income calculator

Membership Income Calculator

Model monthly recurring revenue from memberships and Patreon-style subscriptions for creators, artists, podcasters, and educators building a community-supported income. The calculator supports up to 3 pricing tiers, deducts platform fees and payment processing costs, and shows your take-home estimate so you can compare platforms and optimize your tier structure.

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Estimated membership income

Total members150
Gross monthly revenue$1,150
Platform fee (Patreon (Pro))-$92
Payment processing-$78
Net monthly revenue$980
Annual take-home$11,756
Effective take-home rate85%
Avg revenue per member$8

Patreon (Pro) takes 8% + payment processing (2.9% + $0 per transaction). Patreon charges 8% on Pro and 12% on Premium plans. Buy Me a Coffee takes 5%. Fourthwall takes 3%.

How this calculator works

Gross monthly revenue is calculated by summing each tier's price multiplied by its member count across all active tiers. Platform fees are then deducted based on your chosen platform: Patreon Pro at 8%, Patreon Premium at 12%, Buy Me a Coffee at 5%, or Fourthwall at 3%. Payment processing fees of approximately 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction are subtracted next, as these apply regardless of platform. The final net monthly revenue represents your actual take-home pay after all intermediary costs.

Useful scenarios

  • A creator comparing Patreon Pro vs Buy Me a Coffee based on their tier structure.
  • A podcaster projecting membership income alongside sponsorship revenue.
  • An artist estimating take-home pay after platform and payment fees across tiers.

FAQ

Which membership platform has the lowest fees?

Fourthwall charges 3% (the lowest), Buy Me a Coffee charges 5%, Patreon Pro charges 8%, and Patreon Premium charges 12%. All platforms also incur payment processing fees of roughly 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

How many membership tiers should I offer?

Most creators offer 2–5 tiers. A common structure: a low tier for support ($3–$7), a mid tier for bonus content ($10–$15), and a top tier for exclusive access ($20–$50+). Simpler is usually better — 3 tiers is a good starting point.

What is a realistic member conversion rate?

Typical membership conversion rates range from 0.5%–5% of your total audience. Highly engaged niche audiences convert higher (3%–5%), while general audiences convert lower (0.5%–2%).