Kajabi leads for established course creators seeking native payments and advanced monetisation, whilst Circle excels for community-first creators wanting engagement tools. Patreon suits fan-supported creators with zero upfront cost; Podia serves budget-conscious beginners.
RANKENTRYSCORETRENDFROM
1KajabiBuilt-in native payment engine with lower transaction fees than third-party processors94.5NEW$143/month (billed annually) 2CircleCommunity-centric approach with spaces, direct messaging, and gamification features92.8NEW$39/month 3Mighty NetworksG2-ranked all-in-one platform with unlimited members on all plans91.2NEWLaunch plan pricing available (tier-based) 4PatreonEstablished platform launched in 2013 with 8 million members across ecosystem89.6NEWFree to start (10% platform fee on earnings for new creators) 5ZenlerNo transaction fees and unlimited students included on all plans87.9NEW$47/month starting price 6PodiaAll-in-one platform combining membership sites, courses, downloads, and email marketing86.3NEW$42/month (Mover plan, annual billing) 7UscreenNative mobile and TV apps with onboarding, migration support, and marketing automations84.7NEWPricing varies by tier 8MemberfulPro plan allows fully hosted membership sites with WordPress integration83.1NEW$25/month 9Ko-fi0% platform fee on donations as main selling point81.5NEWFree with optional Ko-fi Gold at $8/month 10Buy Me a CoffeeDeliberately simple design where supporters do not need accounts79.8NEWFree with 5% platform fee The ranking, in detail
01
The all-in-one platform for coaches and course creators
Kajabi combines course hosting, membership sites, landing pages, email marketing, and native payment processing into one integrated platform designed for established creators generating consistent revenue.
From $143/month (billed annually)Best for Established coaches and course creators generating consistent revenue
94.5
02
Community platform built for creators
Circle is a community-centric membership platform featuring spaces, direct messaging, gamification, and engagement tools specifically designed for creators whose primary goal is building a strong, interactive community.
From $39/monthBest for Creators whose primary goal is to build a strong community
92.8
03
All-in-one platform with unlimited members on all plans
Mighty Networks is a G2-ranked platform offering tier-based pricing that allows creators at any level to monetise with membership communities, featuring unlimited members across all subscription tiers.
From Launch plan pricing available (tier-based)Best for Creators monetising with a membership community at any level
91.2
04
Fan-supported memberships with zero upfront cost
Patreon is an established fan-membership platform launched in 2013 with 8 million members. New creators pay only a 10% platform fee on earnings with no upfront cost, making it ideal for creators seeking supporter-based revenue.
From Free to start (10% platform fee on earnings for new creators)Best for Creators wanting fan-supported memberships with no upfront cost
89.6
05
All-in-one platform with zero transaction fees
Zenler provides an integrated solution for course hosting, memberships, and community features starting at £47/month with no transaction fees and unlimited students included on all pricing tiers.
From $47/month starting priceBest for Creators wanting all-in-one tools without transaction fees
87.9
06
Beginner-friendly all-in-one platform
Podia combines membership sites, online courses, digital product sales, and email marketing in one affordable platform, making it ideal for beginners seeking a simple, low-cost entry point into creator monetisation.
From $42/month (Mover plan, annual billing)Best for Beginners wanting a basic, low-cost platform
86.3
07
Video-first subscription platform with native apps
Uscreen specialises in video monetisation with native mobile and TV apps, providing subscription services specifically optimised for video creators with built-in migration support and marketing automations.
From Pricing varies by tierBest for Video creators building subscription services
84.7
08
WordPress integration for membership monetisation
Memberful enables creators to add membership functionality to existing WordPress sites or use fully hosted membership sites, starting at £25/month for the Pro plan with WordPress integration.
From $25/monthBest for Creators who want to keep WordPress sites and add memberships
83.1
09
Free platform with zero fees on donations
Ko-fi offers free membership and tip functionality with an optional Ko-fi Gold upgrade at £8/month, marketing itself with a 0% platform fee on donations as the main value proposition for creators.
From Free with optional Ko-fi Gold at $8/monthBest for Creators wanting tips and light memberships with minimal fees
81.5
10
Simple support page with minimal friction
Buy Me a Coffee provides a deliberately simple platform for creator support pages where supporters do not need to create accounts, charging only a 5% platform fee on transactions for maximum creator earnings.
From Free with 5% platform feeBest for Creators wanting a no-fuss support page
79.8
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Kajabi and Podia for beginners?
Kajabi costs £143/month with advanced automation but suits established creators, whilst Podia costs £42/month and targets beginners with a simpler interface and lower barrier to entry. Choose Kajabi if scaling revenue, Podia if starting out affordably.
Which platforms have truly zero transaction fees?
Zenler includes zero transaction fees on all plans, Ko-fi charges 0% on donations (only payment processor fees apply), and Buy Me a Coffee charges 5%. Patreon charges 10%, whilst Kajabi uses native payments with lower fees than third-party processors.
Can I use these platforms with my existing WordPress site?
Memberful integrates directly with WordPress sites and offers fully hosted options from £25/month. Mighty Networks, Circle, and others are standalone platforms. If WordPress integration is essential, Memberful is the dedicated choice.