Creator economy · Platform
Stage
Function
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Ko-fi
2Tips and memberships with lighter branding than Patreon; Gold tier and shop features add platform dependency over time.
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OnlyFans
2Creator subscriptions with high take rate and policy whiplash; payment processors and brand risk shape who can stay on platform.
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Patreon
3Membership platform: take rates, discovery limits, and policy risk sit between creators and their audiences.
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Substack
2Newsletter + payments with clearer creator cut than ad platforms; network features and video push toward fuller stack lock-in.