Great Membership Website Builders for Your Fans

Engaging with an audience and earning a steady income can be a challenging balance for content creators. Luckily, membership websites offer a solution, providing a reliable revenue stream and increased engagement for your online community. While starting a membership site may seem a little intimidating at first, user-friendly membership website builders can greatly simplify the process.

Whether you want to monetize special videos, behind-the-scenes content, or exclusive merch, there's a membership website builder tailored to your needs, from Fourthwall to Memberspace, Uscreen to Weebly to Wix. Let's dig into the top membership features you should consider, and find the perfect website builder to bring your membership site to life!

What Is a Membership Website Builder?

A membership website builder is an online platform that allows creators to launch and manage a website where they can offer exclusive content, products, or services to their fans in exchange for a subscription fee. These website builders simplify the process of setting up your membership site by providing pre-designed templates, drag and drop editing tools, integrated payment systems, and more. This way, creators can focus on what they do best - creating awesome content! - while the platform handles the technical side of things.

Another relevant aspect of membership websites is that everyone likes to feel like they're part of an exclusive club. Fans are more likely to support their favorite creators when they get something special in return, like early access to content, special discounts, or members-only perks. Plus, these platforms often include online community-building tools that help foster a sense of belonging among supporters, engaging them with each other as well as with you, and creating a strong sense of shared interests, camaraderie, and loyalty.

What Features to Look for in a Membership Website Builder

When choosing a membership website builder, it's essential to consider the features that will best support your content and community. Here are some key features to look for:

Membership tiers and community-building tools

Membership website builders should offer flexible membership tiers so that you can cater to different levels of supporters. While exclusivity is a useful marketing tool to use - it can make people feel good to be part of a group and to increase their perceived "status" - having a range of tiers can help you build your memberships. Having a very low entry level tier available gives new members an idea of what it's like to be part of your club, and will serve as passive encouragement for them to upgrade to a higher level. 

Multiple membership tiers also allow you to provide varied benefits, from basic access and some simple rewards to premium perks and premier content not found anywhere else. Online community-building tools, such as forums, chat rooms, and social media integrations are also essential as they help foster even more interaction among members, creating a strong, supportive community around your content.

Secure payment gateways

Ensuring that your fans can safely and easily make payments is crucial. Look for platforms that offer secure payment gateways to protect your supporters' financial information. Multiple payment options, like credit cards, PayPal, and other online payment systems, are also a plus as they make the process convenient for a wider audience, and remove any barriers to purchase.

Robust analytics

To grow your membership site effectively, you need to understand what's working and what's not. Detailed analytics tools provide valuable insights into member behavior, revenue trends, and content engagement. This data helps you make informed decisions, optimize your offerings to best suit your fans, and ultimately increase your earnings.

Email marketing tools

Email marketing is a powerful way to communicate with your members, promote new content, hype your online community, and drive engagement. Look for membership website builders that include built-in email marketing tools, allowing you to create and send newsletters, automated welcome emails, and promotional campaigns directly from the platform.

Customer support

Reliable customer support is essential when running a membership site. Good platforms offer comprehensive customer support, including live chat, email support, and extensive knowledge bases. This ensures that you can quickly resolve any issues that arise for your new members as well as for yourself, and keep your site running smoothly.

Customization options

Every creator's brand is unique, so your membership site should reflect your personal style. Look for builders that offer a wide range of customization options, including customizable templates, advanced design tools, and drag-and-drop editors. Unique features like event calendars or Fourthwall's video thank-you messages and custom mobile phone apps add another level of professionalism and attention to detail that will help you stand out. This allows you to create a site that truly represents your brand and appeals to your audience.

Membership vs. Subscription Website Builders

When it comes to building a website that offers exclusive content or services, creators will generally want to use one of two options: membership sites or subscription sites. While both models are similar and both involve users paying for access, they have distinct differences.

Membership websites typically offer gated exclusive content or special community access in exchange for a membership fee, allowing fans to become part of a specific group and fostering a sense of belonging and exclusivity among members.

Subscription websites, on the other hand, provide ongoing access to a product or service, (website examples of this include Netflix or Spotify), where you get access to a product or service for a set period of time, but those products or services aren't necessarily targeted at "members" - they're simply part of the service.

Depending on the nature of your content, audience, and which parts of your site you want to monetize, one model may be more suitable than the other. But keep in mind that the success of your content is only made possible by your viewership. (For a deeper dive into subscription business models, check out this article!)

9 Great Membership Website Builders

1. Fourthwall

Fourthwall empowers creators with full brand control and customization for their own website and shop. Fourthwall's rich suite of features and tools includes engaging community features like membership posts (including members-only video), polls, direct messages, Discord access, socials integrations, and the ability to accept tips/donations in addition to the usual payment methods. Add in premium support and analytics, and Fourthwall ensures that creators have the tools they need to succeed. Best of all, there are no monthly membership fees or startup costs, making Fourthwall an attractive option for creators looking to maximize their earnings while building a vibrant and supportive community.

Key Features:

• Full brand control and detailed customization of site, shop, and hundreds of print on demand products
  
• Streamlined monetization (memberships, merch, digital products)
  
• Engaging community features (Paid DMs, etc.)
  
• Premium support and analytics
  

Pricing: There are no startup costs, paid plans, or monthly membership fees; Fourthwall "only makes money when you do," taking 0% on print on demand physical products, 3% on digital products, and a 5% flat fee on membership revenue.

2. Wix

Wix is a versatile website builder that offers an array of features. Wix also features a dedicated members' area feature to support your creation of exclusive content for your premium users; Wix also lets you offer paid subscriptions, roles and badges for your members, and a chat that lets your members chat with each other in addition to chatting with you. Additional Wix features include web analytics for tracking site performance, and mobile editing for on-the-go management. 

Key features:

• Dedicated memberships area with Wix members chat
  
• Web analytics and mobile editing
  

Pricing: Wix premium paid plans range from $17 to $159 per month.

3. Squarespace

Squarespace provides an intuitive platform with professionally designed templates ready for everything from newsletters and podcasts to virtual classes and workshops. Squarespace’s membership engagement tools include email and newsletter updates, shared event calendars, group workshops, and the ability to host virtual events. You can also offer your members discounts and promotions as well as special members-only content; and membership fees are flexible - you can charge a one-time fee, or give your members the option to choose a recurring fee schedule. All of these features make Squarespace a good option for creators seeking a user-friendly, classic solution for their membership site.

Key features:

• Intuitive interface and classic website design
  
• Professionally designed templates
  
• Flexible membership fees
  

Pricing: Membership site paid plans range from $9 to $89 per month; these fees are in addition to Squarespace website plan fees, which start at $16 per month.

4. Memberspace

Memberspace lets you add a membership paywall to any part of your existing website, so you can offer your members benefits like a newsletter, podcast, online class, or access to your Memberspace content library. Memberspace sites are flexible and highly customizable; you can customize everything from your colors and text to your layout and site stylings. Advanced membership management features help you set up more ways to earn revenue through your Memberspace site. And as far as those Memberspace memberships go, you've got options for your fans; you can charge single, multiple, or recurring payments on any credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. 

Key features:

• Highly customizable
  
• Memberspace prioritizes human operator support for creators
  
• Ability to password-protect pages
  

Pricing: You can try Memberspace for 14 days for free; after that, their paid plans are a flat rate of $39 per month plus a 5% fee; but you'll have to bring your own existing website in order to use Memberspace, which is an initial investment of its own.

5. Webflow

You don't need any coding knowledge to launch a Webflow membership site, yet they still stand out for their highly customizable design options, which can include animations and other pro level visuals. With your Webflow account, you can build gated-content and password-protected experiences for your fans, as well as memberships with subscription fees, easily linking products and features to the different levels of membership. An owner-side subscription list also makes it easy for you to keep track of active subscribers, making Webflow a good choice for creators who prioritize customization and organization.

Key features:

• Customizations include animations and detailed visuals
  
• Well organized, both for setup and for tracking members/subscribers
  
• Ability to password-protect pages and make different levels of membership
  

Pricing: Get started for free and try Webflow with their Starter plan; paid plans start at $14 per month and unlock a host of additional features.

6. Wild Apricot

Wild Apricot's cloud software lets you build your own website with their drag and drop tools, or you can customize their existing professionally-designed themes to suit your purpose. Their membership management software fully automates the membership process, and with their flexible membership levels, you can offer both single and group memberships. Wild Apricot's event management feature lets you organize events for your members, and it's easy to set up member-only access to specific web pages, like forums and blogs. Wild Apricot isn't really specific to content creators, but it can cater to member groups of all sizes, which could be useful as you grow.

Key features:

• Flexible membership levels and ability to scale up to large groups of members
  
• Responsive templates and themes for designing
  
• Event management feature
  

Pricing: Wild Apricot's monthly paid plans start at $60 per month for a personal site, $140 per month for a community site, and go up from there. All packages offer the same features; the pricing is based on the number of contacts/memberships you want to have.

7. Weebly

Weebly's membership sites start with a simple sign-on window to get your members into the club fast; the same interface is used to register for your site, making it easy to recruit new members. Weebly's site building tools - including a website builder, code editor, form builder, and Weebly SEO - also keep the process of designing your membership site simple, with drag and drop interfaces and linkable buttons. Member Groups allow you to segment members into different tiers, so each can access different levels of content. Weebly is a solid choice for creators looking to launch their membership site quickly.

Key features:

• Simple, one-click login for members and new users
  
• A good selection of site building tools
  
• "Member Groups" membership tiers to organize different levels of access
  

Pricing: Weebly offers a free plan for basic use; paid plans start at $10 for personal use (connecting to your custom domain), and go up to $26 for the "Performance Plan," which adds more management and site growth features.

8. Morweb

If your content creation leans more toward charity or nonprofit endeavors, Morweb may be the membership website builder for you. Morweb is designed with nonprofits in mind, offering responsive templates and highly customizable features aimed at encouraging site users to take action.Designing a Morweb site is fairly easy using their Morweb "Modules," which separate out tasks like form building, event listings, memberships, blogging, and fundraising. The Modules are built to allow non-technical people to design and update their website without needing any extra help, but if you do need a boost, the site provides live chat, phone, and email support.

Key features:

• Designed with nonprofits/charity organizations in mind
  
• Responsive templates and "Modules" for site designing
  
• Solid feature set of site owner support
  

Pricing: Paid plans range from $149 to $199 per month; or if you're really growing, you can inquire about an Enterprise package.

9. Uscreen

Uscreen aims to let you take control of your members by combining community features, video, and livestreaming across all devices. You can launch a Uscreen membership experience that includes direct livestreams, a Uscreen video archive, calendars, and push notifications. Flexible monetization tools let you design your Uscreen membership or subscription offerings however you'd like, from free trials and one-time-only visits to longer term subs, all payable with a variety of payment options. The Uscreen site also supplies you with monetizing and marketing tools as well as analytics on your users and content performance. The catch: it's not cheap, but it is feature-rich.

Key features:

• Most Uscreen sites lean heavily toward video content 
• Flexible Uscreen monetization tools to let you choose the types of subscriptions/memberships you offer your fans
• All Uscreen plans include marketing tools and insightful analytics

Pricing: Uscreen site paid plans start at $149 per month, plus $1.99 per paying member per month; the Pro Uscreen level is $499 per month and $1.49 per paying member per month.

Choosing the Right Platform: Why Fourthwall Stands Out

When selecting a membership website builder, it's essential to carefully consider your options, as each platform offers unique features that may cater to different needs and preferences.

But if you really want to keep your options open, Fourthwall stands out as the ultimate solution for content creators looking to elevate their content while retaining the ability to redesign and fine-tune your website as you, your brand, your site, and your fans grow.

Want to offer exclusive memberships, design your own custom website, create and sell a huge range of customized merch, treat your fans to members-only videos, run polls, send direct messages and thank-you videos, connect your members to Discord and your socials, study your analytics, and accept tips/donations in addition to all the usual payment methods? 

Fourthwall can do all of the above and more. So what are you waiting for? Get started on Fourthwall today!