Creator platform fee comparison.

Worked example

100 payments of $10.00 is $1,000.00. Processing at the example 2.9% + $0.30 is $29.00 + $30.00 = $59.00.

• Patreon: $1,000.00 - 10% ($100.00) - $59.00 = $841.00
• Substack: 10% and card fees, the same arithmetic: $841.00
• Gumroad direct: 100 x (10% x $10.00 + $0.50) = $150.00 in fees, $850.00
• Gumroad Discover: 30% = $300.00 in fees, $700.00
• Processing only: $941.00, before the work of running your own checkout, tax and support

How it works

Patreon's pricing page says 10% of income plus payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees, and applicable taxes. Substack's page for writers says writers keep 90% minus credit card fees. Gumroad's page says 10% + $0.50 per direct sale and 30% per Discover sale. Patreon and Substack therefore come out identical here, because both are a 10% cut plus the processing you enter. Gumroad's page lists no separate processing line, so none is added to its rows; if Gumroad's fee does not cover all processing for you, subtract it yourself.

What the fee buys differs: Patreon and Substack are built around recurring memberships, Gumroad around one-off digital products, and Discover brings buyers. The cheapest line is not always the best fit, and fees can change, so check each page before you commit.

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Sources

All platform rates below come from the pages listed. Fees change; check the pages before you decide. Pages opened 2026-10-08:

• Patreon Pricing Plans - Patreon
• Substack Revenue Calculator | Start a Paid Newsletter on Substack
• Gumroad pricing: 10% + 50¢ direct, 30% via Discover
• Pricing & Fees - Stripe (Canada page)

FAQ

Which takes the least, Patreon, Substack or Gumroad?

On the published numbers, Patreon and Substack both take 10% plus processing, and Gumroad direct takes 10% + $0.50 per sale, so the order depends on your price and count. Gumroad Discover takes 30%.

Why do Patreon and Substack match here?

Both publish a 10% platform fee and charge payment processing separately, and you enter the processing rate once. Other differences, like features and payout rules, are not fees and are not modelled.

Are the processing numbers official?

No. 2.9% + $0.30 is an example from Stripe's Canadian pricing page. Neither Patreon nor Substack publishes a rate on the pages cited here, so use your own.

Does this include tax?

No. Gumroad says it handles sales tax as merchant of record; on other setups you may owe tax collection yourself. None of it is included in the take-home shown.