Apple Tightens Grip, Forces Patreon Creators to Adopt In-App Purchases Patreon creators are facing a mandated shift in how they bill their supporters, a direct result of renewed pressure from Apple. The platform has announced that all creators must transition to using Apple’s in-app subscription billing system by November 1, 2026. In a blog post, Patreon expressed strong disagreement with the decision, framing it as another disruptive policy reversal from Apple. The company stated that creators need consistency to build long-term businesses and criticized the whiplash caused by Apple’s changing stance, noting this is the third significant policy shift in the past year and a half. Previously, Patreon operated in a gray area regarding Apple’s rules. This was due to Apple’s In-App Purchase system not supporting some of Patreon’s established billing models, and because only some creator content could be consumed directly within the app. This allowed creators to collect payments outside the App Store, bypassing Apple’s fees. That gray area is now closed. Patreon stated that Apple is serious about enforcement, having blocked a Patreon app update late last year. The message was clear: comply or risk removal from the App Store. For Patreon, losing its iOS app is not an option, as millions of fans use it as their primary way to access content. The timeline of Apple’s mandate has been inconsistent. Apple first announced the requirement in 2024 with a deadline of November 2025. Patreon reluctantly accepted. However, Apple reportedly told Patreon last May that the 2025 deadline was no longer in effect, only to reverse course again and reinstate the mandate with a new 2026 deadline. A small silver lining exists. Reports indicate that only about 4 percent of Patreon creators currently use the legacy billing models affected by this change. Furthermore, supporters can still avoid Apple’s fees by signing up for memberships through Patreon’s website using a mobile browser, rather than through the iOS app. This move reinforces Apple’s familiar role as the gatekeeper of its platform, insisting on its commission for digital transactions. This controversy arrives amid other contentious actions by the company. Recently, Apple removed apps like ICEBlock, which tracked Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, following pressure from the Trump administration. Conversely, Apple has faced criticism for not removing other types of apps. Despite calls from advocacy groups, the company continues to offer apps like Grok and others that utilize AI to generate non-consensual, sexually explicit imagery, including deepfakes of real people and children. Adding to the scrutiny of Apple’s leadership, CEO Tim Cook attended a screening of the film *Melania* at the White House on a Saturday. This was the same day activist Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents. Cook was also photographed taking a selfie with the film’s director, Brett Ratner, who has been accused of sexual misconduct. The mandate places Patreon in a difficult position, forced to choose between adhering to Apple’s rules or losing access to a massive segment of its user base, with creators ultimately caught in the middle.
