Patreon App Begins Accepting Web Payments After U.S. App Store Updates

Patreon has introduced a new version of its app, allowing users to make online purchases in light of the Apple-Epic court ruling. This ruling permits app developers to include links to alternative payment options without incurring Apple’s commission.

In the previous version (125.4.1) of the Patreon iOS app, users had to subscribe to creators’ membership plans via Apple’s in-app purchase system. See below:

With the latest update (version 125.5.0), released on Monday, users can now subscribe via the web and select payment methods such as credit cards, Venmo, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

Furthermore, the option for Apple’s in-app purchase system is subtly presented in small text beneath the prominent “Join” button. This change is anticipated to motivate more users to complete payments via Patreon’s website instead of using Apple’s method.

In an official statement, Patreon confirmed that the app update has been approved and is now being rolled out to users across the U.S.

According to the company, users who update their app should experience the new checkout process within 24 hours. Patreon previously indicated that it had submitted an update to Apple regarding web payments and was awaiting approval.

These changes follow a significant judicial win for Epic Games, which influences how app developers can manage payments on iOS.

On April 30, a U.S. court ruled that Apple can no longer restrict app developers from linking to alternative payment methods within their apps while still collecting a commission. This ruling required Apple to modify its App Store developer guidelines for U.S. developers and accept newly updated apps, such as Spotify and Amazon Kindle, which now direct users to external payment sites.

At the time of the ruling, Patreon celebrated the decision, highlighting that creators could retain a larger share of their earnings without having to pay Apple’s commission on transactions.

In a separate communication to its community, Patreon announced that the transition plan for subscription billing is on hold. Last August, the platform indicated that Apple had set a deadline for all creators to switch to Apple’s in-app purchase system by November 2025 or risk removal from the App Store. With the recent ruling, the company believes such a switch is no longer necessary.

“This situation is still evolving, but we are proceeding with the expectation that the November 2025 deadline for all Patreon creators to transition to subscription billing is no longer crucial,” the company shared in an update to a support document and via Discord message to its creators. “While we anticipate further information that could change Apple’s requirements for Patreon’s iOS app, we are hopeful this ruling will provide us with increased flexibility in assisting creators with legacy billing models. For now, however, creators must remain enrolled in subscription billing to process payments through the Patreon iOS app,” the message stated.

Meanwhile, Patreon continues to support any creators wishing to make the transition to subscription billing.

Additional reporting: Amanda Silberling