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Please let me know when there's a viable Patreon competitor. Their incompetence has been staggering for years, and I would love to switch.
My latest example: security verification nonsense. (a thread)
My latest example: security verification nonsense. (a thread)
I saw an excellent thread from a British journalist who's boldly standing behind trans people despite significant career risk: https://twitter.com/OzKaterji/status/1359273931673337858
That's exactly the kind of journalist I like to support: somebody who's out to tell the truth in a way that's socially positive. Even though they could be making way more money doing something else.
So I clicked on the Patreon link in his bio, ready to add him. I click on the big button right near the amount I want.
But I get a sign-up page! That's not what I want. So I find and click the tiny "log in" link.
That leads to another usability mistake: a "Log in" page with no hint as to the correct login method. I've been using Patreon from this computer and browser for years; they should know and hint.
But not only have they forgotten that, they appear to have forgotten me entirely. So now I have to do an email verification. No problem, that should take just a few seconds.
But I wait and I wait, and nothing comes in. Inbox? Nope. Mailing lists folder? Nope. Spam folder? Nope. I check them all a few times. Eventually I wander off and come back.
The good news is that the email has arrived, and even states the time I clicked. So where was it while I was waiting?
I take a look at the headers, and their mail vendor, Mailgun, didn't receive it until 6:16:20 am, three full minutes later! For a computer that's an eternity. Are their systems badly designed or badly run? Perhaps both.
And all of this was unnecessary friction in their most important flow, creator signup. As soon as I was done, they sent me a confirmation. They could have easily added a "Not you? Contact us" link if security was a worry. Or they could have asked for a confirmation after.
This sort of shoddy user experience has been my consistent experience over 6 years of use. And don't even get me started on how they've raised $250m, meaning they'll have to skim 10x or more off starving artists in coming years. 
