Hey all,

There are some updates over on Patreon that I figured are worth also sharing on RoyalRoad. Simply put, Patreon is being forced to adapt to Apple's Terms of Service. Below is a copy-pasted summary:

As we first announced last year, Apple is requiring that Patreon use their in-app purchasing system and remove all other billing systems from the Patreon iOS app by November 2024.

This has two major consequences for creators:

* Apple will be applying their 30% App Store fee to all new memberships purchased in the Patreon iOS app, in addition to anything bought in your Patreon shop.

* Any creator currently on first-of-the-month or per-creation billing plans will have to switch over to subscription billing to continue earning in the iOS app, because that’s the only billing type Apple’s in-app purchase system supports.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

This is both good and bad news for RoyalRoad readers thinking of subscribing or resubscribing to my Patreon. The good news is that you always get full bang for the buck when subscribing going forward. If you subscribed today with the previous system, you'd only get six days of early access before getting charged again on the 1st. Now, you always get one month of access.

This change is already in effect. So, if you want to read the conclusion of the current arc and a good chunk of the next in one go, now's a good time to check out my Patreon!

Now, to the bad: If you subscribe through Patreon's app on iOS, you'll have to pay significantly more than if you subscribed on any other platform. So you shouldn't. If you want to support the story or read ahead, you really should get the subscription directly on Patreon's webpage. You can still read the early access chapters on the iOS app if you make the payment elsewhere. From what I understand, this change will be implemented in November, but don't quote me on that.

EDIT: Note, Patreon has given creators a grace period for switching to the new billing model. I've already done so, while some RR authors might have chosen to wait a while longer. So, the information in this post doesn't necessarily extend to all authors on this platform.