Patreon
Patreon is a media and community platform where creators give their biggest fans access to exclusive work and experiences.
The Story
Patreon is a membership platform that gives creators a sustainable way to earn recurring income from their biggest fans.
Founded by musician Jack Conte and developer Sam Yam, the company grew out of Conte's own frustration funding his art through one-off donations and ad revenue. Patreon lets creators offer exclusive content, early access, and community perks in exchange for monthly subscriptions, taking a commission of roughly 8-12 percent depending on the plan.
The platform has supported millions of creators across YouTube, podcasting, writing, visual art, and gaming, and it remains one of the most influential creator-economy businesses built in the last decade.
Key Facts & Metrics
Company Timeline
2013 — Founded Patreon
Jack Conte and Sam Yam founded Patreon in San Francisco as a membership platform that lets creators earn recurring income directly from their fans.
2014 — Rapid Creator Growth
Patreon crossed 10,000 creators and began expanding internationally, establishing itself as the leading fan-funding platform.
2018 — Creator Milestone
Patreon surpassed 100,000 creators and raised additional funding to build enhanced creator tools and community features.
Episodes Featuring Patreon
Advice Line with Jack Conte of Patreon (December 2024)
Patreon co-founder Jack Conte joins Guy Raz on the Advice Line to help three founders navigate growth at inflection points. Zac Parsons wants to scale Honeymoon Coffee Company nationally without losing its local identity. Rowena Scherer needs to broaden Eat to Explore beyond kids without diluting the brand. Melissa Spitz looks to expand Adventures in Handwriting into schools with limited marketing resources. Jack's advice centers on speed of iteration, sub-branding for new audiences, and letting parent demand drive institutional adoption.
Advice Line with Jack Conte of Patreon
Patreon co-founder and CEO Jack Conte joins Guy on the Advice Line, where they answer questions from three early-stage founders about marketing and building community. First we meet Zac from Indiana, who’s looking to grow his coffee company with a subscription offering for newlyweds. Then Rowena from New York, who wants to expand her international cooking kits for kids to all ages. And Melissa from Florida, who’s hoping to break into schools with her handwriting program for preschoolers. Thank you to the founders of Honey Moon Coffee Co., Eat2Explore, and Adventures in Handwriting for being a part of our show. If you’d like to be featured on a future Advice Line episode, leave us a one-minute message that tells us about your business and a specific question you’d like answered. Send a voice memo to hibt@id.wondery.com or call 1-800-433-1298. And be sure to listen to Patreon’s founding story as told by Jack and his co-founder Sam Yam on the show in 2021. Gilly Moon. You can follow HIBT on X & Instagram and sign up for Guy's free newsletter at guyraz.com.
