take a cut of Patreon pledges?
Yes, 30% of purchases made inside the iOS app, according to Patreon's fee page. Pledges made on the web are not affected.
How do I avoid Apple's fee on Patreon?
Join or pay through a web browser instead of the iPhone app; the web price carries no Apple fee.
Can I join adult Patreon pages in the iPhone app?
Patreon lists payments for Adult/18+ creators as web and Android payments, so the web is the route for adult pages.