Patreon creators now not need to depend on third-party websites like YouTube or Vimeo to share video content material. Instead, the platform launched its personal native video function on Thursday. “There are no ads, no trolls in the comments, and you never have to worry about ending up on the wrong side of the algorithm,” Patreon mentioned in its announcement.

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The new product, aptly named Patreon Video, has been within the works for a full year. It will enable creators to add their content material straight on Patreon with no need to navigate the trouble of embedding exterior hyperlinks or having what is meant to be subscriber-only content material obtainable for viewing on different platforms.

Videos via the brand new function will likely be excessive definition, enable for picture-in-picture, might be any size, and will likely be cast-able between gadgets, in line with Patreon. The web site may also simply enable for creators to make and share previews of paid video content material, and choose precisely who of their fanbase can watch every publish.

The catch: Patreon Video received’t be free long-term. For now, eligible Pro and Premium plan creators (i.e. these in good standing and never making grownup content material) get cost-free early entry, with 500 hours of video by way of the function that they will use any time via not less than the primary six months of 2023. But as soon as that trial stage ends, Patreon plans to introduce a value system “that takes into account the cost of hosting and streaming.”

“Once we launch pricing, we will let creators know and they’ll have six months to still use the 500 free hours,” the corporate’s Chief Product Officer Julian Gutman told Tech Crunch. “It’s really important to us to be transparent in terms of what the long term plan is on video,” Gutman added.

Added earnings from pay-to-post movies may very well be instrumental for the corporate, as Patreon has struggled to remain afloat this 12 months. Just two months in the past, the corporate laid off 80 workers, or about 17% of its employees.

At the very least although, movies created through the free trial interval received’t disappear or find yourself behind a pay barrier for creators. And the corporate claims customers will keep the choice of linking and embedding movies hosted on different platforms.

Though, the most important third-party choices have grow to be much less interesting lately. Earlier this 12 months, Vimeo reportedly began to demand high payments (as much as hundreds of {dollars}) from Patreon creators utilizing its platform.