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Memberful alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Memberful: monthly fee plus a transaction percentage, and you bring your own audience; there is no marketplace. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Memberful, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Patreon currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Circle logoCirclePaidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +24 of 438.6
  1. Circle logo

    1. CircleTop pick

    Best for: Creators and brands running a paid or customer community with courses and events

    PaidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Memberful

    Hosted community with courses and events instead of bolting memberships onto a site.

    Pros

    • Highly configurable spaces, access rules and branding
    • Courses, events, chat and payments in one community
    • Workflows and API for automation on higher plans

    Cons

    • Costs rise quickly for automation and branded apps
    • Takes time to configure well
    • Course tools are lighter than dedicated course platforms
    Visit Circle Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Circle a good Memberful alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    14 days, no card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $89/month (Professional)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Business plan
    $199/month, adds workflows and API
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)
    Scale plan
    $419/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026circle.so(opens source in a new tab)

The best Memberful alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Patreon logo

Best Memberful alternative for most people

Patreon

Hosted marketplace page with discovery and payments handled, if you don't need your own brand.

Ghost logo

Best Memberful alternative for a free option

Ghost

Website, newsletter and memberships in one open-source platform with no payment fees.

Steady logo

Best Memberful alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Steady

Commission-only pricing with no monthly fee, handy before revenue is steady.

Ghost logo

Best Memberful alternative for open source

Ghost

Website, newsletter and memberships in one open-source platform with no payment fees.

Ghost logo

Best Memberful alternative for self-hosting

Ghost

Website, newsletter and memberships in one open-source platform with no payment fees.

Circle logo

Best Memberful alternative for Mac

Circle

Hosted community with courses and events instead of bolting memberships onto a site.

Circle logo

Best Memberful alternative for Windows

Circle

Hosted community with courses and events instead of bolting memberships onto a site.

Substack logo

Best Memberful alternative for iPhone and Android

Substack

Free to run and simpler, for memberships that are mostly a newsletter.

beehiiv logo

Best Memberful alternative for working in the browser

beehiiv

Newsletter platform with paid tiers and no revenue share on paid plans.

Memberful alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Memberful?

Patreon ranks first right now. Hosted marketplace page with discovery and payments handled, if you don't need your own brand. Ghost and Steady follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Memberful?

Yes. Patreon (free plan + paid), Ghost (open source), Steady (free plan + paid) and Substack (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Memberful?

Yes: Ghost. Ghost can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Memberful?

The complaints we hear most: monthly fee plus a transaction percentage; you bring your own audience; there is no marketplace; needs a Stripe account.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Memberful, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.