Patreon Creators Get More Time Before Apple Takes 30 Percent of iOS Subscriptions

Apple has given Patreon creators more time to move to Apple’s in-app purchase system on iPhone and iPad. The new deadline now stands at November 1, 2026, which gives creators another full year to adjust how they charge fans inside the Patreon app. This change affects how creators receive money and how much Apple takes from those payments, so it sits at the center of how creators run their businesses on iOS. TechCrunch first reported the updated deadline and confirmed that Apple now expects all Patreon creators still using the platform’s legacy billing system to switch by that date. Apple is forcing the switch Apple sees Patreon subscriptions as digital goods, which means Apple wants every payment made inside the iOS app to go through its own billing system. That system gives Apple a 30 percent commission, which later drops to 15 percent after a subscriber stays for more than one year. Back in 2024, Apple told Patreon that it had to migrate creators to this system by November 2025 or risk removal from the App Store. Apple said Patreon was managing payments for some creators in a way that avoided Apple’s commission, and Apple wanted that to stop. Patreon began moving creators in late 2024. It let them either raise iOS prices to cover Apple’s fee or absorb the cost and keep prices the same across all platforms. However, creators who delayed the switch lost the ability to sell subscriptions inside the iOS app until they adopted Apple’s system. Last year, Patreon added web payment links inside its app after new App Store rules allowed it. At that time, Patreon told creators the November 2025 deadline no longer applied. That decision gave creators more breathing room, but it also added confusion when Apple later brought the deadline back, now set for November 2026. Patreon did not hide its frustration. In its blog post, the company said, “We strongly disagree with this decision.” It also warned that creators now face another policy shift after what it called “the whiplash of another policy reversal.” How many creators does this affects Only 4 percent of Patreon creators still use the legacy billing system. Most have already moved to Apple’s required model. Still, the remaining group now has to change or stop selling subscriptions inside the iOS app. Creators can also avoid Apple’s cut by sending fans to pay on Patreon’s website instead of through the app. Before November 2026, Patreon plans to add tools like tier repricing, discounts, and annual only memberships to help creators manage the transition.