8 Best Patreon Alternatives for Artists in 2025

Patreon has been the go-to platform for artists who want to earn consistent income from their fans. But in 2025, things look a lot different. Patreon’s rising fees, limited customization options, and sometimes frustrating payout system have led many artists to explore better platforms. Luckily, there are now plenty of Patreon alternatives that are more affordable, flexible, and tailored specifically to the needs of artists.

Whether you’re an illustrator, digital painter, or craft artist, there’s a platform out there that can help you connect with your fans and make a living from your art. In this guide, we’ll walk through the 8 best Patreon alternatives for artists in 2025, their pros and cons, pricing, and what makes them stand out.

Comparison of Patreon Alternatives for Artists

1. Ko-fi

Best for: Artists who want a simple way to accept tips, commissions, and memberships
Pricing: Free with 5% fee, or Ko-fi Gold ($12/month) with 0% fees

Ko-fi is arguably the most artist-friendly Patreon alternative. It started out as a “tip jar” where fans could buy you a virtual coffee, but today it has evolved into a full creator platform. Artists can sell digital products, take commissions, set up memberships, or simply collect donations.

Why Artists Love Ko-fi:

• The interface is extremely simple, most artists set up their page in under 10 minutes.
• Commissions are built-in, making it easy to manage requests and payments without juggling emails and spreadsheets.
• Unlike Patreon, Ko-fi doesn’t lock all features behind a paywall, you can do a lot for free.

Pros:

• Zero platform fees on donations (even on free plan)
• Easy setup, very artist-focused
• Commissions, tips, memberships, and products all in one place
• Supportive community of indie creators

Cons:

• Limited customization for page design
• Free plan comes with basic analytics
• Lacks built-in discovery, meaning most traffic must come from your existing audience

2. Buy Me a Coffee

Best for: Creators who want a polished and professional-looking platform
Pricing: Free (5% fee on transactions)

Think of Buy Me a Coffee as Ko-fi’s sleeker cousin. It offers the same tip-based model but with a more professional and modern interface. For artists, presentation matters, and this platform makes your page look instantly polished without needing to tweak a lot of settings.

Why Artists Love Buy Me a Coffee:

• Its extras widget makes it easy to showcase things like art commissions, custom requests, or behind-the-scenes content.
• Built-in email tools help you stay in touch with supporters without paying for a separate service.
• The platform is highly mobile-friendly, perfect if most of your fans find you on Instagram or TikTok.

Pros:

• Beautiful, professional design with no effort
• Supports memberships, extras, and one-time tips
• Seamless social media integration
• Built-in email marketing

Cons:

• Slightly higher fees than Ko-fi
• Limited customization options
• Support response times can be slow

3. Gumroad

Best for: Artists selling digital products like brushes, zines, prints, or tutorials
Pricing: Free to start, but 10% + $0.50 per sale (up to 30% if Gumroad drives the sale)

Gumroad is one of the oldest platforms in the creator economy. While not built for memberships first, it’s a powerhouse for selling digital goods. If you’re an artist who makes digital brushes, templates, or downloadable prints, Gumroad is a strong option.

Why Artists Love Gumroad:

• Automatic tax/VAT handling means you don’t need to worry about compliance if you sell internationally.
• Their affiliate system makes it easy to collaborate with other artists or influencers who want to promote your products.
• Gumroad has robust anti-piracy tools, which is critical if you’re selling digital art assets.

Pros:

• Industry-leading digital delivery system
• Affiliate program for boosting sales
• Handles international tax automatically
• Clean sales analytics

Cons:

• Fees are higher than most alternatives
• Membership features are limited
• Minimal community-building tools
• Basic marketing features

4. SchoolMaker

Best for: Artists who want to create courses and build a community
Pricing: From $29/month

SchoolMaker is a course creation platform that combines online courses,communities, consultations and more to help course creators drive more course sales and better student outcomes. If you’re an artist who wants to teach courses and build a community, SchoolMaker is the best choice.

Why Artists Love SchoolMaker:

• Provides professional course creation and coaching tools
• Users can build a community and do consultations
• No transaction fees

Pros:

• Industry-leading course delivery system
• Excellent community and engagement tools
• White labeling features

Cons:

• Not a good fit for artists who don’t want to create courses

5. Podia

Best for: Artists looking to create courses, sell products, and run memberships all in one place
Pricing: $39–$89/month

Podia is an all-in-one creator platform that combines online courses, memberships, digital product sales, and email marketing. If you’re an artist who wants to do more than just take tips, like teaching courses or selling structured content, Podia is worth considering.

Why Artists Love Podia:

• Built-in course creation tools let you sell art tutorials, workshops, or masterclasses.
• Email marketing is included, so you can nurture your audience without paying extra for a service like Mailchimp.
• Podia also doubles as a website builder, meaning you can host your entire artist business on one platform.

Pros:

• True all-in-one solution
• Excellent customer support

Cons:

• Higher monthly cost than Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee
• Limited customization compared to a standalone website
• Community tools are more basic

6. Mighty Networks

Best for: Artists who want to build a real community around their work
Pricing: $41–$360/month (plus 2.5–5% fees)

Mighty Networks is a different kind of platform, it’s not just about tips or subscriptions, it’s about creating a dedicated online community. For artists who thrive on building deeper fan relationships through discussion, events, and courses, this is one of the best choices.

Why Artists Love Mighty Networks:

• You can build a private community space where fans interact with you and with each other.
• Mobile apps make the experience seamless for members.
• Integrated event tools are great for live Q&As, art streams, or workshops.

Pros:

• Advanced community-building features
• Native apps for iOS and Android
• Supports courses and memberships
• Strong engagement tools like activity feeds

Cons:

• Overkill if you only want to accept tips
• Can be expensive compared to simpler platforms
• Payment flexibility is somewhat limited

7. Memberful

Best for: Artists who already run their own website (especially on WordPress)
Pricing: $49/month + 4.9% transaction fee + Stripe fees

Memberful is different from most alternatives, it’s not a standalone platform. Instead, it integrates with your existing website, giving you full control over the look and feel of your membership setup. If you already have a strong web presence, this is a good option.

Why Artists Love Memberful:

• You keep your website branding consistent, since Memberful is white-label.
• Supports digital downloads, making it easy to sell art packs or exclusive wallpapers.
• Private podcasts are supported, which can be useful if you want to share behind-the-scenes audio or commentary.

Pros:

• Excellent for WordPress users
• Professional checkout system
• Full branding control
• Reliable Stripe integration

Cons:

• Fees are on the higher side
• Requires technical knowledge to set up
• Doesn’t have built-in audience discovery

8. Substack

Best for: Artists who love writing and want to monetize newsletters
Pricing: Free to start (10% fee on paid subscriptions)

While Substack is most famous among journalists, more artists are starting to use it to build audiences through writing. If you regularly share updates, behind-the-scenes notes, or tutorials, Substack can be a surprisingly effective way to earn.

Why Artists Love Substack:

• Built-in discovery helps you reach new readers without heavy promotion.
• You can easily monetize newsletters with paid subscriptions.
• Many artists use it as a companion to other platforms, keeping fans engaged between product launches.

Pros:

• Strong discovery and network effects
• Simple setup for newsletters
• Engaged community of readers
• Good mobile apps

Cons:

• Limited to newsletter format (not great for visual-first artists)
• 10% fee is higher than some alternatives
• Few customization options

Which Patreon Alternative Should Artists Choose?

Choosing the right Patreon alternative really depends on your artistic goals:

• If you just want a tip jar + simple setup: Start with Ko-fi or Buy Me a Coffee.
• If you’re selling digital products like brushes or prints: Go with Gumroad.
• If you want to sell courses: SchoolMaker is your best bet.
• If you care about fan interaction and community: Choose Mighty Networks.
• If you already have a website and want to integrate memberships: Try Memberful.
• If you love writing and newsletters: Consider Substack.

Many artists actually use a combination of platforms, for example, Ko-fi for tips, Gumroad for selling brushes, SchoolMaker for courses and Substack for newsletters. That way, you don’t rely on just one source of income.

Conclusion

In 2025, artists no longer have to feel stuck with Patreon. There are plenty of alternatives that better suit different creative needs, whether you want simplicity, professional branding, community-building, or course creation. The platforms above give you flexible options to build your art career your way, and most of them are far more affordable than Patreon.

The creator economy is growing fast, and the best platform for you is the one that matches your style of art, your fans’ habits, and your long-term goals.