Leaky Paywall vs Patreon (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Leaky Paywall if

• Fits if you publish on WordPress and want a metered paywall
• Works for a small publisher that can accept a revenue share while starting

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you're off WordPress, as it runs only inside it
• Pricey if you earn a lot, since the free edition takes 10% of new paid subscriptions
• Watch out: recurring plans, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro
• Watch out: payments go through Stripe, and Pro prices weren't readable

Pick Patreon if

• Fits if you're a podcaster, video maker or artist funded by monthly members
• Works for creators who want payments, fraud and most sales tax handled, for 10% of earnings

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you earn a lot, as 10% of every dollar goes to Patreon with no plan to lower it
• Watch out: processing, currency conversion and payout fees come on top of the 10%
• Not for you if you want buyers paying on your own site, since they need a Patreon account
• Not for you if you want a desktop app, as it's web, iPhone and Android only

Leaky Paywall

• Prices for the paid plans could not be read: the vendor's site refused automated access, so only the free edition is listed.
• The free edition takes a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; Pro reduces or removes it.
• Runs only inside WordPress, and paid subscriptions are processed through Stripe.
• Recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro features.

Patreon

• Patreon keeps 10% of creator income, and payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees come on top.
• Buyers need a Patreon account to purchase products, so fans pay inside Patreon rather than on your own site.
• The pricing page lists a single rate, 10% of earnings, with no monthly plan that lowers it.

Leaky Paywall

Metered and hard paywalls

Choose metered, hard, or dynamic and hybrid paywalls, and restrict by post, category, tag, taxonomy, post type or content block.

Registration wall

List Builder prompts anonymous readers to register or log in, and registered readers can be exported or sent through Zapier.

Subscription levels

Create free, premium, annual or VIP levels, with Stripe checkout including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Publisher dashboard

A dashboard inside WordPress shows revenue trends, new registrations, paid subscription activity and top content.

Pro revenue tools

Pro adds recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons, group and IP-based subscriptions, and churn risk alerts.

Extensions and integrations

The listing names more than 50 extensions, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier and WooCommerce.

Patreon

Memberships

Membership tiers billed monthly or annually, one-time payments, free trials, discounts and sales, with member analytics.

Shop for digital products

Sell video, audio, images, downloadable files and collections one at a time, with no listing fee, or make them free for members.

Posts, video and newsletters

Publish audio, images and rich text, host video natively, livestream, and send posts as email newsletters.

Podcasts

Import and sync podcasts, run several shows, distribute episodes by RSS, and use the Spotify integration with synced feeds.

Community

Group chats, direct messages and comments for members, with exportable email lists and Discord integration.

Payments handled by Patreon

Patreon processes payments, handles chargebacks, disputes and fraud, collects and remits most taxes, and supports 16+ currencies.

Leaky Paywall

• Free$0

  Paywalls, unlimited subscription levels and Stripe checkout, with a 10% revenue share on paid subscriptions.

Patreon

• Patreon$0

  No monthly fee. Patreon keeps 10% of what creators earn from memberships and shop sales, plus processing, currency conversion and payout fees.