Memberful vs Thinkific

Side-by-side comparison on fees, payouts, monetization, and audience ownership.

Memberful
membership
Visit Memberful →
Thinkific
courses
Visit Thinkific →
Platform fee
4.9% + $25/mo · of revenue on Pro plan
from $36/mo · monthly, 0% on Thinkific Payments
Payout speed
weekly
weekly
Minimum payout
Stripe default
$0
Countries
Wherever Stripe operates (40+ countries)
Global via Thinkific Payments / Stripe / PayPal
Email list export
Full access
Full access (Thinkific Email with automation)
Custom domain
Yes
Yes
Community features
No native forums; integrates with Discord and Circle
Built-in Communities with Spaces
Best for
Writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list
Course creators who want predictable monthly pricing and native payments

Memberful vs Thinkific: which one wins?

Memberful charges 4.9% + $25/mo (of revenue on Pro plan) versus Thinkific at from $36/mo (monthly, 0% on Thinkific Payments).

On payout speed, Memberful pays weekly while Thinkific pays weekly. No difference here.

For audience ownership, Memberful offers full access email export and Thinkific offers full access (thinkific email with automation). Email portability matters most for creators planning to migrate later or build a list independent of any single platform.

Best for: Memberful suits writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list. Thinkific fits course creators who want predictable monthly pricing and native payments.

See all Memberful alternatives →See all Thinkific alternatives →