CrowdCreate vs Patreon
Patreon and CrowdCreate solve different shapes of the same problem. Patreon is built for ongoing membership — tiers, member-only posts, a community that pays you monthly to belong. CrowdCreate is built for funding a thing on your own site, with no tiers and no platform cut, for a flat $20 a month. If you want a membership business, these aren't really competitors.
| At a glance | CrowdCreate | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $20 flat | $0 |
| Cut of each donation | 0% — none | ~8% (Pro) |
| Cost grows as you raise more | No — always $20 | Yes — it's a percentage |
Stripe's standard processing fee (2.9% + 30¢ per payment) applies on most platforms, including CrowdCreate. This compares cost structure only — see below for where Patreon fits and where CrowdCreate fits.
Where Patreon is the better choice
If your model is recurring membership — paid tiers, exclusive posts, a feed your members log in to read — Patreon does that, and CrowdCreate doesn't. Patreon also has a built-in audience and discovery: creators get found on the platform, which a widget on your own site never will. If you're building a subscription relationship with a community and want the platform to host and surface it, Patreon is the right tool. We don't do tiers or discovery in V1, and we won't pretend otherwise.
Where CrowdCreate wins
If you don't need membership tiers — you're funding a campaign, a cause, a project, or a one-time push — Patreon's 8%-plus platform fee and its hold on your audience are cost without benefit. CrowdCreate puts the ask on your own site, sends the money straight to your own Stripe, and never gets between you and the people who funded you. No algorithm decides who sees your page. No tier structure you have to maintain. A flat $20 a month, and the rest is yours.
The math
Drag your monthly volume below. Patreon's platform fee (around 8% on the Pro plan) scales with everything you raise, while CrowdCreate stays a flat $20. Stripe's 2.9% + 30¢ per pledge applies on both — and Patreon's percentage scales with you, where our $20 doesn't.
At $2,000/mo, you keep $140 more with CrowdCreate than with Patreon (~8% (Pro)).
Stripe's standard fee (2.9% + 30¢ per pledge) applies on every platform here, including CrowdCreate. We add nothing on top.
See the full fee breakdown for your own numbers with the donation fee calculator.
Powered by Stripe
Donations go straight to your Stripe account. The money never touches CrowdCreate.
$20/mo flat
One price, no percentage. We never take a cut of what your donors give.
Cancel anytime
30-day refund if it's not a fit. Your donor data lives in your own Stripe.
Common questions
Is $20/mo worth it vs a free or percentage option?
At low volume, a free tier or a percentage cut can genuinely cost you less — we won't pretend otherwise. The flat $20 wins as donations scale, and it keeps everything on your own site instead of a third-party profile page.
Whose Stripe gets the money?
Yours. Donations land in your own Stripe account directly — CrowdCreate never holds or routes the funds.
Can I cancel?
Yes, anytime, with a 30-day refund if it's not a fit. Your donor data stays in your Stripe.
Start your fund on your own site.
Start your fund