Kajabi vs Patreon: fees & take-home (2026-07)
At $3,000/month over 60 sales, Kajabi leaves you $157/month more than Patreon. Here's the full breakdown — and where that flips.
| Kajabi | Patreon | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Course platforms | Membership platforms |
| Entry price | from $143/mo | Free |
| Platform fee | 0% with Kajabi Payments on all tiers. External gateway adds 2% (Basic), 1% (Growth), 0.5% (Pro). | New creators (post Aug 4 2025): flat 10%. Legacy: Founders 5%, Pro 8% (closed). |
| Take-home on $3k/60 sales | $2,752 | $2,595 |
| Effective take rate | 8.3% | 13.5% |
| Affiliate payout | 30% recurring | — |
| Best for | Established creators wanting a premium all-in-one (courses + email + funnels + community) | Individual creators (podcasters, artists, YouTubers) monetizing fans via recurring memberships |
Who keeps you more?
Modeled on each platform's entry tier, Kajabi wins at $3k/month. But the Kajabi/Patreon gap depends on your revenue and sales volume — platforms with a monthly fee but 0% cut pull ahead as you scale, while free/percentage platforms win at low volume. Run your exact numbers →
Choose Kajabi if…
Established creators wanting a premium all-in-one (courses + email + funnels + community).
Choose Patreon if…
Individual creators (podcasters, artists, YouTubers) monetizing fans via recurring memberships.