Fourthwall vs Udemy
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
0-5% · 0% on merch, 5% on digital
up to 63% · platform share on organic; 85% on subs
Payout speed
monthly
monthly
Minimum payout
$25
$25
Countries
Stripe-supported
Global via PayPal, Payoneer, Tipalti
Email list export
Full access
None (no list ownership)
Custom domain
Yes (custom + free .store on Pro)
No
Community features
Member-only posts, Discord integrations
Per-course Q&A only
Best for
YouTubers running merch plus membership tiers from one homebase
Instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership
Fourthwall vs Udemy: which one wins?
Fourthwall charges 0-5% (0% on merch, 5% on digital) versus Udemy at up to 63% (platform share on organic; 85% on subs).
On payout speed, Fourthwall pays monthly while Udemy pays monthly. No difference here.
For audience ownership, Fourthwall offers full access email export and Udemy offers none (no list ownership). Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.
Best for: Fourthwall suits youtubers running merch plus membership tiers from one homebase. Udemy fits instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership.