Here's the difference between premium (qi) vs Patreon for me.
On Qi, there are no notifications for the free chapters. Premium chapters will get released, and then some time later the free ones do. It makes it hard from a readers standpoint, because I usually end up checking the novel seeing a new chapter, only to find out it was the premium chapter and not the free chapter that was released. Then Il periodically check to see when the free chapter comes out (gets annoying).
Another big thing is the comments for each chapter. With this system, you have a divide where the chapter is being commented on and discussed on the first day by premium readers, then the free readers come by about a couple of weeks later, and the discussion has died. It just doesn't feel good as a free reader to be 'catching up', or late to a discussion.
On WW, the patreon system was SEPARATE from the regular chapter releases. You still got updates for the daily releases, and still got advance chapters for patreon (if you wanted).. The comment section was not affected either since readers were essentially reading those free chapters at the same time. You had the CHOICE to read ahead, and regular free readers would not get affected.
On Qi, you see how many chapters you are behind as a free reader. You can see all the comments and even sometimes spoilers in the comment sections. It makes you feel like you are missing out. You have nobody to excited with, or happily discuss those chapters, since lots of people have already commented and discussed that. Its simple psychology; Humans are social animals, and half the people on this site read and comment to feel a part of a community. When that social aspect is taken away for half the community (free readers) it does not feel good. It makes you want to spend money on ss, to 'catch up' so you are relevant, and part of the community again. Here, it almost FORCES you to be a premium reader, unless you want to be missing out on everything.
I get why this is happening, and I understand this is business. I am not trying to argue against Qi, or even the premium system. I just think the implementation and execution of this system was poorly done.