Medium vs Memberful
Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.
Platform fee
0% · of revenue (earnings share model)
4.9% + $25/mo · of revenue on Pro plan
Payout speed
monthly
weekly
Minimum payout
$10
Stripe default
Countries
Stripe-supported (70+)
Wherever Stripe operates (40+ countries)
Email list export
Limited
Full access
Custom domain
No
Yes
Community features
Publications, claps, highlights, responses
No native forums; integrates with Discord and Circle
Best for
Writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting
Writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list
Medium vs Memberful: which one wins?
Medium charges 0% (of revenue (earnings share model)) versus Memberful at 4.9% + $25/mo (of revenue on Pro plan).
On payout speed, Medium pays monthly while Memberful pays weekly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.
For audience ownership, Medium offers limited 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: Medium suits writers seeking built-in readership without managing email or hosting. Memberful fits writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list.