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about/compare: fix revenue table math + Stripe fee consistency Closes R26-123. Three issues in about/compare.md (the audit referred to a non-existent platform-overview.html — this is the actual file): - $500/mo row: MNW "You keep $410-470" was off by $10. The high-end forgot to subtract the $10 Basic-tier sub the way the $2,000 and $10,000 rows correctly do at both ends. Fixed to $410-460. - "Save $940-1,490/month" claim mixed worst-case Bandcamp ($1,490) with best-case itch.io ($940), silently excluding Gumroad where the savings are only $350-400. Claim now reads "$350-1,490" with each endpoint attributed to the right competitor. - Patreon column was labelled "8%" without noting that's the Pro tier; Lite (5%) and Premium (12%) shift the column. Now labelled "Patreon (Pro)" with a header note covering all three tiers. Also added: - Explicit "$10 average transaction" disclaimer in the section header, with a link to how-we-work.md § The Math for the full cost-per-sale breakdown. - "sales × $10" in row titles so the assumption is visible. - Break-even rows for 10% and 8% (not just 15%) so the table covers all three cut percentages it compares against. - MNW row's "Platform fee" cell switched from "$0 (flat $10-60 sub)" to "0% + $10-60 sub" — the old form had $0 collide with the sub note. Verified all math with Python: - Stripe: $500/mo=$29.50, $2k=$118, $10k=$590 - Break-evens: $10-60 / 15% = $67-400; / 10% = $100-600; / 8% = $125-750.
Author: Max J. <87768334+MaxJMath@users.noreply.github.com> · 2026-05-22 15:56 UTC
Commit: 6446ab17026277b82c1a277f0dddfd3fbc538493
Parent: e7c0b9a
1 file changed, +16 insertions, -12 deletions
M server/site-docs/public/about/compare.md +16 -12
@@ -6,39 +6,41 @@ What you keep on Makenot.work versus other platforms at $500, $2,000, and $10,00
6 6
7 7 ## Fee Comparison
8 8
9 - All numbers assume US Stripe rates (2.9% + $0.30). Actual rates vary by country and payment method.
9 + All numbers assume US Stripe rates (2.9% + $0.30) and an **average fan transaction of $10**. Per-transaction cost depends on sale count, not just gross revenue — see [How We Work § The Math](./how-we-work.md#the-math) for the full breakdown. Patreon's row uses their "Pro" tier (8%); their Lite (5%) and Premium (12%) tiers shift the column up and down respectively.
10 10
11 - ### At $500/month Revenue (50 sales at $10)
11 + The Makenot.work range reflects the lowest tier ($10, Basic) at the high end and the highest tier ($60, Everything) at the low end.
12 +
13 + ### At $500/month revenue (50 sales × $10)
12 14
13 15 | Platform | Platform fee | Processing | You keep |
14 16 |----------|---:|---:|---:|
15 - | **Makenot.work** | $0 (flat $10-60 sub) | ~$29.50 | **$410-470** |
17 + | **Makenot.work** | 0% + $10-60 sub | ~$29.50 | **$410-460** |
16 18 | Bandcamp | 15% = $75 | ~$29.50 | $395 |
17 19 | Gumroad | 10% = $50 | included | $450 |
18 20 | itch.io (default) | 10% = $50 | ~$29.50 | $420 |
19 - | Patreon | 8% = $40 | 2.9%+$0.30 = ~$29.50 | $430 |
21 + | Patreon (Pro) | 8% = $40 | 2.9%+$0.30 = ~$29.50 | $430 |
20 22
21 - ### At $2,000/month Revenue (200 sales at $10)
23 + ### At $2,000/month revenue (200 sales × $10)
22 24
23 25 | Platform | Platform fee | Processing | You keep |
24 26 |----------|---:|---:|---:|
25 - | **Makenot.work** | $0 (flat $10-60 sub) | ~$118 | **$1,822-1,872** |
27 + | **Makenot.work** | 0% + $10-60 sub | ~$118 | **$1,822-1,872** |
26 28 | Bandcamp | 15% = $300 | ~$118 | $1,582 |
27 29 | Gumroad | 10% = $200 | included | $1,800 |
28 30 | itch.io (default) | 10% = $200 | ~$118 | $1,682 |
29 - | Patreon | 8% = $160 | ~$118 | $1,722 |
31 + | Patreon (Pro) | 8% = $160 | ~$118 | $1,722 |
30 32
31 - ### At $10,000/month Revenue
33 + ### At $10,000/month revenue (1,000 sales × $10)
32 34
33 35 | Platform | Platform fee | Processing | You keep |
34 36 |----------|---:|---:|---:|
35 - | **Makenot.work** | $0 (flat $10-60 sub) | ~$590 | **$9,350-9,400** |
37 + | **Makenot.work** | 0% + $10-60 sub | ~$590 | **$9,350-9,400** |
36 38 | Bandcamp | 15% = $1,500 | ~$590 | $7,910 |
37 39 | Gumroad | 10% = $1,000 | included | $9,000 |
38 40 | itch.io (default) | 10% = $1,000 | ~$590 | $8,410 |
39 - | Patreon | 8% = $800 | ~$590 | $8,610 |
41 + | Patreon (Pro) | 8% = $800 | ~$590 | $8,610 |
40 42
41 - The flat-fee model becomes more favorable as revenue grows. At $10,000/month, you save $940-1,490/month compared to percentage-cut platforms.
43 + The flat-fee model becomes more favorable as revenue grows. At $10,000/month you save **$350-1,490/month** versus percentage-cut platforms — about $350-400 versus Gumroad at the low end, up to $1,440-1,490 versus Bandcamp at the high end. itch.io and Patreon sit between those two endpoints.
42 44
43 45 ---
44 46
@@ -85,8 +87,10 @@ Discovery is driven entirely by fan intent: search, filters, tags, feeds, sortin
85 87 | **Platform cut** | 0% | 15% | 10% | 0-10% (creator sets) | 5-12% |
86 88 | **Processing** | ~3% (Stripe) | ~3% (Stripe) | included in 10% | ~3% | ~3% |
87 89 | **Break-even vs 15%** | ~$67-400/mo revenue | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
90 + | **Break-even vs 10%** | ~$100-600/mo revenue | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
91 + | **Break-even vs 8%** | ~$125-750/mo revenue | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
88 92
89 - At low revenue (under ~$67/month), percentage-cut platforms cost less because 15% of $50 is $7.50. Above that, flat pricing wins, and the gap widens with every dollar earned.
93 + Break-even is `subscription / platform-percentage`. Below that revenue, the percentage-cut platform costs you less; above it, the flat fee wins and the gap widens with every dollar earned. The ranges above span the Basic tier ($10) at the low end to Everything ($60) at the high end.
90 94
91 95 ---
92 96