Circle vs Memberful
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
$89/mo + 2% · monthly subscription plus transaction fee
4.9% + $25/mo · of revenue on Pro plan
Payout speed
weekly
weekly
Minimum payout
Stripe default
Stripe default
Countries
Wherever Stripe operates
Wherever Stripe operates (40+ countries)
Email list export
Full access
Full access
Custom domain
Yes (custom domain supported)
Yes
Community features
Full-featured: spaces, chat, DMs, live rooms, events
No native forums; integrates with Discord and Circle
Best for
Coaches, creators, and brands running paid communities plus courses under one roof
Writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list
Circle vs Memberful: which one wins?
Circle charges $89/mo + 2% (monthly subscription plus transaction fee) versus Memberful at 4.9% + $25/mo (of revenue on Pro plan).
On payout speed, Circle pays weekly while Memberful pays weekly. No difference here.
For audience ownership, Circle offers full access email export and Memberful offers full access. Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Circle suits coaches, creators, and brands running paid communities plus courses under one roof. Memberful fits writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list.