Patreon is struggling financially (at least compared to the level of growth the VCs want to see), and is likely going to fully enshittify before long. It sucks because they provide a super valuable service for creatives.
My reaction to this is still - how the hell did they need close to 500 people?
This kind of service should be a very thin layer between the creator and the viewers, there is no need for any additional crap that a middleman company tries to provide. Plenty of other services can do the same for much cheaper.
I mean there’s a lot of substitutes right? I feel like every YouTube video I watch there is a plug for their patron, kofi, buy me a coffee, podia. Hopefully they can compete to be not awful in the long run.
Personally I hope Nebula takes off. I signed up for a perpetual account recently and it’s great, but a bit limited in terms of the selection of creators.
Everyone should watch this video: The rise and fall of patreon
Patreon is struggling financially (at least compared to the level of growth the VCs want to see), and is likely going to fully enshittify before long. It sucks because they provide a super valuable service for creatives.
They should set up a Patreon.
I remember this article from last year, when they laid off 80 people, or 17% of their workforce https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/patreon-layoffs-cuts-creator-partnerships-team-1235372211/
My reaction to this is still - how the hell did they need close to 500 people?
This kind of service should be a very thin layer between the creator and the viewers, there is no need for any additional crap that a middleman company tries to provide. Plenty of other services can do the same for much cheaper.
They aren’t the only one providing this kind of service.
Patreon won’t be missed.
They are the simplest service that effectively hides a creator’s personal information, though.
Luckily there’s Ko-Fi, which I use. Not quite as robust as Patreon but it’s nice if you need a quick donation link.
Ko-Fi is much harder for creators to be anonymous in, however.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
The rise and fall of patreon
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I’m open-source; check me out at GitHub.
I mean there’s a lot of substitutes right? I feel like every YouTube video I watch there is a plug for their patron, kofi, buy me a coffee, podia. Hopefully they can compete to be not awful in the long run.
Personally I hope Nebula takes off. I signed up for a perpetual account recently and it’s great, but a bit limited in terms of the selection of creators.
I’ve got links to several of them on my youtube channel. Patreon is the only one my viewers have ever chosen to use.
Regardless of the issues people identify with Patreon, it is the one that pays the bills consistently.
Was a great video. Thanks. Enshitification seems to be the trend in so many companies right now that I wonder how long it can all be sustained.