A Patreon alternative for small creators

What Patreon costs now

Patreon's help center says creators who publish their page after August 4, 2025 pay a standard 10% platform fee, plus payment processing. Creators who published on or before that date keep their earlier plan, unless they unpublish their page, which moves them to the 10% plan.

On top of the 10%, Patreon lists card processing of 2.9% + $0.30 on US cards, payout fees that depend on the method (for example $0.25 per direct deposit in the US) and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when a member pays in a different currency from your payout. Tax can apply to the fees too. All as of October 2026, per the pages under Sources.

What you get for it

Patreon is not just a payment button, and it is fair to say so:

• Members-only posts, video, audio and files, with tiers that unlock them
• Community features such as comments and chats
• Patreon's own app, where members follow your posts
• One-time purchases of digital products alongside memberships

If your membership is the product, with weekly posts, episodes or files, that is worth paying for and makerhandle is not a replacement.

When a membership button is enough

Many small creators and makers do not post members-only content at all. Their supporters just want to chip in every month for an app, a game, an open source tool or a newsletter they already get for free. For them, 10% plus processing buys a lot of features nobody uses.

makerhandle's support button covers that case. Built in, it offers up to three monthly tiers with a price, a short description and up to three perks each, plus a "make this monthly" option on one-time support. Members pay through Stripe Checkout into your own Stripe account, and you see them on a supporters wall and in a CSV export. 0% platform fee on Pro, 5% on Free, plus Stripe's own fees. Built-in support is opening to makers in stages; the link button works for everyone today.

Perks are what you deliver yourself: a Discord role, early builds, your name in the credits. makerhandle does not host members-only posts.

Who should pick which

• You publish for members every week: Patreon (or Ko-fi). The posts, app and community are the point.
• A handful of monthly backers for something free: a membership button on your own page is simpler and cheaper.
• Developers: GitHub Sponsors takes no fee on sponsorships from personal accounts, if your supporters are on GitHub.
• Already on Patreon: keep it. Point the makerhandle button at your Patreon page today; there is nothing to migrate.

Memberships for indie makers covers pricing tiers and perks that do not eat your week, and Buy Me a Coffee alternatives lists the rest.