TL;DR: When you share your Patreon link on Instagram, it opens in the in app browser, where fans are not logged in and joining is awkward. That friction quietly costs you members. OpenUp.to turns your Patreon URL into a deeplink that opens the Patreon app directly, where signing up and managing a membership is far easier. Free to start, no code, with a web fallback.

If you fund your creative work through Patreon, the link in your bio is one of the most valuable links you own. It is also one of the most likely to leak members, because of how social apps handle it.

Why the in app browser hurts paid memberships most?

Joining a paid membership is a higher commitment action than a like or a follow. It involves logging in, choosing a tier, and entering payment details. Every one of those steps is smoother inside the Patreon app, where the fan may already be logged in and where payment is set up.

Now picture the default experience. A fan watches your Story, taps your Patreon link, and lands in Instagram's in app browser. They are not logged into Patreon there. To join they would have to sign in inside a cramped tab and enter payment in a browser they do not trust. For a free action people sometimes push through that friction. For a paid action, far fewer do. The result is fans who genuinely wanted to support you, but bounced at the payment step.

What a Patreon deeplink changes?

A Patreon deeplink opens your page inside the Patreon app, where the fan is on familiar, trusted ground. Logging in is easier, the tiers are clear, and the path to becoming a paying member is short. You are not convincing anyone new. You are simply removing the obstacles for the people who already decided to support you.

How to set it up with OpenUp.to?

1. Copy your Patreon page URL.

2. Paste it into the free deeplink generator on OpenUp.to.

3. OpenUp builds a smart link that opens the Patreon app on iOS and Android.

4. Replace the plain Patreon link in your bio, Stories, and pinned posts.

If a fan does not have the Patreon app installed, the link falls back to the Patreon website, so no one hits a dead end. Setup takes under a minute and needs no code.

Plain link versus deeplink for Patreon

A real example

A comics creator posts a behind the scenes Story and points fans to Patreon for the full series. With a plain link, ten fans tap, eight land in the in app browser, hit the login and payment friction, and only one joins. With a deeplink, those same ten land inside the Patreon app, where joining is quick, and three or four convert. The audience and the offer were identical. The only difference was where the link opened.

Make your whole funnel app first

Your Patreon link rarely travels alone. Creators usually point fans to several places: a YouTube channel, a shop, a Spotify profile, and Patreon. Each of those converts better in its app. Put them all on one link in bio page where every entry is a deeplink, and your entire funnel stops leaking at the in app browser.

The bottom line

Patreon is where your most committed fans turn into paying supporters, but only if they can join without friction. Instagram's in app browser adds friction at the worst possible moment, the payment step. A deeplink from OpenUp.to opens the Patreon app directly, smooths the path to joining, and is free to set up in seconds. For a creator who depends on memberships, fixing this one link can pay for itself quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my Patreon link open in a browser instead of the app? Instagram and other social apps open links in their in app browser by default. A deeplink redirects to the Patreon app instead.

Will fans need to log in again? Inside the Patreon app they are far more likely to be logged in already, which removes a major drop off point.

Is OpenUp.to free? Yes. There is a free plan, and paid plans start at $8.99 per month.

Do I need any code or a developer? No. OpenUp is no code. You paste your link and get a smart link.

What if a fan does not have the Patreon app? The link falls back to the Patreon website, so they still reach your page.

Can I use the same approach for Substack or Ko fi? Yes. OpenUp supports over 100 apps, so the same method works for many creator platforms.

Last updated: June 2026. Written by the OpenUp.to team.

Internal links: deeplink generator, link in bio, why links open in app browsers