Apple has set November 1, 2026 as the final deadline for Patreon to migrate all remaining creators to in-app purchase subscriptions, forcing the last holdouts off legacy billing, according to Macworld’s January 2026 reporting and a detailed breakdown from TechPlanet.

The mandate stems from App Store rules requiring digital subscriptions sold inside iOS apps to use Apple’s in-app purchase system, which carries a 30% commission — dropping to 15% for subscriptions retained beyond a year. Patreon disagrees with the decision but will comply to keep its app on the App Store. About 4% of creators were still on legacy billing when the deadline was announced, per Macworld’s citation of TechCrunch’s reporting.

Patreon’s own help documentation confirms the mechanics: creators still on legacy billing must switch to subscription billing by November 1, 2026, with creators facing automatic migration — and paused billing — if they do not act by October 31, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT.

Patreon has given creators two ways to handle Apple’s cut: absorb the fee themselves, keeping prices consistent across platforms, or raise prices in the iOS app only to offset the commission. In the US, fans can sidestep the fee entirely by paying through Patreon’s mobile web checkout instead of the iOS app — an option preserved by the Apple vs. Epic court ruling — but international fans joining through iOS face the full surcharge.

For creators, the math is unforgiving: a $10/month international membership bought through iOS can lose up to 43% to combined platform, processing and Apple fees in the first year, according to fee breakdowns published in 2026.

The takeaway for creators: migrate before the automatic-switch deadline so you control your pricing, and actively route fans to your web link. Every member who subscribes outside the iOS app is worth roughly 30% more to you.