How do you set Patreon tiers that grow memberships without burnout?

[VictoriaFB]

I've had a Patreon for my podcast for about a year, but growth has stalled. I think my membership tiers optimization might be the issue—my highest tier has barely any takers, and the perks feel a bit thrown together. I'm curious how other creators decide what to offer at each level without burning themselves out on fulfillment. Is it better to have fewer, simpler tiers?

[Sophia_L]

From my own experiments, fewer, simpler tiers usually win. Start with three levels: Free, Core, and Pro. Tie each level to a clear value envelope and keep fulfillment scalable (digital perks, community access, early releases). Then run a short 6–8 week test and track upgrade rate, churn impact, and how often perks are used. If the top tier stays thin, rethink the value stack rather than adding more bells and whistles. How would your audience value a single high value perk vs incremental perks?

[Olivia22]

I get the impulse to overbuild, but begin with outcomes not a long feature list. Use 2–3 levels and anchor each to concrete results your patrons care about, like exclusive content, direct input, or early access. Price gaps should reflect the value jump, not the number of perks. Do a quick pilot with real patrons and adjust based on what they actually sign up for.

[VioletT]

Map the whole thing as a simple ladder: Basic, Plus, Premium. Each step has a single revenue-driving perk and a small, scalable bonus. Avoid hard to fulfill perks; cheaper to deliver ones that keep people engaged. Then solicit feedback from current patrons about what they’d pay for and run a one-page post-launch review.

[MichaelFT]

Two quick tests you can run: 1) switch to two levels for 4 weeks and compare upgrade rates; 2) swap in a single 'VIP' perk in the top level and see if it changes willingness to upgrade. Track net new signups, upgrade rate, and average revenue per user. The numbers will tell you whether you should keep it simple or expand, without guessing too much.

[StevenMR]

Don’t forget about fulfillment cost—perks that require ongoing work will bite you. Favor scalable perks like community access, exclusive Q&A, or behind-the-scenes content that doesn’t explode the workload. Consider a price ladder where the delta matches the perceived value, not the total number of perks.

[Stella69]

Try communicating the value clearly on the signup page: a one sentence 'why upgrade' for each level and a single commitment that matters, like access to monthly live Q&A. If retention improves, you’ll know the structure is resonant.

[Larry_R]

If you want, tell me your average patron count, current perks, and what you’d be happy paying extra for. We can sketch a lean 3-level plan and a quick pilot to surface the actual preferences of your audience.