Happy Valley

Memberful vs Patreon

Memberful and Patreon are both creator monetization tools. Memberful is aimed at creators and small businesses, while Patreon is aimed at creators. Only Patreon has a free plan.

Memberful

Membership software for your own site

Patreon

Memberships for creators

PricingPaid · $49Free
Starting price$49/moNot published
Free planNoYes
Free trial——
Built forCreators, Small businessesCreators
Platformswebweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2013US · 2013
Rating——

Choose Memberful if

Creators with their own site.

  • Keep your own site
  • WordPress integration
  • Private podcasts

Look elsewhere if: Creators without sites (Patreon).

Choose Patreon if

Creators with an existing audience who want a trusted membership platform without building infrastructure.

  • Largest audience familiar with paying creators
  • Handles payments and sales tax
  • Discord and video features

Look elsewhere if: Creators who want to own the site and relationship (Ghost, Memberful) or minimal fees (Ko-fi).

Memberful vs Patreon pricing

Memberful

  • Standard$49/moPlus 4.9% transaction fee; unlimited members
  • EnterpriseCustomCustom volume pricing

Patreon

  • Free to start$0Create a page and offer free membership
  • Platform fee10%/of earningsPlus payment processing, conversion, payout fees

Memberful · Key features

  • Memberships on your site
  • Gated content
  • Private podcasts
  • Discord roles
  • Stripe billing
  • Group subscriptions

Cons

  • Fees
  • Requires your site
  • Limited community features

Patreon · Key features

  • Membership tiers with monthly or per-post billing
  • Posts, audio, video, polls and community chats
  • Discord integration for tier-based roles
  • Digital product sales (Commerce)
  • Analytics, payouts and tax handling
  • Mobile apps and creator discovery

Cons

  • Percentage fees are higher than alternatives
  • Limited design and branding
  • Platform controls the relationship

Memberful vs Patreon: FAQ

Do Memberful and Patreon have a free plan?

Memberful has no free plan. Patreon has a free plan.

Which is better for small businesses, Memberful or Patreon?

Memberful lists small businesses as a core audience, while Patreon is aimed more at creators.

Not sure yet?

Memberful vs Patreon (2026): Pricing and Features