U.S. court rules that you no longer have to give Apple 30% of your iOS earnings

⚠️ UPDATE JANUARY 28, 2026:

Apple has renewed its requirement forcing Patreon to move all creators to subscription billing – the only billing model compatible with their in-app purchase system – by November 1, 2026. For the latest information, please view: Apple has reimposed its subscription billing mandate for creators on Patreon.

On April 30th, a U.S. court ruled in the Epic v. Apple case that Apple is no longer allowed to collect fees on purchases made outside of the App Store. This ruling means creators will have a way to get paid by U.S. fans on Patreon’s iOS app without Apple taking 30% of all in-app payments. This is a huge win for you, your fans, and anyone who believes in tearing down “anticompetitive barriers” that make it harder for creative people to build businesses and communities online. 

The iOS app is the number one platform for fan engagement on Patreon, and we are taking immediate action to make sure that you and your fans benefit from this ruling as much as possible. Here’s the latest:

We’re already working to update the Patreon iOS app so you can avoid Apple’s fees

As a first step, we are immediately submitting an update to the Patreon iOS app to include an option for fans to use an alternative payment method to Apple’s in-app purchasing system. Once approved by Apple, this update will allow fans in the U.S. to choose a checkout option that does not include Apple’s 30% fee when purchasing new memberships in the Patreon iOS app. We’re also urgently working on a way to include this checkout option for one-time payments in a future update.

Note: This pending app update, once approved and released in Apple’s App Store, will provide alternative checkout options for U.S.-based fans signing up for new memberships. At this time, this only applies for creators on subscription billing as legacy first-of-the-month and per-creation billing models are still unable to accept new membership sign ups in iOS.

The November 2025 subscription billing transition deadline is now on hold

This is still a developing situation, but we are moving forward under the assumption that the November 2025 deadline for all Patreon creators to switch to subscription billing is no longer necessary for the small group of creators who are still on legacy billing models.

While additional information may come that alters Apple’s requirements for Patreon’s iOS app, we are optimistic that this ruling will give us more flexibility in how we support creators on legacy billing models. However, for now, creators still need to be on subscription billing to be able to accept payments through the Patreon iOS app. 

For those who still want to proceed with switching to subscription billing, our team is happy to assist with the transition, since it still unlocks access to the latest growth tools on Patreon, like gifting, Autopilot and tier repricing.

Where we go from here

When we first announced the rollout of Apple’s in-app purchasing requirements last year, we shared that we used three principles to guide our decision in how we planned to move forward: transparency, control, and stability. In keeping with these principles, we’ll continue actively working to learn more, and we will communicate frequently and transparently as we go.

This ruling is a huge moment for creators and fans, and we will continue fighting for a future where creators are in control, communities thrive, and professional creativity is possible for all. 

Need help? If you have questions or feedback about how these changes impact your business, please contact our Product Support team. Please do not include any sensitive business information in public comments on this post. Our support team is available to review your specific needs, answer questions, and provide personalized support to help you navigate these changes.