Patreon lets you pay creators through monthly, annual, or per-creation memberships. The charge usually shows as PATREON Membership, CKO Patreon Membership, or PAYPAL PATREON. Creator names do not appear on the bank line.
Deleting the Patreon app does not cancel a paid membership. Deleting your Patreon account also does not replace a cancel request.
Official help says to cancel every paid membership first. This guide covers website, app, Apple billing, and what happens to the next charge.
What Is Patreon and How Billing Works
You pledge to a creator’s tier. Each creator can use a different billing model. Official help lists subscription billing, monthly charge-upfront, monthly non-charge-upfront, per-creation, and annual plans.
Subscription billing renews on your join date for that creator. Official guidance says to cancel at least 24 hours before the next bill date because of time zones.
Charge-upfront monthly plans bill around the first of the month for the coming period. Per-creation plans can create a pending bill when the creator publishes a paid post.
Annual plans bill once for a year. Canceling turns off auto-renewal. You keep access for the year you already paid. Official annual policy says Patreon does not refund that year except in rare cases.
Payments go to the creator through Patreon. You may have several memberships on one account. Cancel each one you want to stop. Free follows are separate and do not draft dues.
How to Cancel on the Patreon Website
Official desktop steps:
- Sign in and switch to your member profile if you also have a creator profile. Check this in the profile menu.
- Open Settings in the left menu.
- Open the Memberships tab.
- Find the creator and click View Details.
- Click Cancel membership, then confirm.
- Choose whether to stay as a free member, then save.
Repeat for every paid creator. If the creator is gone from Memberships and Billing history still shows old payments, official FAQ says the paid plan is already canceled.
How to Cancel in the Patreon App
Official app steps:
- Open the Home screen and find the creator you pay.
- Open that creator’s page.
- Tap the three dots, then Your membership.
- Tap Edit membership, then Cancel membership.
- Confirm cancellation.
- Choose the free-member option if you want updates without paying.
You can also start from the creator shortcut at the top left of Home. Free memberships use Leave membership instead of Cancel membership.
Canceling If Billed Through Apple or Google
Some memberships start as in-app purchases. Official refund help says iOS in-app purchases are refunded through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
If Apple or Google bills the renewal, cancel in that store as well.
On iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name, then Subscriptions.
- Tap Patreon.
- Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.
On Android
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Open Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
- Select Patreon and tap Cancel subscription.
Uninstalling the app does not stop store billing. Check both Patreon Memberships and the store list if two charges appear.
What Happens After You Cancel
Official help says canceling stops future billing. Pending bills can still process.
| Billing model | Typical access after cancel | Extra charge risk |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription billing | Access until next bill date | Charge if you cancel on or after that date |
| Monthly charge upfront | Access until next cycle if you cancel before the 1st | No new bill if you cancel before the 1st |
| Monthly non-charge upfront | Access ends when you cancel | Pending period charges can still post |
| Per creation | Access ends when you cancel | Paid posts made before cancel can bill |
| Annual | Access until the paid year ends | No prorated refund for unused months |
Check Billing history before you cancel a per-creation plan. Official examples show a $1 post published before cancel still processing after you leave.
You can request a refund from Billing history within 60 days of the payment. The creator reviews most requests.
After 60 days, official help sends you to Product Support. Annual refunds are limited. Official annual policy says unused months are not refunded as a rule.
Tips for a Smooth Cancellation
Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date on subscription plans. Cancel each creator separately.
Save a screenshot of the confirmation. Then open Billing history and Memberships to confirm the creator is gone from the paid list.
Do not delete the account first. Official account-deletion help says charges can still post during that process. Cancel memberships, then delete the account only if you want the profile erased.
Common Problems and Solutions
You still see a charge after canceling: Official help names two causes: a pending per-creation post, or a cancel on or after the renewal date. Open Billing history and match the date.
The membership is missing, but money still drafts: Official FAQ says you may have another email account. Reset the password on each email you use. Contact Patreon support if both accounts look clean.
You deleted the app: That does not cancel paid tiers or Apple billing. Sign in on the website and cancel there.
You want a refund: Use Billing history, Request refund, within 60 days. For iOS in-app purchases, use Apple’s refund form.
You only wanted to stop email: Canceling paid access is different from leaving a free membership. Use the free-membership cancel steps if you still want no updates.
Requesting a Refund After Cancellation
Official refund steps:
- Open Settings, then Billing History.
- Find the payment.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Request refund.
- Pick a reason and submit.
The creator can approve or decline. iOS app purchases can also go through Apple within 60 days. A full annual refund, if granted, ends access to that tier.
Alternatives After Canceling
Stay as a free member to follow posts that are public. You can rejoin later. Official billing help says rejoining after access ends starts a new billing date.
Lower the tier before the next date if you want to keep supporting at a smaller amount. A downgrade usually waits until the next cycle on subscription plans.
FAQs About Patreon Cancel Membership
Q. How do I cancel a Patreon membership?
A. On the website, go to Settings, Memberships, View Details, then Cancel membership. In the app, open the creator, tap Your membership, Edit membership, then Cancel membership. Confirm and save.
Q. Does deleting the app cancel Patreon?
A. No. Deleting the app does not stop auto-renewal. Cancel each paid membership in Patreon and cancel any Apple or Google subscription tied to the app.
Q. Will I get a refund after canceling?
A. Not automatically. You keep paid time on many plans. You can request a refund in Billing history within 60 days. Annual plans are rarely refunded for unused months.
Q. Why was I charged after canceling?
A. Pending per-creation posts can still bill. A cancel on or after the renewal date can also process that cycle. Official help says future renewals should stop after those pending items.
Conclusion
The most reliable way to cancel a Patreon membership is to use Settings and Memberships on the website, or Your membership in the app, then confirm that auto-renewal is off.
Cancel every paid creator and check Apple or Google if the app billed you there.
Review Billing history after you confirm. That check is the simplest way to catch a pending bill and stop the next recurring charge.
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information based on publicly available details at the time of writing. It is not financial or legal advice, and cancellation, billing, and refund policies may vary. For account-specific help, contact the service or your payment provider directly.
