According to the Re:Create Coalition’s study on America’s New Creative Economy, in 2017, 5.6M creators on Instagram earned revenue through sponsored posts. Contrast that with Patreon’s entire base of 150,000 creators who earn revenue through membership subscriptions—representing just 2.7% of Instagram’s income-earning creator base.
In 2024, Patreon creators surpassed 60 million free memberships, held live fan events, increased monthly revenue of one-time purchases by 4X and the number of creators who started chats by 5X, while engaging with their communities and building sustainable businesses
In 2019, Wired reported that 125,000 creators -- podcasters, YouTubers, musicians, webcomic artists, etc…-- had generated a combined 5 million monthly subscribers. At the end of that year Patreon announced that it had paid out $1 billion to its users since its inception, with $500 million amassed that year alone.