apple This caused consternation in the creative sector as it required creator monetization service Patreon to move all purchases and subscriptions made through its iOS app to its own integrated payment system, which charges a 30% commission. The compliance deadline is November 2024, and Patreon’s apps will be subject to iOS deportation. The Patreon Android app and website are not affected.
Patreon previously announced this change in December 2023, but it is currently causing an outcry because starting November 4, new paid members on the Patreon iOS app will officially be charged a 30% “Apple tax” – users have already Learn more about this situation today.
A December 14 blog post announcing the current changes reads as follows:
“Apple has required us to start using their in-app payment system in order for Patreon to continue to be available in the App Store, which means purchases from our iOS apps will be subject to Apple’s 30% App Store fee. These changes will be divided into Two stages take effect:
“(1) Beginning in January 2024, Apple will begin charging a 30% fee for commerce purchases (i.e., digital product purchases) made through the Patreon iOS app.
“(2) Later in 2024—we’re still determining the exact date—Apple will begin charging a 30% fee for paid memberships (i.e., recurring subscriptions) purchased through Patreon’s iOS app. This will not affect Existing paid memberships are affected; new paid memberships purchased in the iOS app will only be affected when the changes take effect later in 2024.
To improve the situation, the company today announced that it will introduce a new option in the iOS app that will allow creators to increase their fees to match the new Apple transaction fees to prevent any loss of revenue to the platform. The move isn’t without its drawbacks – not least because it could deter potential customers. It also requires all Patreon users to switch to a new billing system that was previously only voluntary.
Patreon was launched in 2013 by the developers Sam and musicians Jack Conte The goal is to enable creators to make a living from their work. Over the decade, it has become one of the most popular monetization platforms for creators, with one-time payments, monthly and annual subscriptions providing a vital lifeline. However, the company takes a 5% commission on individual transactions and an 8-12% commission on subscription revenue. Given the additional concerns of local income taxes and Apple’s 30% loss in November, many users are wondering whether continuing to use the platform is still feasible.
Jack Conte The changes were discussed on YouTube today, saying:
“Apple has its own payment system called In-App Purchases, and starting this November they require Patreon to use their payment system “In-App Purchases” in the Patreon app instead of our payment and billing system. fee system. If we don’t do this, Apple could kick us out of the App Store, which would be terrible for creators and terrible for Patreon, because iOS is now actually the platform most used by the Patreon community.
Conte said that insisting on using the old payment system or asking individual creators to turn off payments in iOS would result in penalties from Apple that would affect everyone:
“After November this year, Apple will no longer support our old billing models. Prepaid, prepaid, per-creation and other billing models; Apple has made it clear that if creators continue to use these billing models or disable iOS applications transactions, Patreon risks removing all creators’ entire apps from the App Store.
He also said:
“I just want to say it’s terrible, it’s the worst. In fact, we reversed the decision we made years ago to mandate the latest billing model. We specifically reversed that decision because we heard from creators, This latest billing model isn’t right for them yet. I want to be clear – this is not a change we want to roll out, and we wouldn’t roll it out without these mandates from Apple.
“Nonetheless, the Patreon team has a great plan to mitigate the negative impact on creators as much as possible over the next year. I’m very confident in this plan.
A guide to recent changes to Patreon can be found here.
