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Patreon alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Patreon: 10% platform fee plus processing and payout fees, and writing and email tools are basic for newsletter writers. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Patreon, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Memberful currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Memberful logoMemberfulPaidNoWeb4 of 466.5
2Buy Me a Coffee logoBuy Me a CoffeeFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android3 of 362.6
3Substack logoSubstackFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 459.6
4Steady logoSteadyFree plan + paidNoWeb3 of 357.2
5Ghost logoGhostOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 555.3
  1. Memberful logo

    1. MemberfulTop pick

    Best for: Creators and publishers adding paid memberships to their own WordPress or custom site

    PaidWeb

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Patreon

    Same parent company, but runs memberships on your own site and brand.

    Pros

    • White-label checkout and member area under your brand
    • Deep WordPress, Discord and email tool integrations
    • Private podcast feeds and gift subscriptions built in

    Cons

    • Monthly fee plus a transaction percentage
    • You bring your own audience; there is no marketplace
    • Needs a Stripe account
    Visit Memberful Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Memberful a good Patreon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Standard plan
    $49/month + 4.9% transaction fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Free until you go live
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Patreon
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Members powered
    1 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026memberful.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Buy Me a Coffee logo

    2. Buy Me a Coffee

    Best for: Creators who want a quick tip jar and light membership page for an existing audience

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Patreon

    Lighter option for tips and simple memberships, quick to set up.

    Pros

    • Set up in minutes; supporters don't need an account
    • Tips, memberships and a shop on one page
    • Embeddable buttons and widgets for sites and streams

    Cons

    • Basic writing and newsletter tools
    • Platform fee on every payment
    • Little discovery beyond your own audience
    Visit Buy Me a Coffee Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Buy Me a Coffee a good Patreon alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Creators
    2,000,000+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buymeacoffee.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2017
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buymeacoffee.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Features
    Tips, memberships and a shop
    Checked Oct 25, 2026buymeacoffee.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Substack logo

    3. Substack

    Best for: Writers who want built-in discovery and paid subscriptions without running any tech themselves

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Patreon

    Better fit if your membership is mainly a written newsletter.

    Pros

    • Built-in reader network and recommendations help new writers grow
    • Free to start, with paid subscriptions switched on in minutes
    • Podcasts, video and chat live alongside the newsletter
    • Easy imports from Mailchimp, Ghost, WordPress and others

    Cons

    • 10% cut of paid revenue gets costly for big publications
    • Limited control over design and site structure
    • Your publication sits inside Substack's brand and app
    Visit Substack Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Substack a good Patreon alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, free to start
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Revenue share
    Writers keep 90% of paid revenue, minus card fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid subscriptions
    5 million+ across the platform
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Imports
    Mailchimp, beehiiv, Ghost, WordPress, Medium and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026substack.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Steady logo

    4. Steady

    Best for: European journalists, podcasters and publishers who want memberships with VAT handled

    Free plan + paidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Patreon

    European membership platform with a similar 10% model and EU VAT handling.

    Pros

    • No monthly fee; you pay only when you earn
    • Handles EU VAT, billing and failed payments
    • Newsletters, paywalls and private podcasts in one place

    Cons

    • 10% commission is high once revenue grows
    • Smaller audience network than Substack or Patreon
    • Fewer integrations and design options than Ghost
    Visit Steady Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Steady a good Patreon alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free to start
    Yes, no charge until you earn
    Checked Oct 25, 2026steadyhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Commission
    10% plus payment fees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026steadyhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Billing
    Monthly or annual member billing
    Checked Oct 25, 2026steadyhq.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Ghost logo

    5. Ghost

    Best for: Independent publishers who want their own branded site, newsletter and memberships

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Patreon

    Own your site and keep subscription revenue with 0% fees from Ghost.

    Pros

    • No transaction fees from Ghost on paid memberships
    • Open source and self-hostable for full control
    • Custom themes and a large integration marketplace
    • Fast sites with strong SEO defaults

    Cons

    • No discovery network to bring in readers
    • Starter plan lacks custom themes and paid subscriptions
    • Self-hosting needs a server and some sysadmin work
    Visit Ghost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Ghost a good Patreon alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $18/month (Starter, billed yearly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Publisher plan
    $29/month, billed yearly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Transaction fees
    0% from Ghost (processor fees apply)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, Ubuntu or Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026ghost.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Patreon alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Memberful logo

Best Patreon alternative for most people

Memberful

Same parent company, but runs memberships on your own site and brand.

Ghost logo

Best Patreon alternative for a free option

Ghost

Own your site and keep subscription revenue with 0% fees from Ghost.

Buy Me a Coffee logo

Best Patreon alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Buy Me a Coffee

Lighter option for tips and simple memberships, quick to set up.

Ghost logo

Best Patreon alternative for open source

Ghost

Own your site and keep subscription revenue with 0% fees from Ghost.

Ghost logo

Best Patreon alternative for self-hosting

Ghost

Own your site and keep subscription revenue with 0% fees from Ghost.

Substack logo

Best Patreon alternative for iPhone and Android

Substack

Better fit if your membership is mainly a written newsletter.

Steady logo

Best Patreon alternative for working in the browser

Steady

European membership platform with a similar 10% model and EU VAT handling.

Patreon alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Patreon?

Memberful ranks first right now. Same parent company, but runs memberships on your own site and brand. Buy Me a Coffee and Substack follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Patreon?

Yes. Buy Me a Coffee (free plan + paid), Substack (free plan + paid), Steady (free plan + paid) and Ghost (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Patreon?

Yes: Ghost. Ghost can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Patreon?

The complaints we hear most: 10% platform fee plus processing and payout fees; writing and email tools are basic for newsletter writers; little control over page design.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Patreon, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.