Spawned vs Patreon Pricing Guide: Where Should Creators Launch?
This guide breaks down the cost structures of Spawned, a Solana token launchpad with an AI website builder, and Patreon, the traditional subscription platform. We compare the upfront fees, ongoing revenue splits, and long-term financial implications for creators building sustainable income. The choice depends on whether you want immediate fiat payouts or are building for the crypto ecosystem.
- •Spawned charges 0.1 SOL (~$20) to launch, then takes 0.30% per trade + 0.30% for holders; Patreon takes 5-12% of all monthly income.
- •Spawned includes an AI website builder (saves $29-99/mo); Patreon requires separate website hosting.
- •Spawned creators earn from token trading volume; Patreon creators earn from subscriber counts.
- •Spawned uses Token-2022 for 1% perpetual fees post-graduation; Patreon fees continue indefinitely.
- •Spawned is for crypto-native audiences; Patreon serves traditional fiat payments.
Quick Comparison
Direct Cost Comparison: Launch Fees & Ongoing Cuts
One platform charges based on activity, the other takes a percentage of everything you earn.
The most immediate difference is how each platform charges creators. Spawned uses a hybrid model with a low upfront cost and small percentage fees based on trading activity. Patreon uses a pure revenue-sharing model with no upfront cost but significant monthly deductions.
Spawned's Fee Structure:
- Launch Fee: 0.1 SOL (approximately $20 at current prices)
- Creator Revenue: 0.30% of every token trade
- Holder Rewards: 0.30% distributed to token holders
- Post-Graduation: 1% perpetual fee via Token-2022 program
- Website Builder: Included (worth $29-99/month elsewhere)
Patreon's Fee Structure:
- Launch Fee: $0
- Platform Fee: 5% of monthly income for Pro plan ($20/month)
- Payment Processing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
- Currency Conversion: 2.5% if applicable
- Effective Total: 8-12% of monthly creator revenue
- Website: Not included; requires separate hosting
The key distinction: Spawned fees scale with your token's trading volume, while Patreon fees scale with your subscriber revenue. A creator earning $10,000/month on Patreon pays $800-$1,200 in fees. A Spawned creator with the same $10,000 in monthly trading volume pays $30 in creator fees.
How The Revenue Models Actually Work
Understanding these platforms requires looking beyond the percentages to how money actually flows.
Spawned: The Trading Volume Model Your income isn't tied directly to a fixed number of supporters. Instead, you earn 0.30% of every trade that happens with your token. If your community is active and trades frequently, you earn more. This model rewards creators who build engaged, trading communities. The included AI website builder helps you create a hub for your token without additional monthly costs. Learn about token economics
Patreon: The Subscription Model Your income comes from monthly recurring payments from subscribers. Patreon takes its cut before you get paid. This model provides predictable monthly income but caps your earnings at what your audience is willing to pay monthly. There's no secondary trading market—you're limited to direct supporter relationships.
Example Scenario: A creator with 1,000 supporters at $5/month earns $5,000. Patreon takes $400-$600. That same creator on Spawned might have a token with $50,000 in monthly trading volume, earning $150 from the 0.30% fee while their holders also earn $150 in rewards.
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown: What You Actually Get
Here's what each platform provides for their respective fees:
Spawned Includes:
- Solana token creation and launch
- Built-in AI website builder (no code required)
- Token trading dashboard
- Holder reward distribution system
- Community trading incentives
- Graduation path to decentralized exchanges
- No monthly subscription fees
Patreon Includes:
- Membership management tools
- Content gating and delivery
- Payment processing (with fees)
- Basic analytics
- Community posts and messaging
- Tiered membership structures
- Monthly subscription billing
Missing from Patreon:
- No token or crypto-native features
- No website hosting (requires separate service)
- No secondary market for membership
- No holder reward mechanisms
- No AI content tools included
Spawned provides infrastructure for the entire crypto creator economy, while Patreon focuses solely on subscription management.
- AI website builder included vs separate cost
- Token trading infrastructure vs subscription only
- Holder rewards system vs simple payments
- No monthly fees vs recurring platform costs
Long-Term Financial Implications
Patreon's model costs creators 15-20x more over three years at moderate success levels.
The real cost difference emerges over months and years of operation.
Year 1 Cost Projection: For a creator earning $5,000/month or equivalent trading volume:
- Spawned: $20 launch fee + ~$180 in trading fees (assuming $60,000 annual volume) = $200 total
- Patreon: $3,000-$4,800 in platform and processing fees (8-12% of $60,000) = $3,000-$4,800 total
Year 3 Cost Projection: For a creator scaling to $15,000/month or equivalent:
- Spawned: $20 launch fee + ~$1,620 in trading fees = $1,640 total
- Patreon: $14,400-$21,600 in platform fees = $14,400-$21,600 total
The gap widens significantly as you scale. Patreon's percentage-based model means their take grows directly with your success. Spawned's trading volume model means fees only increase if trading activity increases, which often indicates a healthier, more engaged community.
Post-Graduation Difference: After graduating from Spawned to Token-2022, the 1% perpetual fee applies only to certain advanced token features, not all trading. Patreon's fees continue indefinitely at the same rate.
When to Choose Spawned vs When Patreon Makes Sense
Choose Spawned If:
- Your audience is crypto-native or interested in tokens
- You want to build a tradable asset, not just monthly subscriptions
- You need a website along with your token launch
- You prefer lower fees as you scale (percentage decreases relative to volume)
- You want to reward holders with automatic distributions
- You're comfortable with Solana and crypto wallets
Choose Patreon If:
- Your audience pays exclusively with credit cards
- You need immediate fiat payouts without crypto conversion
- Your content appeals to mainstream, non-crypto users
- You prefer predictable monthly income over trading-based revenue
- You already have website hosting elsewhere
- You want simplicity over token economics
Hybrid Approach: Some creators use both—Patreon for traditional supporters and Spawned for crypto-native community members. This allows you to capture both markets while comparing which performs better for your specific content.
Verdict: Which Platform Offers Better Value?
Spawned saves creators thousands annually while providing more functionality.
For creators building in the Web3 space or with crypto-curious audiences, Spawned provides substantially better long-term value.
The math is clear: Patreon's 8-12% effective take rate creates a significant drag on creator earnings that compounds over time. A successful creator paying Patreon $15,000 over three years could have launched 750 tokens on Spawned for the same amount.
Spawned's model aligns better with creator growth:
- Lower effective fees as trading volume increases
- Built-in website eliminates a separate $29-99/month expense
- Holder rewards create viral community incentives
- Token appreciation potential beyond simple subscription revenue
- Graduation path to full decentralization
The exception: if your audience refuses to use crypto or you need immediate fiat payments without conversion, Patreon remains the only option. But for any creator willing to navigate the crypto learning curve, Spawned's cost structure is objectively more favorable.
Bottom Line: Spawned costs less than 10% of what Patreon charges at moderate success levels, while providing additional tools and token functionality.
How to Get Started with Spawned: 5 Simple Steps
If Spawned's pricing model makes sense for your project, here's how to begin:
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Prepare Your Assets: Gather your token name, symbol, description, and any artwork. The AI website builder will use this information.
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Connect Wallet: Visit Spawned.com and connect your Solana wallet (Phantom, Backpack, or Solflare recommended).
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Use AI Website Builder: Input your project details and let the AI generate your website. Customize as needed—no coding required.
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Configure Token: Set your initial parameters. The default 0.30% creator fee and 0.30% holder reward work for most projects.
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Launch: Pay the 0.1 SOL launch fee (approximately $20) and your token goes live immediately on Spawned's trading interface.
Pro Tip: Start with a small community test before major marketing. The low launch cost makes experimentation affordable. See more launch strategies
Ready to Launch with Better Economics?
Your community deserves better economics than 12% platform fees.
Stop giving 8-12% of your hard-earned revenue to platform fees. With Spawned, you keep more of what you create while building a tradable asset for your community.
Launch your token today for just 0.1 SOL and start earning from trading volume instead of just subscriptions. The included AI website builder gets your project live in minutes, not days.
Launch Your Token Now | Compare with Other Platforms
Still uncertain? Many creators launch small test tokens to understand the process before committing to their main project. The low cost makes experimentation practical.
Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, many creators use both platforms to serve different audience segments. You might offer token-based perks on Spawned for your crypto-native supporters while maintaining traditional subscriptions on Patreon for mainstream audiences. This approach lets you test which model works better for your content while capturing both markets.
If trading volume is low, your fees will be correspondingly low. Unlike Patreon's fixed percentage of your income, Spawned fees only apply to actual trading activity. This means you're not penalized during slow periods. You can focus on community building without worrying about platform fees eating into limited revenue.
Patreon handles sales tax collection and remittance in certain jurisdictions, while Spawned creators are responsible for their own tax reporting. Token transactions may be treated as capital assets rather than simple income, potentially offering different tax treatment. Consult a crypto-savvy tax professional, as regulations vary by country.
Yes, the AI website builder has no monthly fees and is included with your token launch. Unlike website builders like Wix or Squarespace that charge $29-99 monthly, Spawned's builder is part of the platform. You only pay the 0.1 SOL launch fee, then the website remains active as long as your token exists.
Spawned can work with as few as 10-20 active community members, since the launch cost is only $20. Unlike Patreon where you need hundreds of subscribers to justify the platform fees, Spawned's low fixed cost makes it accessible to smaller creators. Even modest trading among a dedicated community can cover the launch fee quickly.
Your audience needs a Solana wallet (like Phantom) and some SOL to begin. The process involves a few more steps than entering credit card details on Patreon, but crypto-native audiences are accustomed to this. Spawned provides resources to help your community get started. The trade-off is access to a global, 24/7 trading market versus limited subscription options.
Many creators successfully transition portions of their audience by offering exclusive token-gated content or special perks for early holders. Consider launching your token as an additional option rather than a replacement initially. Offer different benefits on each platform to see what resonates before committing fully to one model.
Spawned's 0.1 SOL launch fee fluctuates with SOL's USD value. If SOL price increases, your launch cost rises proportionally. However, your potential earnings from trading volume also increase with crypto market activity. This correlation means you're participating in the broader crypto ecosystem rather than being insulated from it like with Patreon's fiat-only model.
Ready to get started?
Try Spawned free today