Why Knitty Magazine moved to subscription billing, and what advice she’d give to others

When Amy from Knitty Magazine first launched on Patreon in 2015, her business model was simple: she published a quarterly magazine, so she billed her members once every three months. It made sense at the time, and it worked.

So when Amy learned that she would need to move her page to subscription billing, she was understandably nervous.

“I found it overwhelming and terrifying and I thought, 'Oh, I’m going to lose everybody.'”

The idea of changing how members were billed felt risky. She worried about confusion, membership churn, and whether longtime members would stick around.

But over time, she started hearing from fellow creators in the Creator Ambassador Program—and across the broader creator community—that many were actually happy with their membership after switching. And with the right approach, the transition could be really positive. So she decided to take the leap.

How Knitty Magazine made the switch

One of the biggest factors in her ability to move forward was one-to-one support from Patreon, which everyone switching to subscription billing can receive. She worked closely with Patreon’s Support Team, asking detailed questions and pressure-testing every part of the transition until she felt confident.

“I couldn’t have done this on my own without [Patreon Support].”

That one-on-one guidance helped her understand how subscription billing would work for her page and her unique circumstances, how to communicate these changes to members, and how to set things up with her Patreon and her workflows in a way that felt manageable both for her and for her community. You can reach out to Patreon Support anytime.

What changed — and what didn’t

When Amy switched to subscription billing, she kept her workflow largely the same. She still delivers the magazine quarterly, just as she always has.

To make the pricing transition easier for members, she adjusted her tiers carefully, keeping the new monthly prices within about 50 cents of what members had previously paid, simply dividing the quarterly cost into a monthly cadence. That thoughtful approach helped minimize friction and made the change feel less disruptive.

The results: some adjustment, then growth

Like most creators who make any structural changes to their page or pricing, Knitty did experience some adjustment. There were questions from members, and a period of transition. But once things settled, the results were clear.

Switching to subscription billing increased Knitty’s monthly income by about 15%, and opened up new ways for her community to grow.

One big win was unlocking the ability to use gifting, which is only available to creators on subscription billing. She had been excited about it for a while, and subscription billing finally gave her the chance to try it out. Overall, almost all of her members responded positively, and she saw it as a meaningful new way for people to join the community. Looking back, she feels confident she made the right decision.

“I’m glad I made the change. I’m really glad.”

Knitty’s advice for other creators making the switch

Here’s what Knitty would tell other creators who are feeling nervous about moving to subscription billing:

1. Find what works for you

Lay out your plan ahead of time: your pricing, your messaging, and the details of how the new billing system will work. When you feel prepared, you’ll then be able to answer member questions and manage expectations with confidence. You can also find member FAQs in our Help Center.

2. Be there for your members

Make it clear that you’re there to help your community and reassure them that you’re with them every step of the way.

3. Remember it’s a one-time adjustment

There may be an influx of questions right after the switch, but after the first month, members adjust and understand what's happening. What feels disruptive at first quickly becomes the new normal.

4. Use the change as a ‘moment’

Treat the transition as a chance to re-introduce your space. You can promote lower prices ahead of the switch or even embrace a brand new identity to use the moment as a rebrand and marketing opportunity, which can help drive growth.

5. Take advantage of new tools

Subscription billing unlocks a lot of new growth features like discounts, free trials, autopilot and more. Try testing new tools to bring fresh energy to your community and give members new ways to participate.

Important advice if you’re switching from per-creation billing and bill less than once a month

If you’re moving from per-creation billing to subscription billing and you currently bill members less than once a month, there’s one key thing Amy wants you to know.

Patreon can automatically adjust tier prices during your switch only if you’re increasing prices using multipliers. For most creators who post more than once a month, this helps keep earnings stable when moving to monthly billing and no manual price changes are needed.

Amy’s situation was different. Because Amy billed members quarterly, she needed to lower her tier prices to make a monthly cadence work. Here’s how Patreon Support helped her navigate that process:

• First, she switched to subscription billing at her original tier prices. For one month, members were billed that original amount.

• Next, she used the tier repricing tool to lower her prices. In Amy's case, she roughly divided her quarterly prices into thirds, since she delivers benefits every three months.

• This meant it was especially important to communicate with members that the first month would still be billed at the original price, and that the new, lower monthly price would take effect 30 days later.

• Early on, some members were confused by an automatic email that referenced the original quarterly price without clearly explaining the upcoming lower monthly charge. That confusion led to a brief moment of churn—something Amy now recommends proactively addressing in creator messaging to members.

If you’re a creator who publishes paid posts more than once a month, this workflow likely won’t apply to you—and you won’t need to manually adjust your prices the way Amy did. But if you bill less frequently, planning for this step (and communicating it clearly) can make a big difference.

Ready to make the switch?

When you’re ready to move to subscription billing, you don’t have to do it alone.

Patreon’s Support Team offers real, one-on-one help to walk through your options, answer detailed questions, and help you plan a transition that works for your business.