Patreon’s payment processing problems create headaches for creators

The subscription platform Patreon enables people to directly support creators (game makers, streamers, authors, and more) with monthly donations. But due to processing issues, a large chunk of these payments were declined and marked as fraud. Patreon posted that it’s looking into the problem, and has suggested that people reach out directly to their subscribers — called patrons — and ask them to either use a different card or to call their bank.

Declined payments cut into creators’ monthly income, which can be disastrous if they are relying solely on their subscribers for financial support. Patreon provides steady funds for indie developers who are working on games, and other people who are working on a whole range of creative projects. It’s a valuable tool for podcasters, streamers, artists, and musicians, as well as those who are running nonprofits like The Video Game History Foundation.

GamesBeat has reached out to Patreon for comment and will update this article with any new information.

Hi everyone, as you know we're noticing an unexpectedly high number of payment declines. We're sorry for the frustration this has caused and we're doing all we can to help creators get paid by working with our payment partners and continuing to retry payments. More info below. pic.twitter.com/KI0sXGcQHc

— Patreon (@Patreon) August 2, 2018

Many creators have replied to Patreon’s suggestions with irritation, noting that it’s a lot of friction to ask their patrons to jump through hoops to ensure payment. It’s also a scramble if they have hundred of subscribers whom they have to reach out to.

People have reported varying experiences — most subscribers who are using a Chase bank card seem to be getting their payments declined, while one user says that their Discover card was charged as per usual. Others have said that they have received calls from their bank asking about potential fraud. When I checked my Patreon subscriptions, all of them seemed to have gone through as scheduled.

You can check by clicking on your profile picture, selecting “Your Memberships,” and clicking over to the “Billing History” tab. If your payments have gone through, they should each read “Complete” in green text below your pledge.

This is the latest trouble that Patreon has weathered. In December, it drew criticism for its proposed subscription restructuring that would place the burden of processing fees on patrons. The backlash was so strong that it scrapped those plans and apologized for “overstepping.”