Post #932883

2023-02-19 16:29 UTC

I’ve noticed a lot of instances are using #patreon to collect instance fees and donations. Patreon is shareholder owned. When you make payments through Patreon, 7% of your payment goes to Patreon, which ultimately goes to Patreon shareholders. That’s not a model that suits the #fediverse. Here’s an alternative: use https://opencollective.com/. It’s a co-op, and it only charges 2%, which ultimately gets used to fund new #coops. Now, that’s a more #decentralised, fediverse-style model, isn’t it!

Replies (20)

@Brendanjones@fosstodon.org 2023-02-19 16:32

Oh hey, it’s even open source, according to https://opencollective.com/how-it-works. Love to see it! And the pricing is flexible, it seems: https://opencollective.com/pricing For the record, I have no association with Open Collective, I just like to see co-op services forming to replace capitalist services. #Foss #openSource

Open ##1535944
@Brendanjones@fosstodon.org 2023-02-20 10:55

A note on Patreon’s cut: I’m not 100% sure that 7% number is correct, I had seen that quoted elsewhere so I copied it. I can’t work out the exact cut they’re taking from reading their docs. Whatever the exact number is, my main point stands: using open, cooperative services & software aligns better with fediverse principles.

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@Brendanjones@fosstodon.org 2023-03-06 15:23

Please note there are errors in my above post - see Open Collective's own corrections in the comments! I don't have the character count to fit the correction in the above post. https://mastodon.opencollective.com/@opencollective/109902820438422056 My main point about Open Collective being a better fit for the fediverse still stands. Comradery.co is a co-op and looks to be another great Patreon alternative. liberapay.com/ doesn't have content management like Open Collective and Comradery but it's an open source donations platform.

Open ##1535947
@derickr@phpc.social 2023-02-19 22:06

@Brendanjones I'm happy that my instance is indeed already using opencollective.

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@digitalshae69@kolektiva.social 2023-02-20 12:50

@Brendanjones Thank you for the reminder! Patreon also has done some shitty things like shut out sex workers even though they built the platform too if I'm not mistaken?

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@schizanon@mas.to 2023-02-20 14:58

@Brendanjones #cryptocurrency is *right there* #decentralised #coops #Fediverse #patreon

Open ##1535953
@ConorMahood@mastodon.ie 2023-02-20 15:16

@Brendanjones That's fantastic, I didn't think to ask why @mastodonie uses OpenCollective, but now it makes perfect sense to me. Thanks for the info!

Open ##1535958
@hairylarry@mastodon.social 2023-02-20 17:22

@Brendanjones Thanks. I didn't know about this. I added Open Collective to mixremix.cc https://mixremix.cc/permalink.php?fname=Open_Collective.txt

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@Canniuanos@ieji.de 2023-02-20 18:02

@Brendanjones Thanks for your hint; I never knew. Wiki says even this: "Patreon charges a commission of 9 to 12 percent of creators' monthly income, in addition to payment processing fees." That's gouging, screw this!

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@AnonymooseGuy@mas.to 2023-02-20 21:19

@Brendanjones ko-fi claims 0%. @trumpet on mas.to uses it and I'm happy donating through it. Maybe he'll chime in.

Open ##1535961
@opencollective@mastodon.opencollective.com 2023-02-21 12:52

@Brendanjones As a matter of fact, we're not a co-op at this point. However, we're currently working toward a similar goal, we name it "Exit to Community" #e2c https://opencollective.com/e2c

Open ##1535963
@opencollective@mastodon.opencollective.com 2023-02-21 12:56

@Brendanjones As a platform, we're not charging Collectives and usually rely on voluntary tips ("Platform Tips"). However, most Collectives prefer to use the services of a Fiscal Host (or fiscal sponsor) which can usually charge anywhere from 2% to 10%. By default, we claim a small portion of that percentage but also have custom relationships with some of the Fiscal Hosts.

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@sethaxen@bayes.club 2023-02-22 21:02

@Brendanjones Yo, @cameron, interested in trying out OpenCollective for bayes.club?

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@den@t.den.yt 2023-02-26 04:15

👋 OpenCollective actually fits the culture of decentralization much better.

Open ##1535972
@irisRichardson@mastodon.art 2023-02-26 12:29

@Brendanjones I am sure a lot of creators would love to find a place where art lovers can support them knowing the funds go to the artist and not to a third party.

Open ##1535973
@jelte@mastodon.nl 2023-02-26 13:01

@Brendanjones really? The smallest amount i could choose to go to OC was 10% for monthly donations to my mastodon instance. But OC failed to charge my creditcard anyway, so i ended up doing a direct bank transfer each month, so that's 0% :)

Open ##1535975
@ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz 2023-03-04 12:51

@Brendanjones When we set up payments for this instance (Mathstodon) I looked at Patreon, as it was the one people seemed most familiar with. After struggling for three hours to set it up I gave up, utterly disgusted. I set up Ko-Fo ... less than 20 minutes and it works flawlessly. In due course I'll be looking at other options, and am noting the comments here.

Open ##1535976
@Paul030@social.coop 2023-03-04 21:13

@Brendanjones I'm a big fan of @opencollective - Let's also mention Comradery.co for the sake of completeness: a worker-owned #platformcoop quiet similar.

Open ##1535980
@ZaneSelvans@social.coop 2023-03-05 15:13

@Brendanjones I don't think it's a #coop yet, but they're trying to move in that direction. They still need to raise enough money from the community to pay back their unusually patient initial investors, and decide how the new organization will govern itself. #e2c https://opencollective.com/e2c

Open ##1535981
@GertyBz@mastodon.art 2023-03-10 10:57

@Brendanjones It is based in USA, that's a shame, I wish it were based in the EEA, I'd feel a lot better about using it.

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