Supporting MythicHub - Introducing Patreon
Hey everyone, it's Mateusz again. Today I want to share something personal about MythicHub's journey and where we're headed next.
When I made my first commit to MythicHub on March 30, 2023, after several failed attempts that never saw the light of day, I had no idea how much this project would grow. It's been over a year since launch, and thanks to your incredible feedback and support, MythicHub has evolved into something I'm really proud of.
But I need to be honest with you. Running MythicHub while juggling a full-time job, a growing family, and a dog means every hour I spend coding is precious. And while I've tried to keep costs down through affiliate links, I'll be blunt: they've generated exactly $0. Zero dollars. Not even enough for a coffee.
So today, I'm doing something I've thought about for a while - launching a Patreon to help support MythicHub. Let me explain why, and what it means for you.
➡️ Visit MythicHub on Patreon ⬅️
What We've Built Together
First, let me take a moment to appreciate what we've accomplished over the past year. Your feedback has been incredible, and it's directly shaped these improvements:
- Enhanced collection management with better binder organization and tracking
- Improved deck builder with cheapest printing finder, collection status integration, and export options
- Market trends and price tracking across multiple marketplaces with custom search capabilities
- cEDH metagame analysis powered by tournament data from TopDeck.gg
- Collection import from multiple platforms (Moxfield, Deckbox, ManaBox, MTGO, MTGArena Pro)
- Secret Lair tracking and comprehensive card database
- Artist pages celebrating the incredible artwork of Magic
None of this would exist without your input. You've helped shape MythicHub into a tool that actually solves real problems for Magic players.
Why MythicHub Will Always Be Free (and Ad-Free)
Let me be clear about something that will never change: MythicHub will always be free to use, and it will never have ads.
I genuinely believe that ads are the wrong way to run a hobby project. They're annoying, they ruin the user experience, and honestly, they're not even a sustainable business model for a niche tool like this. MythicHub exists because I love Magic and I love building things that help people. Cluttering it with flashy banners and pop-ups would betray that mission entirely.
The affiliate links I added were supposed to help cover server costs without being intrusive. But here's the reality: after over a year, they've made $0. That's not sustainable as MythicHub grows and server costs increase.
The Reality of Running MythicHub
I do this because I love it. There's something incredibly satisfying about building a tool that people actually use and find helpful. Every time someone sends feedback saying they finally organized their collection or built their dream deck, it makes those late nights worth it.
But as MythicHub grows, so do the costs. Server hosting and database storage. And the features I want to build next will increase those costs even more.
What's Next: Features That Need Support
I have some exciting features planned that I think will really help players stay on top of their collections and the market:
Automated Email Reporting
Get email updates about your collection's value changes, price alerts for cards on your wishlist, and summaries of market movements for cards you care about.
Real-time Notifications
Receive alerts when cards you're watching have significant price changes, helping you make informed decisions about buying, selling, or trading.
Here's the important part: These features will always be available to free users. But I need to be fair about server costs. Free users might be limited to one binder and one report per week, while Patreon supporters could select multiple binders and receive more frequent updates.
This isn't about locking features behind a paywall, it's about managing server resources fairly while keeping MythicHub accessible to everyone.
Why Patreon?
I've thought a lot about how to sustain MythicHub, and Patreon feels like the right approach because:
- It's optional - You choose to support if MythicHub provides value to you
- It's transparent - I can be honest about costs and what your support enables
- It keeps MythicHub clean - No ads, no sponsored content, no compromises
- It helps my family - Offsetting server and development costs makes a real difference
- It's fair - Supporters get cosmetic perks and some quality-of-life improvements, but no essential features are locked away
The money goes directly to infrastructure costs and development. It won't make me rich, but it will help me justify the time I spend on MythicHub and maybe even allow me to dedicate more hours to building the features you've been requesting.
Introducing Supporter Tiers
Because this is a Magic tool, I wanted the supporter tiers to feel thematic. I've modeled them after Magic The Gathering rarities, and each tier gives you visual customization options and recognition for your support:
⚪ Common Tier - $3/month
Your support helps keep the servers running, and you get:
- Red border for your avatar (toggle on/off)
- Gray supporter badge on your profile
- Simple, classic recognition
This tier is perfect if you want to help offset server costs without breaking the bank.
🥈 Uncommon Tier - $5/month
Show your support with a bit of personal style:
- Choose any custom color for your avatar border (any hex color!)
- Silver supporter badge
- Express yourself with your favorite color
Great for supporters who want to add some personal flair to their profile.
🥇 Rare Tier - $10/month
Stand out with stunning visual effects:
- Two-color gradient border for your avatar
- Gold supporter badge
- Create beautiful gradient combinations
Perfect for dedicated supporters who want to really make their profile pop.
💎 Mythic Tier - $15/month
The ultimate supporter experience with maximum customization:
- Full gradient border with two colors
- Username text glow effect in any color you choose
- Mythic supporter badge (the ultimate flex!)
- Complete creative control over your visual presence
For the most dedicated supporters who want all the bells and whistles.
All tiers include:
- Immediate activation of benefits (as soon as you pledge!)
- Self-service customization in Settings → Avatar & Supporter Settings
- Visible recognition on your profile
- 7-day grace period if you need to cancel (life happens, no hard feelings!)
Future Patreon Benefits
I'm considering additional perks depending on how many supporters join:
Feature Roadmap Voting - Let Patreon supporters vote on which features to prioritize next. This would give supporters a real voice in MythicHub's development.
This is just a plan for now, nothing's implemented yet. The more supporters we have, the more I can explore ways to give back to the community that makes this possible.
I wish I could offer more community features like a Discord server, but with my limited time right now, I can't commit to moderating and maintaining another platform. I want to focus my available time on building great features for MythicHub itself.
How to Become a Supporter
If you'd like to support MythicHub, here's how:
- Visit patreon.com/mythichub
- Choose your tier and complete the pledge
- Your benefits activate automatically (make sure your Patreon email matches your MythicHub email!)
- Go to Settings → Avatar & Supporter Settings to customize your look
If your Patreon email doesn't match your MythicHub account, just reach out and I'll link them manually.
A Personal Note
This is entirely voluntary. Free users will always get the same great features, maybe with some reasonable limits on resource, intensive stuff like email reports, but nothing that makes MythicHub unusable or unfair.
I built MythicHub because I love Magic and I love solving problems. Asking for financial support feels a bit uncomfortable, honestly. But the reality is that server costs are real, development time is limited, and offsetting some of those costs would genuinely help me and my family.
Whether you support through Patreon or just by using and sharing MythicHub, I'm grateful. Every piece of feedback, every bug report, every "hey this is cool" message keeps me motivated to make this better.
Your input has shaped everything MythicHub has become, and I'm excited to keep building this together.
Thank You
Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for your patience as I continue to build and improve MythicHub. Thank you for the feedback, the bug reports, and the encouragement.
MythicHub wouldn't exist without the Magic community, and I'm committed to making it the best tool possible for managing your collection and building great decks.
If you have questions, feedback, or just want to say hi, you can reach me at matt(at)mythichub.com or through our feedback form.
And if you decide to become a supporter - thank you. It means the world to me.
You can connect with MythicHub on Facebook and Instagram for updates and announcements.
Happy collecting and happy brewing!
—Mateusz