Being an online content creator definitely isn't easy. The competition is fierce, and monetizing your hard work can be a real challenge - but a membership platform can change that narrative for you! 

These unique websites allow creators to connect with their dedicated supporters by offering them exclusive content or services while the creator, in return, gets steady membership payments. In this article, we’ll explore membership platforms from Patreon to MemberPress, Kajabi to Mighty Networks to Fourthwall, and we'll highlight their features, from website builders to pricing plans to community features, so you can make an informed choice.

What Is A Membership Platform?

Membership platforms let you leverage your content creation to reach more supporters, empowering creators by giving them more control over their content distribution and ability to generate extra revenue. Creators can set up membership structures, such as multi-tier membership plans that offer different benefits and exclusive content offerings at different recurring payment price points. They can also tailor their content to each tier, offering special perks and content benefits to their most dedicated supporters.

Membership platforms also provide another direct line of communication between creators and their fans, giving them more chances to engage and interact. Members can usually leave feedback and participate in discussions on the creator's membership site, continuing to build that sense of community that can ultimately drive growth and revenue.

Benefits of a Membership Platform 

There are several benefits of membership platforms for content creators, which make these platforms a must-have tool for monetizing their content and talents. Here are some of the amazing advantages that membership platforms can offer:

Recurring Revenue

One of the most significant advantages of membership platforms is that they provide a steady stream of revenue. Instead of relying on one-time purchases, creators can generate a constant income from their subscribers or members. This feature allows creators to have a reliable source of income, which they can use to sustain and further invest in their own content creation. Sites like Fourthwall help make this happen by offering creators many different options for generation revenue, from the memberships we're discussing to other sources like print on demand merchandise and exclusive content offerings!

Better Communication 

Membership platforms also offer creators a direct line of communication with their subscribers. Through features like forums, messaging, and even live streams, creators can engage with their community on a more direct level. This line of communication allows creators to understand their audience better and learn what they'd like to see more of, leading to more targeted content that really connects with their fans.

Deeper Connection with Fans 

Creators can also use membership platforms to offer exclusive content and perks to their members. This feature allows creators to differentiate themselves from the competition and build a more loyal fan base. Fans want to feel connected to their favorite creators, and membership platforms provide them with an outlet to express their support and get extra rewards for being a part of the creator's community.

Enhanced Control of the Content 

Creators can also execute more control over their content via a membership platform. Each creator can decide for themselves which content is free, which is premium, and which is exclusive to members. This feature allows creators to create different pricing tiers and attract different types of viewers who are willing to pay for unique content. Moreover, creators can decide how the content is delivered, what format it's in, and how frequently it updates, giving them more control over the content's delivery and experience.

Data and Insights

Creators can also often get extra data and analytics about their subscribers from their membership platform. You can look at stats like which videos are getting more views, which members are the most active, and what your members like and dislike. This data can help creators make informed decisions about their content so they can better tailor it to their subscribers, leading to a more engaging experience for both the creator and their members.

8 Best Membership Platforms for Content Creators

1. Fourthwall 

Fourthwall's richly-featured ecommerce platform offers creators an unparalleled all-in-one membership experience, allowing full brand customization and seamless integrations with your Fourthwall homepage and merch shop. Fourthwall provides access to hundreds of retail quality products for instant customization, allowing creators to offer exclusive merchandise and promotions to their community, in addition to letting them set up detailed membership options.

With Fourthwall, creators have the flexibility to customize their membership tiers, personalizing their perks and benefits to cater to different supporter levels. This encourages greater engagement and loyalty through exclusive content and time-sensitive offers. Fourthwall also allows users to offer their members bonus experiences, including members-only videos, images, polls, promo codes, Discord channel access, and more. 

Supporters of a creator using Fourthwall memberships can gain instant access to their exclusive members’ area thanks to Fourthwall's mobile app, available for iOS and Android. With the mobile app, members can receive push notifications whenever you send them a message or release new content on your Fourthwall page. And features like Twitch Gifting and personalized thank you videos for your members let you unlock even more revenue streams while rewarding your supporters.

Pricing: No monthly membership fees; Fourthwall simply takes a 5% flat fee on all membership revenue, and 3% or less on print on demand products. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use platform
• Customizable membership tiers
• Built-in website builder and available custom mobile app
• Long list of membership perks and discounts
• Ability to sell print on demand merchandise
• Personalized thank you videos to send to your members
• Twitch gifting and Discord channel access

Cons: 

• Fourthwall is less known than some other membership platforms, like Patreon, but it's rapidly rising in the ranks due to its long list of beneficial creator features.

2. Kajabi 

Kajabi is great for creators looking to sell online courses and membership plans. It allows you to build a comprehensive website for your brand, complete with sales and marketing functionalities. 

With Kajabi, creators can create various product types, such as online courses, coaching, and podcasts, while also generating community engagement through features like discussions, live streaming, challenges, and Kajabi leaderboards. 

Kajabi's platform offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, including the option for branded membership apps and flexible subscription pricing options, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual billing, along with free trial capabilities and multiple membership tiers.

Pricing: Kajabi is one of the more pricier options, with Kajabi paid plans starting at $149 a month. 

Pros: 

• Solid sales and marketing tools
• Mobile apps
• Kajabi website builder
• Online course builder 

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Customization limits
• Kajabi's platform doesn’t handle sales tax
• Kajabi is primarily tailored toward online courses and coaching

3. Circle 

Circle lets creators build vibrant community spaces that let their communities gather to check out and chat about engaging posts and articles. 

In addition, Circle provides additional tools to promote content creation and member interaction. These include a built-in course builder for creating educational content, capabilities for hosting online events, group chats, and live streams, and a member directory that encourages connections and one-on-one conversations. 

One of Circle's most standout features is its Community AI, which helps managers create quality content, connects members with activity scores, and offers automated transcriptions for videos alongside a Circle Bot for quick resource access. 

With free iOS/Android mobile apps and branded membership options, Circle boosts member accessibility while offering subscription management with paywalls and easy group switching.

Pricing: Circle’s Basic paid plan starts at $49 a month with a 4% transaction fee. However, the plan only allows users up to 100 members. For unlimited members, you need to purchase their Professional Plan for $99 a month.

Pros: 

• Impressive AI tools
• Allows members to easily connect one-on-one
• Built-in course builder

Cons:

• Transaction fees
• Doesn't really have a website builder, just some customization options
• Basic plan limited to 100 members

4. Podia

Podia is ideal for creators who want to create an online storefront with memberships, subscriptions, and digital downloads. The platform offers an intuitive user interface where creators can create straightforward online courses incorporating videos, PDFs, and basic quizzes, with a well-designed course player improving the learning experience. 

When it comes to membership pricing, creators can set up monthly or annual subscriptions with free trial options and easily create multiple tiers, assigning different community topics, courses, and products accordingly. 

Podia also has tools for sales page creation, payment processing, EU VAT charging, and affiliate program management, providing creators with plenty of tools for monetization and business management.

Pricing: Podia offers a free plan with an 8% transaction fee. Paid plans start at 39% a month.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Affiliate program management
• Handles EU VAT
• Can create courses inside your community

Cons:

• Basic tools and features
• Limited customization (very basic website builder)
• No mobile app feature 

5. Mighty Networks 

Mighty Networks stands out as an ideal membership platform for creators who prioritize community-centric experiences. It offers creators an array of top-notch community tools and features for creating posts, full articles, polls, and questions, organizing communities through spaces and collections, and engaging members with online courses, live events, and group chats. 

Additionally, Mighty Networks provides members with convenient access via free iOS and Android apps, with the option to upgrade to branded community apps supporting in-app purchases. 

Creators also have a good selection of pricing choices on Mighty Networks; they can set up monthly and annual subscription options, including free trial offerings, and can easily establish access levels to regulate member privileges across various spaces and content.

Pricing: Mighty Networks' Community Plan starts at $39 a month with an additional 3% fee off all transactions.

Pros:

• Great community-building tools
• Full branding control
• 14-day free trial offering
• Mobile Mighty Network app 

Cons:

• Transaction fees
• Website builder is fairly simplistic
• Mighty Networks' interface can be difficult for beginners
• Only uses Stripe for payments

6. MemberSpace

MemberSpace is an easy to use membership platform that simplifies the process of adding membership functionality to website builders like Squarespace, WordPress, and Wix. It offers a range of tools and features, even in its free plan. 

With MemberSpace, creators can effortlessly create subscription plans and manage recurring payments while also protecting their content and restricting access based on membership tiers. This includes options to offer free access, one-time or recurring payments, payment plans, and free trials with customizable billing dates. 

The platform also makes creating tiers pretty straightforward, allowing creators to set pricing for each tier and select the pages for inclusion. MemberSpace also offers valuable sales and marketing features such as abandoned cart tracking, failed charge recovery, cancellation alerts, automated upselling, and cancellation workflows, making it a great membership platform for creators.

Pricing: It offers a free Startup paid plan with a 5% transaction fee on all payments. The Professional Plan costs $49 a month. 

Pros: 

• Easy to use
• Unlimited members on MemberSpace's free plan
• Impressive membership management tools

Cons:

• MemberSpace doesn't offer its own website builder 
• Doesn’t offer LMS features
• Only supports Stripe for payments

7. Patreon 

Best for creators who want to build a recurring revenue stream by offering memberships, subscriptions, and exclusive content, Patreon’s user-friendly interface simplifies membership setup, enabling creators to upload diverse content like videos, audio files, text, polls, images, live streaming, blog posts, and links; community chatting is available, but can be a little awkward to use.

Similar to other membership platforms like Fourthwall, Patreon allows creators to sell merchandise to their audience directly through their Patreon page, further expanding their revenue streams and strengthening their connection with fans. Patreon also has name recognition in its favor, as it was one of the earliest platforms to become popular with the membership/subscription model.

Patreon offers a few different ways to price memberships, including monthly, yearly, or per-creation subscription models, plus additional features and community-building tools that are solid assets for creators seeking direct fan support. Patreon creators can offer membership tiers with varying prices and benefits, so fans can pick the tier that suits them best.

Pricing: There's no monthly fixed cost, but the platform does include monthly transaction fees from the user's total revenue, ranging from 5% to 12%, depending on the plan.

Pros:

• Easy to use platform
• Mobile app 
• Creators can sell merchandise

Cons:

• Limited/challenging engagement tools
• Fairly high transaction fees

8. MemberPress

Featuring seamless integration with WordPress plugins, MemberPress lets creators curate and manage membership sites, online courses, and subscription-based content.

MemberPress' most notable features include content protection, enabling restriction of access to specific pages, posts, categories, or lessons, alongside content scheduled for gradual release. With MemberPress' ReadyLaunch™ Page Maker, creators can craft eye catching pricing pages.

MemberPress also facilitates subscription management, seamlessly handling recurring memberships and subscriptions without the need for additional plugins. Supported by secure payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, MemberPress keeps payment processing hassle-free, while its integrated email automation system streamlines member communications with automatic reminders and notifications. 

Pricing: MemberPress' Basic paid plan is $179.50 a year with no monthly or transaction fees.

Pros: 

• MemberPress is fairly easy to use 
• Content Protection 
• No transaction fees
• Good customer support

Cons:

• MemberPress is heavily integrated with WordPress
• Some basic MemberPress features are only available as add-ons
• Might need technical support for plugin issues

Build Your Membership Platform With Fourthwall! 

Fourthwall offers creators endless possibilities when it comes to creating and monetizing their content through memberships and so much more.

With Fourthwall, creators can create multiple membership tiers with variable pricing and access levels; control which content is accessible to different membership tiers; and offer an exclusive memberships area with special content for higher tiers. The platform also allows creators to schedule content releases over time, keeping members engaged and hyped for what you'll do next.

Fourthwall site creators can also offer their visitors and members a huge range of print on demand branded custom merch from T-shirts to mugs, with the ability to gift promo codes to your most loyal members. With no monthly membership costs, Fourthwall is ideal for creators looking for an all in one solution for offering memberships and monetizing their content - get started now!

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