Answer: Enter your values and the Creator Earnings Calculator returns the exact result instantly — formula, worked example, and a plain-English explanation are included below the tool.
Estimate subscription platform earnings
Subscription platforms — Patreon, Substack, Fanhouse, and similar membership services — all share one arithmetic: your take-home equals gross pledges minus the platform's percentage cut minus payment processing fees. Knowing the fee stack before you set tier prices is the difference between forecasting accurately and being surprised by your first payout. This calculator models monthly pledges, applies platform and processing fees, and projects a simple six-month growth path.
The dominant platforms take meaningfully different cuts. Patreon's fees range up to 12% of creator income on its Pro tier history (10% on its 2025 restructured tiers plus payment processing), Substack takes 10% plus Stripe's ~2.9% + 30¢ processing, and YouTube channel memberships historically split ~30% to the platform. Fanhouse charges 10% on subscriptions. Processing fees apply on top of platform fees wherever the platform doesn't bundle them.
Two fee layers exist: the platform take and payment processing. Processing (Stripe, PayPal) is commonly about 2.9% + a fixed 30¢ per transaction in the US, which is why many small-dollar pledges lose a noticeable slice — the fixed fee is a larger share of a $3 pledge than a $25 one. Payout fees and currency conversion can add further cost for international creators.
Taxes are separate from fees: creator income is generally taxable as self-employment income in the US, where platforms issue a 1099-K once transaction thresholds are met. Build tax reserves into your forecast rather than treating gross payout as income.
The table below summarizes commonly published platform fee structures plus typical payment processing. Always verify current rates — platforms change pricing.
| Platform | Platform fee | Processing (typical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patreon | ~10–12% by tier | ~2.9% + 30¢ (varies) | Fee structure has changed several times; check current tiers |
| Substack | 10% | ~2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) | Applies to subscriptions |
| Fanhouse | 10% | Card processing applies | Lower take on some referral earnings |
| YouTube memberships | ~30% | Included | Historical split; regional variations |
| Ko-fi | 0% on donations (basic) | Payment processor only | Optional paid tiers for extras |
The six-month projection applies a monthly growth rate to pledges, so you can see compounding: 10% monthly growth roughly doubles pledges in about 7–8 months (the rule of 72). Churn offsets growth in practice; a realistic net growth number is usually well below gross new-subscriber gains.
Use the calculator to answer planning questions: what does a fee change do to take-home at your current pledge base? How many subscribers at your tier price replace a target income after fees? What pledge mix minimizes fixed processing fees? Small structural choices — annual vs monthly billing, bundling small tiers — measurably change net income.
A concrete example makes the fee stack tangible. At 100 subscribers paying $5 per month on a platform with a 10% fee and ~2.9% + 30¢ processing, each $5 pledge loses $0.50 to the platform and about $0.45 to processing — roughly 19% total — leaving about $4.05 per subscriber, or about $405 per month before taxes. The same 100 subscribers at a single $50 annual tier would lose far less to the fixed 30¢ per transaction because there are twelve times fewer transactions. Run your own numbers through the calculator rather than trusting mental arithmetic; the fixed-fee effect surprises most creators.
Payout timing varies by platform: Patreon settles balances about the 5th of each month for the prior month's pledges, Substack pays out weekly on a short delay, and most platforms hold a reserve or delay first payouts while accounts are verified. Plan cash flow around the delay — a subscription started at month-end may not land in your bank for over a month. Currency conversion and international payout fees apply where the platform doesn't bank in your currency.
Refunds and chargebacks flow backwards through the same stack: when a patron disputes a charge, the platform typically claws back the payout, including fees already paid. Some platforms offer creator protection on certain tiers. Steady-state forecasting should assume a small percentage of pledges never convert to cash.
What percentage does Patreon take?
Patreon's creator fees have ranged from 5% to 12% depending on plan tier, plus payment processing. The company has restructured pricing more than once, so verify the current fee schedule on Patreon's official plans page.
How do payment processing fees affect small pledges?
US card processing is commonly ~2.9% + 30¢ per transaction. On a $3 pledge the fixed 30¢ alone is 10%, so many small pledges cost proportionally more than large ones — batching or annual billing reduces this.
Is creator income taxable?
Generally yes. In the US, platform creator income is usually self-employment income, and platforms issue Form 1099-K once statutory transaction thresholds are met. Set aside a portion of payouts for taxes.
What is a realistic monthly growth rate for a creator?
There is no universal figure — growth depends on audience, posting cadence, and promotion. Model conservative net growth (e.g., a few percent) rather than early-launch rates, because churn typically offsets gross additions.
Does the calculator include tips and one-off payments?
This calculator models recurring monthly pledges. One-off tips face similar platform and processing percentages but don't compound in the growth projection.