Does Cartcord take a percentage of sales?
No. Cartcord charges a flat server plan and 0% of the order. PayPal's processing fee still applies.
Cartcord versus Patreon
Patreon's standard platform fee for newly published creator pages is 10%, plus applicable processing charges. Cartcord charges a flat server plan and grants one-time roles after PayPal capture. Cartcord is a fit for one-time access; it does not replace recurring membership billing. Optional timed passes have a separate expiry-service readiness gate.
| Area | Cartcord | Patreon |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer billing | One-time product payments; buyer recurring billing is not released | Monthly and annual memberships plus one-time purchases are offered |
| Discord access | Configured role delivery and recorded purchase recovery | Evaluate Patreon's documented Discord integration and membership synchronization |
| Access duration | Untimed roles or availability-gated one-time timed passes | Membership lifecycle depends on the selected billing and integration setup |
| Fees | Flat Cartcord store plan plus applicable PayPal charges | Standard and legacy Patreon plans differ; processing and other fees remain separate |
| Migration | New product drafts do not transfer existing member agreements | Preserve existing membership billing and benefit obligations |
A membership and a one-time product solve different problems
Patreon offers monthly and annual memberships as well as one-time purchases, and its published pricing distinguishes current and legacy creator plans. If the value you sell is an ongoing membership, compare the billing lifecycle, benefit delivery and customer account experience. Do not assume that granting a Discord role once reproduces an agreement that renews until the member cancels.
Cartcord currently supports one-time product payments. Untimed role access can suit a one-time supporter benefit; an optional timed pass requires an available expiry service and does not bill again. When the expiry service is unavailable, new timed setup and checkout are blocked. Your Cartcord platform subscription does not create a recurring charge for the customer who buys a role.
Review access synchronization and benefit delivery
Both the payment and Discord integration matter. Test what happens when a buyer has closed DMs, joins the wrong server, loses a role or asks for a refund. In Cartcord, inspect payment status separately from delivery status and use the original order for recovery. Recorded pre-existing access and other valid role grants should be preserved during eligible removal.
If you deliver posts, video, live events or other continuing benefits, identify where those benefits are hosted and who maintains access. A private role is a gate, not the content or the service itself. Publish a realistic schedule and support policy. Choose a membership platform when its renewal, content and account tools are required rather than treating a lower platform charge as a substitute for those functions.
Protect members during a change
Keep the original membership agreements and records while planning new sales. Product CSV import does not copy members or transfer payment authorization. Decide whether existing members will keep their old arrangement, receive a separately verified entitlement or voluntarily choose a new offer. Explain any change in billing, duration and benefits before asking a member to act.
Compare the actual Patreon plan that applies to the creator; a legacy rate and the standard rate are not interchangeable. Include payment processing, taxes, payout and support responsibilities in your model. Cartcord is a fit only when its released one-time checkout and configured delivery meet the offer. Retain a suitable recurring system when automatic membership renewal is an essential requirement.
Inventory the benefits behind each membership tier
List every benefit separately: private channels, posts, downloadable archives, live sessions, voting access and personal support. Record where each benefit is hosted and who checks eligibility. A Discord role may open a channel, but it does not schedule events, publish content or manage an entire membership relationship. If a tier promises continuing work, include the creator's production schedule and capacity in the decision. Replacing the checkout cannot remove the work that makes a membership valuable to supporters.
Now distinguish benefits that could reasonably be sold once from those that require continuing billing. A finished archive or a defined workshop can have a clear one-time scope. An open-ended monthly program usually needs a recurring lifecycle and member self-service. Cartcord's current product flow can suit the former when the delivery is configured correctly. It should not be presented as a drop-in replacement for the latter. Publish the exact access term and update commitment instead of using the word membership to hide a change in billing behavior.
Handle existing supporters as an explicit transition
Keep a private list of active arrangements and the benefits already owed. Decide how a supporter can confirm their existing entitlement without publishing payment details or personal information in a server channel. A new product draft does not transfer authorization for future charges. If you offer a different one-time product, explain what it adds and whether the supporter needs it at all. Provide a clear contact path for people who cannot use Discord or who joined with a different identity.
Avoid a rushed announcement that sends everyone to a new checkout while the old membership remains active. Explain cancellation in the system that controls the agreement, and do not promise a cancellation has happened until it is confirmed there. Preserve historical invoices, communications and access terms for support. If some benefits continue on Patreon and others move elsewhere, describe the split in ordinary language. A supporter should be able to understand where they pay, when access ends and whom to contact without comparing two dashboards.
Test access changes over the whole promised term
A role grant on the purchase day is only the beginning of an access test. Review how channel permissions, overlapping roles and moderator changes affect the member later. For a one-time timed Cartcord pass, verify that the configured expiry service is available before sale and explain that service or Discord interruptions can delay cleanup. The pass does not authorize another charge when it ends. An untimed role has no configured automatic expiry; do not describe it as a monthly subscription.
Prepare support instructions for missing roles, incorrect Discord identities and refund-related access changes. Use the existing order to investigate a failed delivery, and preserve other valid access when eligible removal runs. Compare the real cost of content hosting, billing support and community administration alongside plan and processor charges. Choose the platform arrangement that matches the benefit lifecycle you can operate. A lower headline fee is useful only after renewal behavior, member communication and delivery responsibilities are understood and correctly represented on the product page.
Sources and comparison assumptions
Checked on October 24, 2026. Plans, eligibility and fees can change. Compare your actual payment method, order count, taxes, hosting and support requirements. Cartcord's zero sales commission does not remove processor costs or make Cartcord the merchant of record.
Compare your monthly cost scenarios
Enter your actual fees. These are editable USD scenarios, not provider quotes. Include processor charges in both scenarios. Compare equivalent services and permitted products; required platform checkout still applies.
Enter every fee, including zero where applicable. Use non-negative amounts, whole orders and percentages up to 100.
Taxes, refunds, disputes, conversion, payout and support costs need separate review. Cartcord sales commission is 0%; the store plan and processor costs remain.
Questions
Who receives the buyer's payment?
The seller's own PayPal account. Cartcord does not hold the funds.
Which commands do buyers use?
Only /store, /products, and /buy.
Are paid roles a subscription?
Role payments are one-time. Optional timed passes require a ready expiry service; new timed setup is blocked while it is unavailable. Recurring buyer billing is not released.
How should I choose a plan?
Choose by your actual product count, order volume and required features. Review the current pricing table and include payment processing and support costs in the comparison.