12 Best Membership Site Platforms for Creators in 2025

Choosing the right platform for your online community or course is a critical decision. With dozens of options available, it's easy to get stuck comparing features. The reality is, the best membership site platforms aren't one-size-fits-all. The right choice depends entirely on your business model, the experience you want to create for members, and your technical comfort level.

This guide provides a practical comparison of the top 12 platforms. We'll skip the marketing fluff and give you a clear look at each tool's strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases. You'll get specific examples and direct recommendations to help you make a confident choice.

Inside this resource, you will find:

• Step-by-step insights into platforms like Kajabi, Mighty Networks, Circle, and MemberPress.
• Clear comparisons between all-in-one solutions and specialized tools.
• Actionable advice on who should use each platform and why.
• A featured spotlight on how our platform, Kampunity, compares and when it’s the best choice for your needs.

Our goal is to give you the clarity needed to choose a platform and get back to serving your community. We’ll cover everything from simple content paywalls to complex community engagement. To see even more options, you can also explore more top membership management software options. Let's find the perfect fit for your membership business.

1. Kampunity

Best All-in-One Platform for Paid Learning Communities

Kampunity is built for creators who want to run their entire learning business—courses, community, events, and payments—from a single dashboard. Instead of duct-taping a course platform to a separate chat tool, Kampunity integrates these functions into one hub. This all-in-one design reduces technical headaches and lets you focus on your members, not on managing software.

The platform is designed to turn a passive audience into an active, paid learning community. For example, a business coach can launch a 6-week program where each course module has its own dedicated chat channel. They can host weekly live Q&As using the built-in event calendar and use the gamification system to award points for completing lessons and participating in discussions, creating a motivating and interactive environment.

Key Strengths and Features

Kampunity’s strength lies in its practical integration of features designed to boost member engagement and simplify sales.

• Integrated Learning & Community: The platform combines a multimedia course builder (with lessons, quizzes, and assignments) with chat-based community spaces. You can create public channels to attract prospects, private channels for all members, and course-exclusive channels to keep conversations focused and organized.
• Built-in Gamification: A customizable gamification engine lets you award experience points (XP), levels, and badges for completing lessons or participating in the community. This creates a feedback loop that motivates members, increases completion rates, and uses leaderboards to foster healthy competition.
• Flexible Monetization: Kampunity provides a robust set of monetization tools. You can offer free access, one-time purchases, recurring subscriptions, and different membership tiers. It also includes simple landing page templates to help you sell your memberships without needing a separate website builder.
• Streamlined Event Management: The events system is built for educators. It supports one-off workshops and recurring cohort sessions, integrates with Zoom and Google Meet, provides a color-coded calendar, and sends automated email reminders to boost attendance.

Pricing Structure

Kampunity offers a simple, creator-focused pricing model.

• Free Plan: Start for free with a 10% platform fee on all revenue. This is a practical option for creators validating a new idea without upfront costs.
• Pro Plan: $99/month per camp plus a 1.5% platform fee. This plan becomes more cost-effective once your membership generates over $1,165 in monthly revenue.

Note: Standard Stripe processing fees apply to all transactions on both plans.

Ideal Use Cases

• Coaches and Consultants: A perfect fit for running cohort-based programs, masterminds, and group coaching that require both course materials and live interaction.
• Course Creators: An excellent choice for adding a community component to courses to improve student results and reduce churn.
• Training Organizations: Simplifies the delivery of professional development programs by managing multiple cohorts, events, and learning resources in one place.

Website: https://www.kampunity.com

2. Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for established creators. It's designed to replace a dozen different tools by bundling memberships, courses, email marketing, a website builder, and sales funnels into a single system. This makes it one of the best membership site platforms for those who need powerful marketing automation and are willing to pay for a premium, integrated solution.

The platform’s strength is its automation. For example, you can build a funnel where a user downloads a free guide, receives a 5-day email sequence, and is then offered a discount on your entry-level membership. If they purchase, they are automatically granted access and tagged in your system. For advanced analytics, you can explore Kajabi's marketing analytics integration with Cometly for deeper attribution insights.

Pricing and Features

Kajabi’s pricing starts at $149/month for the Basic plan, which limits the number of products and active customers. Higher-tier plans unlock an affiliate program and advanced automations. While the cost is high, the value comes from consolidating your tech stack into one predictable monthly expense.

• Pros:
  • Truly all-in-one, replacing many separate software subscriptions.
  • Powerful marketing automation and analytics.
  • Scales well for growing businesses with multiple products.
• Cons:
  • High starting price can be a barrier for new creators.
  • Limits on contacts and products can force you into more expensive plans.

Best For: Established creators, coaches, and businesses that need a robust, scalable platform to manage their entire digital operation and are ready to invest in a premium tool. See how it compares to others in this online course platform comparison.

3. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks puts community at the center of everything. Unlike tools that treat community as an add-on, Mighty Networks is built to foster member interaction through feeds, live events, group chats, and rich member profiles. This makes it one of the best membership site platforms for creators who believe a thriving community is the main product.

The platform provides a clean, intuitive experience that feels like a private social network. Members can easily connect, join discussions, and attend events within a polished web and native mobile app. For example, a yoga instructor could use Mighty Networks to create a space where members share their progress, join live-streamed classes, and participate in monthly wellness challenges, all from their phone. See other great options in this list of the best online community platforms.

Pricing and Features

Mighty Networks' pricing starts at $41/month for the Community plan. To add online courses and live cohort features, you'll need the Business plan at $119/month. While lower tiers have transaction fees, the platform offers a powerful, all-in-one solution for community-first businesses.

• Pros:
  • Excellent focus on community engagement and interaction.
  • Clean, modern user experience on both web and native mobile apps.
  • Fast and simple to set up and launch a new community.
• Cons:
  • Key features like courses are locked behind more expensive plans.
  • Transaction fees apply on lower-tier plans.

Best For: Community-led businesses and brand communities where the primary goal is fostering deep member-to-member connections, with courses serving as a secondary benefit.

4. Circle

Circle is a modern and elegant platform for creators who want to build a premium community. It brings together discussions, courses, live events, and paid memberships into one polished and intuitive space. Unlike many platforms where community feels like an afterthought, Circle makes it the central hub, making it one of the best membership site platforms for fostering deep engagement.

The platform is built for flexibility, offering powerful workflows and API access that allow for custom integrations. This makes it a top choice for cohort-based courses and brands wanting a highly customized member experience. For instance, a coding bootcamp can use Circle to host live-streamed lessons, create separate chat spaces for each student cohort, and use automated workflows to welcome new members and guide them through onboarding.

Pricing and Features

Circle's pricing starts at $49/month for the Basic plan. The Professional and Business plans, starting at $99/month and $219/month, unlock advanced features like live streams, courses, and workflow automations. The Email Hub for broadcasts is available as a paid add-on, allowing you to manage communications without leaving the platform.

• Pros:
  • Polished, modern, and highly flexible community experience.
  • API access enables powerful custom integrations.
  • Excellent for running cohort-based courses and interactive events.
• Cons:
  • Email marketing functionality is a paid add-on.
  • Advanced automations are only available on higher-priced tiers.

Best For: Community-focused creators, coaches running cohort programs, and brands that need a flexible, API-driven platform to build a premium and engaging member experience. Find out more at the official Circle pricing page.

5. Thinkific

Thinkific is an education-first platform, making it a top choice for creators whose memberships are built around structured learning programs. While it supports general memberships, its core strength is delivering high-quality online courses with quizzes, assignments, and completion certificates. This focus makes it one of the best membership site platforms for educators who need robust learning tools without the complexity of a full marketing suite.

A key advantage of Thinkific is that it charges no platform transaction fees on its paid plans, allowing you to keep more of your revenue as your business grows. For example, a financial advisor can create a signature course on retirement planning, complete with graded quizzes after each module and a personalized certificate upon completion. They can bundle this course into a membership that also includes access to a basic community forum and monthly live Q&A sessions.

Pricing and Features

Thinkific has a free plan to get started, with paid plans beginning at $49/month for the Basic tier. Higher-tier plans unlock unlimited courses and more advanced features. The pricing is designed to scale with an educational business, prioritizing student engagement over marketing automation.

• Pros:
  • Strong focus on educational tools like quizzes and assignments.
  • No platform transaction fees on any paid plans.
  • User-friendly interface for both creators and students.
• Cons:
  • Community features are more basic than dedicated community platforms.
  • Lacks the built-in marketing and sales funnel tools of competitors.

Best For: Course creators, educators, and academic institutions who prioritize a structured learning experience and want a reliable platform to deliver educational content. For a deeper look at similar tools, explore this guide to the best learning management systems for small business.

6. Teachable

Teachable is a popular platform known for its user-friendly interface and fast setup. It's designed for creators who want to launch quickly without getting stuck on technical details, making it one of the best membership site platforms for educators who prioritize speed. Its core strength is providing a streamlined experience, with native mobile apps that improve learning on the go.

The platform includes essential marketing features like upsells, order bumps, and an affiliate management tool. For example, a creator can sell a primary course and then offer a related mini-course as an "order bump" directly on the checkout page, increasing the average transaction value with a single click. This focus on both creation and sales makes it a solid choice for building an educational business.

Pricing and Features

Teachable has a free plan with a $1 + 10% transaction fee. Paid plans start at $59/month for the Basic plan (with a 5% transaction fee). The Pro plan removes transaction fees entirely. Higher-tier plans unlock white-labeling and remove limits on the number of products you can publish.

• Pros:
  • Very easy to set up and launch courses or memberships quickly.
  • Includes native iOS and Android apps for a better student experience.
  • 0% transaction fees are available on the Pro plan and above.
• Cons:
  • Transaction fees on lower-tier plans can be high.
  • The number of published products is limited on starter plans.

Best For: First-time course creators and coaches who need a simple, intuitive platform to launch their digital products and value a dedicated mobile app for their students. Explore their plans at teachable.com.

7. MemberPress (WordPress plugin)

For creators who want to build on WordPress, MemberPress is one of the best membership site platforms available as a plugin. It provides a powerful set of tools to restrict content, sell tiered subscriptions, and manage members directly within your WordPress dashboard. This gives you complete ownership over your data and the flexibility to customize every aspect of the user experience.

MemberPress excels at content protection. You can create rules to lock down pages, posts, categories, or even specific files based on a member's subscription level. For instance, a food blogger could use MemberPress to offer a free recipe section to all visitors, a premium recipe library for "Basic" members, and exclusive video tutorials for "Pro" members, all managed from one WordPress site.

Pricing and Features

MemberPress is sold as a yearly license, starting at $179.50/year for the Basic plan. Higher-tier plans unlock advanced features like corporate accounts and gifting. While this requires an upfront investment, it is often more cost-effective long-term than monthly SaaS fees, especially since you aren't charged based on your number of members.

• Pros:
  • Full control and ownership of your site and data within WordPress.
  • Yearly license is often more affordable than monthly SaaS platforms.
  • Highly flexible with a wide range of third-party integrations.
• Cons:
  • Requires you to manage your own WordPress hosting and security.
  • Steeper learning curve if you are not familiar with WordPress.
  • Some key features are only available on more expensive plans.

Best For: WordPress users and bloggers who want to add a powerful membership component to an existing site and value deep customization and full ownership. Learn more at https://memberpress.com/.

8. Podia

Podia is a creator-friendly platform that simplifies selling digital products and memberships. It bundles courses, digital downloads, coaching sessions, and a community feature into one easy-to-use package. This makes it one of the best membership site platforms for solo creators and small teams who want an all-in-one solution without the complexity of more advanced systems.

The platform is designed for a quick start. You can set up your storefront, create a membership, and start selling quickly thanks to its intuitive interface. Podia also includes built-in email marketing tools, allowing you to send newsletters and simple campaigns without needing a separate email service. For example, a musician could use Podia to sell an online guitar course, offer one-on-one coaching sessions, and build a community for students to share their progress.

Pricing and Features

Podia has a free plan with an 8% transaction fee. Paid plans start at $39/month for the Mover plan, which removes the transaction fee. Higher tiers unlock affiliate marketing and priority support. A key benefit is that all core features are available across all plans.

• Pros:
  • Extremely friendly and intuitive interface, great for beginners.
  • All core features are available on all plans.
  • Offers a free plan and affordable paid tiers with no transaction fees.
• Cons:
  • Community features are less advanced than dedicated platforms.
  • The free plan includes a high transaction fee.

Best For: Solopreneurs, coaches, and creators who want a simple, affordable, all-in-one solution to sell memberships, courses, and digital downloads without a steep learning curve. Explore Podia's plans at https://www.podia.com/pricing.

9. Ghost(Pro)

Ghost is a modern publishing platform built for professional creators who want to build a business around their content. It integrates a sophisticated writing experience with native membership and email newsletter tools, making it one of the best membership site platforms for content-led businesses like paid newsletters or private blogs. Its clean, minimalist interface is designed for distraction-free writing.

Ghost(Pro)’s business model is a key feature. They charge a flat monthly fee for managed hosting and take zero transaction fees on your membership revenue (standard Stripe fees still apply). This direct-to-creator model allows you to keep more of your earnings as you scale. For example, a journalist could launch a subscription newsletter where some articles are free and in-depth analyses are reserved for paying members, all managed within Ghost.

Pricing and Features

Ghost(Pro) pricing starts at $11/month (billed annually) for the Creator plan, which supports up to 500 members. Higher plans increase member limits and add features like custom themes. All plans include managed hosting, CDN, SSL, and daily backups, providing a secure and fast experience.

• Pros:
  • Creator-friendly business model with 0% platform transaction fees.
  • Clean, fast, and optimized publishing experience.
  • Native tools for paid memberships and email newsletters are built-in.
• Cons:
  • Not designed as a course platform; lacks LMS features like quizzes.
  • Community features are minimal compared to dedicated platforms.

Best For: Writers, journalists, and publishers who want to run a premium content subscription or paid newsletter and prioritize a beautiful writing experience without platform fees. Learn more at the official Ghost(Pro) website.

10. Patreon

Patreon offers a straightforward, hosted platform for artists, podcasters, and writers to receive recurring support from their fans. Unlike more complex platforms, Patreon excels in simplicity. A creator can set up a page with multiple membership tiers and start accepting payments in minutes, making it an accessible entry point into the membership model.

The platform is designed around the relationship between creators and their "patrons." It provides tools for this dynamic, including hosted creator pages, community features like chats and polls, and basic analytics. The focus is less on building a standalone website and more on creating a paywalled space for your most loyal followers to access exclusive content. Its brand recognition means your audience already knows and trusts the payment process.

Pricing and Features

Patreon operates on a platform fee model, taking a percentage of the creator's monthly income. Plans range from 8% to 12% of earnings, plus standard payment processing fees. This revenue-share model means there are no upfront monthly costs. However, as your revenue grows, this percentage can become more expensive than a flat-rate subscription.

• Pros:
  • Extremely fast and easy to set up with no upfront costs.
  • Massive audience familiarity and built-in trust.
  • Simple, user-friendly interface for both creators and patrons.
• Cons:
  • Platform fees can become expensive as earnings increase.
  • Limited customization and branding control.
  • iOS app purchases can incur additional fees from Apple.

Best For: Independent creators like podcasters, YouTubers, artists, and writers who need a quick and trusted way to launch a fan-supported membership without technical overhead. Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/.

11. Gumroad

Gumroad offers one of the simplest ways for creators to start selling memberships and digital products. It acts as a streamlined storefront that handles product hosting, checkout, and delivery with minimal setup. This makes it one of the best membership site platforms for validating an idea or launching a subscription without the upfront costs of more complex systems.

The platform's key appeal is its function as a Merchant of Record. This means Gumroad handles complex global sales tax compliance on your behalf, a major benefit for independent creators selling worldwide. You can host simple membership content directly on the platform or use it as a payment gateway that connects to an external community via webhooks, providing a flexible and simple solution.

Pricing and Features

Gumroad has no monthly fee. Instead, it takes a 10% flat fee from every sale. This fee-based structure is ideal for new creators who are not yet generating consistent revenue. The platform includes hosted product pages, embeddable checkout buttons, and an optional "Discover" marketplace to help new customers find your products.

• Pros:
  • No monthly subscription fees, making it risk-free to start.
  • Extremely easy and fast to publish a product and start selling.
  • Manages global sales tax for you as the Merchant of Record.
• Cons:
  • The 10% per-sale fee is higher than many competitors.
  • Very limited community-building and course-creation features.

Best For: Independent creators, artists, and writers who need a quick, no-cost way to sell digital products and simple memberships without managing complex software or tax regulations. Explore its simple pricing structure at gumroad.com/pricing.

12. Payhip

Payhip is an e-commerce platform that excels in simplicity, making it ideal for creators who want a straightforward way to sell digital products and memberships. It provides a hosted storefront that supports memberships, online courses, coaching services, and both digital and physical products. This makes it one of the best membership site platforms for creators testing a new idea without a major upfront investment.

The platform's standout feature is its generous free-forever plan, which includes access to all core features. Creators can build their store, set up membership tiers, and start selling immediately with built-in tools for email marketing and VAT/GST handling. It integrates directly with Stripe and PayPal, offering instant payouts, which is a significant benefit for small business owners managing cash flow.

Pricing and Features

Payhip’s pricing model is transparent. The Free Forever plan has no monthly fee but includes a 5% transaction fee. As your business grows, you can upgrade to the Plus plan at $29/month (2% fee) or the Pro plan at $99/month (no transaction fee). This scalable model allows your costs to grow with your revenue.

• Pros:
  • Excellent free plan with full feature access.
  • Transparent pricing that scales with your business.
  • Instant payouts help with cash flow management.
• Cons:
  • Transaction fees on the lower-tier plans can add up.
  • Customization and branding options are less advanced than other platforms.

Best For: New creators and entrepreneurs looking for a low-risk, all-in-one solution to sell memberships and digital products without committing to a monthly subscription fee. Learn more about their plans at https://payhip.com/pricing.

Top 12 Membership Site Platforms — Feature Comparison

Making Your Final Decision: A Practical Checklist

Choosing from the best membership site platforms requires clarity on your goals. We've explored twelve options, from all-in-one systems like Kajabi to community-builders like Circle and simple storefronts like Gumroad. The best choice isn’t the one with the most features, but the one with the right features for your business.

The core takeaway is this: start with your member experience and work backward. Don't get distracted by a long list of features you may never use. Instead, focus on the specific journey you want to create for your community. This will make your platform decision simple.

Key Takeaways Distilled

As you narrow down your options, consider these points:

• All-in-One vs. Best-in-Breed: Platforms like Kajabi and Podia handle everything. In contrast, tools like MemberPress integrate with your existing website, giving you more control but requiring more setup.
• Community vs. Content: Is your primary value the content (courses, videos) or the connections between members? Mighty Networks and Circle are built for community-first models, while platforms like Teachable and Thinkific excel at structured content delivery.
• Simplicity vs. Customization: Tools like Patreon and Gumroad let you launch in minutes. A self-hosted solution using MemberPress on WordPress provides nearly limitless customization but comes with a steeper learning curve.

Your Actionable Next Steps: A Practical Checklist

Before you commit, walk through these practical steps. This checklist will help you move from analysis to a confident decision.

1. Define Your Non-Negotiables:

   • What are the 3-5 must-have features for your membership to succeed on day one? (e.g., live streaming, a community forum, drip content, native mobile app).
   • List them out. Any platform that doesn't meet these core needs is an immediate "no."

2. Map Your Business Model:

   • Are you selling one-time products, recurring subscriptions, or a mix of both?
   • Do you need tiered membership levels with different access rules?
   • Will you offer free trials or affiliate programs? Ensure the platform’s pricing and payment tools align perfectly with how you make money.

3. Calculate the True Cost:

   • Look beyond the monthly subscription fee. Factor in transaction fees, costs for necessary third-party integrations (like email or video hosting), and potential add-ons.
   • A cheaper base plan might become more expensive once you add the tools needed to make it functional.

4. Sign Up for Free Trials:

   • Theory is one thing; hands-on experience is another. Sign up for the free trials of your top 2-3 contenders.
   • Perform a key task on each platform. Try to upload a video, create a discussion topic, or set up a new membership tier. How intuitive does it feel? This simple test often reveals the best fit.

5. Think Three Years Ahead:

   • Where do you want your business to be in three years? Your chosen platform shouldn't just solve today's problems; it should support your future growth.
   • Consider scalability. Will the platform's features and pricing structure still work for you when you have 100 members? 1,000? 10,000? Migrating later is a significant undertaking, so choosing a platform with room to grow is one of the most important implementation considerations.

Selecting one of the best membership site platforms is a foundational decision for your business. It dictates how you deliver value, engage with your audience, and generate revenue. By using this checklist, you can cut through the noise and choose a partner that not only meets your needs today but also empowers your vision for the future. Your ideal platform is out there waiting to help you build and grow a thriving community.

Ready to build a membership site that prioritizes deep community connection alongside your valuable content? Kampunity is designed specifically for creators who want to foster engagement, manage cohort-based programs, and provide a seamless learning experience without the complexity. See if Kampunity is the perfect home for your community.