This Patreon company profile covers the company's valuation, revenue, funding rounds, investors and history. Patreon works in consumer internet, with a focus on creator memberships and payments. It was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. Its latest valuation on record is US$4 billion (April 2021). Every figure links to a public source, and anything the company hasn't disclosed is marked as such.
Revenue
| Metric | Value | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated revenue | About US$179 million in 2025, up about 28% (third-party estimate) | 2025 | Sacra |
| Creator payouts | More than US$10 billion paid to creators since 2013 | 2025 | Sacra |
Funding history
| Date | Round | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2021 | Series F | US$155M | US$4B | Tiger Global (lead) | Sacra |
Patreon timeline
Key dates from the sources on this page, oldest first. Metric snapshots are listed after the funding events.
- 2013 — Patreon is founded in San Francisco by Jack Conte (CEO) and Sam Yam.
- Apr 2021 — Series F: US$155M, valuing the company at US$4B. Investors: Tiger Global (lead).
- 2025 — Estimated revenue: About US$179 million in 2025, up about 28% (third-party estimate).
- 2025 — Creator payouts: More than US$10 billion paid to creators since 2013.
Investors
Overview
Patreon lets creators earn recurring income directly from their fans. Musicians, podcasters, video makers, writers, artists, game developers and educators set up membership tiers; fans pay monthly or annually for exclusive content, early access, community features and the satisfaction of supporting work they love. Patreon handles payments, membership management, content hosting and communication. It has become a core platform of the creator economy, paying out more than US$10 billion to creators since its founding.
Jack Conte, the CEO, and Sam Yam founded Patreon in San Francisco in 2013. Conte is a musician, half of the band Pomplamoose, who found that his YouTube videos attracted millions of views but very little income. He built Patreon so fans could support creators directly. Yam, his college roommate, was the technical co-founder.
Products
- Memberships: recurring subscriptions with multiple tiers and benefits.
- Content hosting: posts, videos, audio and private podcast feeds for members.
- Shop: selling one-off digital products alongside memberships.
- Community: chats and comments that connect creators with fans.
- Free memberships: letting fans follow creators before paying.
- Payments: global payment processing in many currencies.
Funding
Patreon raised from investors including Index Ventures, Thrive Capital, CRV, NEA and Wellington Management. In April 2021 it raised a US$155 million Series F at a US$4 billion valuation, led by Tiger Global, at the height of the creator economy boom. Reports since have suggested some investors marked down its value, but we use the 2021 round as its last priced valuation and treat it as historical.
Business model
Patreon takes a percentage of creators' earnings, plus payment processing fees. Research firm Sacra estimated revenue of about US$179 million in 2025, up about 28% from 2024; because this is a third-party estimate, we show revenue as not disclosed in the fact tiles. Patreon's revenue grows with total fan payments to creators.
The Apple fee dispute
In 2024, Apple required Patreon to use Apple's in-app purchase system for memberships bought in its iOS app, which would mean paying Apple a commission of up to 30%. Patreon announced it would comply, with creators choosing whether to raise prices for iOS purchases. Later US court rulings limited Apple's ability to restrict links to web payments, easing some pressure. The dispute highlighted how creator platforms depend on app store rules.
Competition
Patreon competes with membership features on YouTube, Instagram, X and Twitch; with newsletter platforms such as Substack; with Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee and Kajabi; and with direct-to-fan tools from music and podcast platforms. Its advantages are its brand, creator community and focus on creators owning their fan relationships.
Patreon at a glance
Patreon is a San Francisco creator membership platform founded in 2013 by musician Jack Conte and Sam Yam. It has paid more than US$10 billion to creators. It raised a US$155 million Series F at a US$4 billion valuation in April 2021, led by Tiger Global, and Sacra estimated its 2025 revenue at about US$179 million.
Timeline
- 2013: founded by Jack Conte and Sam Yam.
- 2016–2019: grows rapidly among YouTubers, podcasters and artists.
- 2020: becomes a unicorn as creators seek new income during the pandemic.
- April 2021: raises US$155 million at US$4 billion.
- 2023–2025: adds free memberships, community chats and a shop; navigates Apple's payment rules.
The creator economy
Millions of people earn money from online content, but advertising revenue on platforms is unpredictable and often small. Direct fan support provides more stable income and lets creators own relationships with their audiences, independent of algorithm changes. Patreon was a pioneer of this model. The challenge is that only a minority of creators earn substantial income, and most fans support only a few creators.
Who uses Patreon
Patreon's creators include podcasters, YouTubers, illustrators, musicians, writers, game developers, educators and independent media organisations. Their supporters are fans who want closer connections and extra content.
Valuation context
At US$4 billion and estimated revenue below US$200 million, Patreon's 2021 valuation implied a high revenue multiple typical of the boom. Revenue growth since then would need to continue for a future round or listing to match that valuation.
Risks
- Platform competition: social networks offer built-in subscriptions with large audiences.
- App store fees: mobile payment rules affect costs.
- Stale valuation: its last priced round dates from 2021.
Questions for creators
- What fees apply, and how do they compare with other platforms?
- How easily can you export your member list if you leave?
- How will mobile app purchases affect your pricing?
How Patreon pricing works for creators
Patreon charges creators a platform fee on the income they earn, along with payment processing fees, which vary by payment size and currency. Creators who joined at different times may be on different plans. In exchange, Patreon handles billing, failed payments, taxes on digital services in some countries and member management. For many creators, the convenience outweighs the fees, especially compared with building their own payment systems.
Patreon's role in podcasting and video
Many independent podcasts and video channels rely on Patreon for a large share of their income, offering ad-free episodes, bonus content and community access. Patreon has added private podcast feeds and video hosting so creators can deliver this content directly, making it less dependent on other platforms.
Questions for fans
- What benefits does each membership tier include?
- How do you cancel or change your membership?
- Do purchases made through mobile apps cost more?
Patreon has also invested in discovery features to help fans find new creators within its app, reducing creators' dependence on bringing every member from social media. Greater discovery could make Patreon more of a destination platform.
It also offers tools for creators to sell to fans outside memberships, such as one-off digital products.
Latest developments (October 2026)
Patreon has not announced new funding since its 2021 Series F at US$4 billion, which remains the latest sourced valuation. The company said in August 2025 that it had paid creators more than US$10 billion since 2013, and third-party estimates put its 2025 revenue at about US$179 million, according to Sacra.
What to watch
Watch creator payout growth, new products, app store rule changes and any new funding or IPO plans.
Takeaways
Creators can build recurring income from fans. Founders can see how a founder's own problem can become a large platform. Investors should treat the 2021 valuation as historical.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from the public sources below. Where sources disagreed, we used the company's own announcement or a primary news report. Private-company data changes; check the date beside each figure.
Frequently asked questions
What does Patreon do?
Patreon is a consumer internet / creator memberships and payments company headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States. It was founded in 2013.
What is Patreon's valuation?
Patreon was valued at US$4 billion as of April 2021, according to Sacra. Private company valuations are set at funding rounds or share sales and can change significantly between them.
How much revenue does Patreon make?
Patreon is a private company and has not publicly disclosed its revenue. Figures on third-party sites are usually modelled estimates rather than numbers reported by the company.
What was Patreon's latest funding round?
The most recent financing we have verified is a series f in Apr 2021: US$155M, at a valuation of US$4B. Source: Sacra.
Who are Patreon's investors?
Investors named in public announcements include Tiger Global, Index Ventures, Thrive Capital, CRV, Wellington Management and NEA.
Who founded Patreon?
Patreon was founded in 2013 by Jack Conte (CEO) and Sam Yam.
Is Patreon a public company?
No. Patreon is a private company (private, venture backed), so its shares are not traded on a stock exchange and it isn't required to publish its financial results.
Where is Patreon headquartered?
Patreon is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States.