Memberful vs Udemy

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

Memberful
membership
Visit Memberful →
Udemy
courses
Visit Udemy →
Platform fee
4.9% + $25/mo · of revenue on Pro plan
up to 63% · platform share on organic; 85% on subs
Payout speed
weekly
monthly
Minimum payout
Stripe default
$25
Countries
Wherever Stripe operates (40+ countries)
Global via PayPal, Payoneer, Tipalti
Email list export
Full access
None (no list ownership)
Custom domain
Yes
No
Community features
No native forums; integrates with Discord and Circle
Per-course Q&A only
Best for
Writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list
Instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership

Memberful vs Udemy: which one wins?

Memberful charges 4.9% + $25/mo (of revenue on Pro plan) versus Udemy at up to 63% (platform share on organic; 85% on subs).

On payout speed, Memberful pays weekly while Udemy pays monthly. For creators where cashflow matters, the faster cadence usually wins.

For audience ownership, Memberful 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: Memberful suits writers, podcasters, and publishers who want to own their site, domain, and email list. Udemy fits instructors who want reach and discovery over margin and list ownership.

See all Memberful alternatives →See all Udemy alternatives →