Top Patreon Earners and How Much They Make

Shot of a woman speaking into a microphone in a recording studio.
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Being a creator can often feel more like a side hustle than a full-time career. With platforms like Patreon, members can get paid for their creative content. How much you can make varies greatly depending on how many followers or supporters you have or what kind of content you are creating — such as videos, podcasts or music.

Who Are the Top Patreon Earners?

Patreon hosts over 6 million supporters, who are called Patrons by the platform, and has a post-money valuation of $4 billion dollars. With its continual high growth rate, it has produced many high earners on its platform. Here are the top five Patreon earners.

  1. True Crime Obsessed — $223,665 per month
  2. Chapo Trap House — $165,568 per month
  3. The Tim Dillon Show — $101,000 to $253,000 per month
  4. You’re Wrong About — $66,000 to $164,000 per month
  5. DankPods — $36,106 per month

1. True Crime Obsessed

  • Estimated monthly revenue: $223,665

The heavyweight podcast “True Crime Obsessed” presents as a docu-series where they take investigations deeper on true crime events. It boasts more than 45,991 Patrons and is still growing its fanbase. As its average monthly income is estimated to be $222,665, this would put them over $2 million annually.

2. Chapo Trap House

  • Estimated monthly revenue: $165,568

Founded in 2016, “Chapo Trap House” is a political comedy podcast. This bi-weekly show has over 38,700 patrons and is produced by a collective of writers, satirists and other artists. The shows tend to be a mix of skewering political figures, solid progress left commentary and funny reviews of movies and books.

3. The Tim Dillon Show

  • Estimated monthly revenue: $101,000 to $253,000
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“The Tim Dillon Show,” which currently has 35,807 Patrons, focuses on the apocalypse — but in a funny way. Dillon, the host, is considered a comedian and tour guide to the end of the world as he hosts varying guests and friends.

4. You’re Wrong About

  • Estimated monthly revenue: $66,000 to $164,000

“You’re Wrong About” is a podcast that intends to change your mind about a specific topic, person, event or even phenomenon that has wide misconceptions about it. It has 23,100 Patrons following episodes that deep dive on a variety of subject matter.

5. DankPods

  • Estimated monthly revenue: $36,106

Wade Nixon, who goes by the stage name DankPods, creates videos designed for tech enthusiasts and has content that includes such topics as portable music and headphones. He also creates, repairs, upgrades and reviews such gadgetry as iPods or MP3 Players.

Final Take

If you are wondering whether launching a creative endeavor on Patreon is worth it, it just may be, considering what some creators can make. There are no guarantees, though — the estimated monthly income of an average Patreon creator ranges anywhere between $315 to $1,575. However, some creators do hit it big, and their popularity increases their income by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

FAQ

Here are some quick answers to common questions about earning power on Patreon.
  • Who is the highest earning Patreon creator?
    • The current highest-earning Patreon is True Crime Obsessed, with estimated average monthly earnings of $223,665.
  • What is the average income on Patreon?
    • The average Patreon creator's monthly earnings range between $315 to $1,575. It's possible to make much more with the right fanbase and marketing strategy, but it's also possible to make less.
  • How much does Patreon take from $1?
    • Patreon earns at least 15 cents from each $1 pledged to a creator. Patreon's fees work like this:
    • Patreon takes 5% plus an additional 10 cents for all pledges $3 or less.
    • For all pledges over $3, Patreon takes 2.9% plus 30 cents.
  • Is Patreon worth it in 2023?
    • If you're able to market your creative endeavors effectively, Patreon may be worth it. There are no guarantees, though you'll have to put in the work to convince people to be your patrons and provide sufficient perks to reward them for supporting you.
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Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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