10 Best Membership Site Builders and Platforms Tested

Do you wish you could expand your offerings and make more sales? Then, you need to start a membership site and create a new monetization channel for your business. In fact, 63.5% of membership businesses say their income got higher within the first year. 

With a dedicated membership site platform, you can set up your membership easily, have your own website in minutes, and engage your members successfully. However, what platform can be more suitable for your business?

In this article, I have handpicked 10 of the best membership site platforms for your educational business. I focused on real user experience, what it feels like to build and manage a membership business on each platform. That is why you will also find reviews that sum up the overall experience of each one, not just its capabilities.

I especially considered:

• How beginner-friendly the platform is
• The flexibility of membership structures (tiers, pricing, content access)
• Community features and engagement tools
• How easy it is to deliver real value to members

I also intentionally did not include traditional website builders or e-commerce tools that require dozens of integrations just to get your membership website running.

In this article, you are about to find out:

• How can starting with a membership site platform be beneficial for you?
• Which platform may better suit your needs?
• What pricing system and benefits can those membership platforms offer you? 
• What do you need to consider when choosing a membership site platform?

Why start with a membership site platform? 

A membership site is your website where users pay a recurring fee to access exclusive content, services, or community features. By having a membership site, you can create a steady income stream, build a loyal customer base, and offer specialized content that adds value for your members. 

Starting with a membership site platform comes with multiple benefits. 

• If you are a creator who enjoys financial stability and likes a predictable income stream every month, starting with a membership site platform is a great way to do so. That is why membership-based platforms offer you membership management tools, such as automated emails, membership perks, and communities. 

Besides providing a considerably higher income level, membership sites become an excellent touchpoint for you to engage with your students. In our days, businesses are looking for more ways to engage with their audiences directly. That is why membership site platforms cannot be overlooked. The fact is that 99% of memberships said their customers stay for longer than 3 months at a time. 

And, of course, starting with the platform offers the necessary insights into what members prefer and how you can improve the content to meet their needs. Nowadays, about 20.84% of the sites run their businesses on membership sites. 

One of them is Carrie Green, a successful entrepreneur, best-seller author and an online course creator. She started creating memberships in 2013 and soon earned her first million. Getting all the answers she sought from her audience, she began creating all those little guides, workbooks, and worksheets her students needed.

By the end of 2014, she already had 1441 members, thus gaining a monthly revenue of $36,000.  Her income became so steady that she could already make donations. Now, she inspires thousands of creators around the world to build their own membership-based businesses.

Which membership site platform is right for you?  

Now, the question is, which of the membership platforms can help you become a successful creator? Here is a quick rundown of the best membership site platforms for you.       
 

Uteach

Best for offering multiple content formats for the membership

If you are looking for an all-in-one solution as your membership management software, Uteach can be the best solution for you. You can host online courses, live courses, digital downloads,  quizzes, communities, coaching sessions, and bundles on your membership website. 

Key features

• Website-builder. Create a 100% white-label website. You can use the customizable templates to build pages for your membership site. For more design and customization, Uteach gives the opportunity to edit the code. 
• Automated emails. Set the cases when you want an automated email to be sent, such as students joining and canceling memberships. To run more targeted email campaigns, you can use Uteach email marketing integrations such as MailerLite and MailChimp. 
• Your branded mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices, so the members can access your membership content more easily. 
• AI tools to help you structure and generate the content easily, such as the course idea generator, the course description generator, and the outline generator. 
• Communities. You can also create paid and free communities to engage your members and build their loyalty toward your business.
• Checkout experience. You can apply coupons, discounts, and redirect the members to the pages after purchase, customizing the whole experience. 
• SEO tools. When creating pages, there is an opportunity to add the metadata to be able to optimize your course and other landing pages. 

When creating the membership itself, Uteach allows you to customize the accessibility and pricing experience. There is an opportunity to charge monthly, yearly, every 3 or 6 months, or even every two years.

To give your members a taste of what your membership program is like, there is an opportunity to set up a free trial and make attaching credit cards mandatory. 

What I also like about Uteach is the many opportunities it provides to give your website the look and feel you are after. 

If you feel that the templates for your other pages are still not enough, you can start the design with a blank template at any time. 

All you need to do is click the “Create New Page” button and select the type of page you need. Each of those options has different blocks, layouts, designs, and widgets that are already set. So, you can just replace the information with the one related to your membership program or add new sections.

To automate your workflows, you can use Uteach’s integrations with Make, Zapier, and Pabbly. 

What do other users think?  

“I have been with Uteach since shortly after their launch, and I could not be happier that I made the change. Uteach offers all of the advanced tools that course creators need. Where Uteach excels is in their customer support; they are always responsive and super friendly. Unlike other (more expensive) platforms, they provide additional blogging capability for SEO, a Mobile App, CRM customization, and all the integrations creators need to be successful. If you are a new course creator in search of a platform, Uteach should be your first choice”. 

 

G2 reviewer

Pricing

You can request pricing tailored to your needs to get started easily. 

Shall you use Uteach to build your membership site?

Uteach is ideal for independent creators, coaches, and small businesses who want to sell a variety of content like courses, live workshops, and other digital products under one roof. It combines a website builder, automated marketing, and a branded mobile app to manage everything from student sign-ups to recurring payments.

Podia

Best if you prioritize simple UI and great UX in a membership platform

Podia is a simple and flexible solution for people who want to have their blog, newsletter, and products in one place. If you offer those products and need to build a simple and minimalistic-looking website, Podia is for you. 

Key features

• Membership plans and tiers. You can create multiple membership levels and price each tier differently. Podia handles recurring payments, renewals, and failed payment follow-ups.
• Drip scheduling. You can release content over time instead of giving everything at once.
• Communities. Podia includes a built-in community where you can organize discussions by topic and restrict access to paying members. You get the opportunity to turn your membership into an active network. 
• Flexible content access rules. You can control which membership tier can see specific posts, files, or products.
• Promotional pricing. Podia allows setting free trials, discounts, or limited-time pricing for memberships. 
• Bundling. You can include courses, downloads, or other resources inside a membership plan.

Like any website-builder, Podia’s website builder takes some time to get used to. When building a website, I’m personally keen on the colors of all the details to match what I have in mind. So, what I liked about building a membership website on Podia is being able to set it up at the very beginning, so all the elements you will later customize match the palette you choose initially. 

While on Uteach, you can create a membership program and not tie it to any community; with Podia, membership is based on the community. 

You can make the community free or paid, charging on a yearly or monthly basis. As for the availability, Podia allows you to make the community accessible to everyone to join or limit who can join.  

The email-marketing is built-in. It allows for email automations, templates, and analytics for the emails. 

For advanced workflow automations, you still need to use the Zapier integration. 

What do other users think?  

“Podia is an All-In-One platform for creators to showcase their products, information, and stories for all to see. Moreover, you can also generate passive income using the built-in email, community, and membership capabilities. I love it!

 

G2 reviewer

Pricing

Podia has 3 main plans. The key difference between the plans is that Shaker also comes with affiliate marketing opportunities and no transaction fees. The pricing starts at $39/month, plus 5% transaction fees.

My recommendation: shall you use Podia to build your membership site?

Podia is perfect for creators and solopreneurs who prioritize a clean, minimalist design and want to launch their blog, digital products, and community quickly without any technical headaches.

• YES, if: You want a clean, minimalist site that is easy to set up, and you prefer a "community feed" style.
• NO, if: You need deep design control (its builder is quite rigid) or if you want a dedicated mobile app for your members.

Teachable 

Best when coaching is the core product of your membership program

Your membership on Teachable can include online courses, one-on-one coaching services, digital downloads (ebooks, templates, workbooks), and membership communities. 

Key features

• Website builder. Create a professional home for your brand using a drag-and-drop editor that requires no coding knowledge. You can use customizable templates for your sales pages and, on higher plans, you can use the power editor to add custom CSS for advanced branding.
• Built-in tax handling. You can focus on your content while the platform automatically calculates, collects, and remits US and Canada sales tax and global VAT. 
• AI creation tools. Teachable offers AI assistance in terms of generating quizzes and the curriculum. 
• Membership tiers. You have an opportunity to group your courses, coaching, and digital downloads into different subscription levels with flexible pricing. You can offer monthly or yearly billing and set up free trials. 

Teachable has a drag-and-drop website builder. You can adjust all the elements and make it as complicated as you like. 

As for creating memberships on Teachable, everything starts withadding a tier. What I like about Teachable is that you can select different currencies for different products on your membership site. 

But when it comes to selecting the products to include in the membership offer, it would be better if we could see all the products we created at a glance. In that sense, picking a particular course would be easier. 

As for the automations, you can connect it with other tools with webhooks and APIs. 

What do users think?

“What I love about Teachable is its easy interface and assistance in collecting taxes from customers around the world. You do not have to worry about applying different tax rates. Teachable does that for you”.

 

G2 reviewer

Pricing

Teachable offers 4 main pricing plans, with its top tier being $399/month. All plans come with limitations on the number of courses, products, and digital downloads you can create.

My recommendation: shall you use Teachable to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You are an educator who wants to offer structured learning with formal assessments, certificates, and student progress tracking.
• NO, if: You are looking for a community-first experience or deep website design freedom.

Mighty Networks 

Best if you prefer built-in livestreaming for your community and memberships

If your online course business revolves around communities, then Mighty Networks is an option to consider for your membership website.  On this membership management platform, you can build member profiles, member lists, organize virtual events for your members, etc.

Key features

• Spaces. Organize your membership into flexible sections called Spaces. You can customize each Space to include specific features like an activity feed, a group chat, an online course, or a library of resources, allowing you to tailor the experience for different membership levels.
• People Magic AI. Use built-in AI tools to help you run your community more efficiently. These tools can generate icebreaker questions to start conversations, create instant course outlines, and even help you find and connect with members who have similar interests or locations.
• Native mobile apps. Give your members a way to stay connected on the go through the Mighty Networks app on iOS and Android.
• Livestreaming and events. Host live workshops, Q&A sessions, or virtual hangouts directly within the platform. 
• Member profiles and explorer. Encourage "people magic" by allowing members to create detailed profiles with custom fields. The People Explorer tool helps members discover each other based on their goals or location, making the membership feel like a true social network.
• Monetization and bundles. Create a variety of ways to earn income by charging for access to the overall network, specific Spaces, or bundles of courses

With Mighty Networks, you can host live events for your community members, offer pre-recorded courses, create discussions, etc. It is a nice solution to provide a dedicated space for your membership participants to engage and interact with each other. For instance, the community members can see the common interests and similarities with other members.

There is an opportunity to create Spaces for your members and connect those spaces to bundles. This way, you can decide which of your members can have access to your content on Mighty Networks, as well as any separate Space you created. 

What do users think?

“We like how well it integrates into our website. People interested in joining a safe community follow the link from our site. It's a great alternative to Facebook which has many privacy issues and we find our target audience seeking better spaces”. 

 

G2 reviewer

Pricing

Mighty Networks offers 4 main pricing options and does not provide a free version. Even the lower tiers include the necessary features for you to be able to run your community and host online courses. However, as you can see, and as many users report,  the pricing is quite high. 

My recommendation: shall you use Mighty Networks to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You want your members to talk to each other and stay engaged through social features rather than just consuming your videos.
• NO, if: You are looking for a traditional website builder with total design freedom or a platform that focuses heavily on marketing funnels and email sequences. 

Kajabi 

Best for running your membership program with an advanced sales funnel

With your membership site built on Kajabi, you can offer coaching programs, podcasts, communities, digital products, and online courses.

Key features 

• Website builder. Build a complete, professional website and high-converting landing pages using a visual drag-and-drop editor. 
• Email marketing and funnels. Create marketing campaigns using pre-built "funnel" templates that connect your landing pages, checkout, and email sequences automatically. 
• Kajabi mobile app. Provide your members with instant access to your content through a native mobile app available on iOS and Android. 
• AI creator studio. Generate course outlines, marketing copy, and even video scripts using integrated AI tools. 
• Community and live Rooms. Build a dedicated space for your members to connect through discussion feeds, group chats, and real-time live video sessions. The Live Rooms feature allows you to host workshops or Q&A calls directly inside your membership site. 

If you have experience with the drag-and-drop builders, building a website with Kajabi would not be a difficult task. As for the course pages, besides the templates you choose for the course to appear, you can also customize the appearance of every course page. 

Like with Podia, on Kajabi, memberships are based on the communities. You can create "Success Paths" (step-by-step stages for members to follow) and "Member Spotlights" to highlight top contributors and keep people sticking around.

You can also offer "feedback corners" or "collaboration zones" where members upload files for direct review and peer support.

What do users think?

“The sales pages and website are really easy to create, the membership modules are simple and easy to use. Integration with other services is very good.”

 

G2 Reviewer

Pricing

Kajabi is known to be one of the most expensive solutions. It does not offer a free plan and presents 3 pricing options for creators. The lowest tier starts at $179/month for a monthly subscription. All Kajabi plans put limitations on the number of products, funnels, webistes and students you can have.

My recommendation: shall you use Kajabi to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You want an all-in-one business engine and have the budget to invest in a platform that does everything. It will ensure all your marketing and products talk to each other perfectly.
• NO, if: You are just starting your membership and need a simpler platform to host your community and manage subscriptions.

Thinkific

Best if you are looking for an affordable and scalable solution

If you still have not found the membership website builder you need, we have more options for you. Thinkific is best if you plan to build your membership around online courses, coaching, bundles, webinars, digital downloads.

Key features

• Website builder. Build a professional home for your membership using a section-based builder that requires no technical skills.
• Learning paths. Guide your members through a curated sequence of content by grouping multiple courses into a structured "path." This is a great way to show members a clear journey from beginner to expert.
• Built-in communities. Create dedicated spaces for your members to interact, post updates, and join discussions. Thinkific allows you to link specific community spaces to certain courses. 
• Advanced assessments. Keep your members engaged with a wide variety of interactive tools like quizzes, assignments, and surveys.
• Native mobile app. Give your members the flexibility to learn on the go with a dedicated app for iOS and Android. 

When building your membership site on Thinkific, you can get creative with how you attract members by offering a seven-day free trial or a custom first payment. Another great thing is that you can create a welcome flow that redirects new members to a specific Welcome Course immediately after they pay.

There is an opportunity to choose between Private memberships (visible but requiring an email request to join) or Hidden memberships (invisible on your site but accessible via a secret link). 

Thinkific then would generate a landing page that lists every course and community included in the membership program.

What do users think?

“What I like most about Thinkific is how easy it is to use. The platform is very intuitive, which lets me focus on creating content instead of dealing with technical issues. It gives me everything I need to run my courses in one place, from hosting lessons to managing students and sales. The initial setup was pretty easy too.”

 

G2 Reviewer

Pricing 

Thinkific offers 4 main pricing solutions without a free plan. Their most affordable plan starts at $49 when billed monthly. The platform limits the number of communities and admins you can create.

My recommendation: shall you use Thinkific to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You are an educator who values student success and structured learning above all else.
• NO, if: You want an all-in-one solution, with advanced marketing options to sell the memberships. 

Wild Abricot  

Best if you have a team and your priority is automations

WildApricot is an all-in-one membership management system. This platform allows you to manage your contacts, send emails, manage event attendees, create a website, sell products, manage payments, etc.

Key features

• Member database. Store all your member information in one secure, searchable place. You can easily filter contacts by membership level or activity to see who is active and who has lapsed.
• Website builder. Create a professional, mobile-friendly website using a drag-and-drop editor. 
• Automated renewals and payments. Set up automatic email reminders and recurring payments. 
• Event management. Create custom registration forms, set member-only pricing, and even check attendees.
• Member and admin mobile apps. Provide two distinct experiences: one for members to view the directory and pay dues on the go, and another for admins to manage the database.
• Built-in email and CRM. Send professional newsletters and targeted "e-blasts" using customizable templates. 

To make your membership website more engaging, you can use the gadgets functionality to add dynamic content to your website, like registration forms, blogs, calendars, etc. 

You can set the access to the pages in a way that only specific members can access through login. There is an opportunity to customize where members shall land when joining based on their membership level. 

What do users think?

“Wild Apricot is very easy to hand off to the end -user. The biggest downside to Wild Apricot is the lack of community-style functionality. It has great basic features but lacks some of the more modern social features other member-driven platforms have”. 

 

G2 Reviewer

Pricing

The pricing on WildApricot largely depends on paying intervals and the number of contacts you have. For example, you may decide to pay monthly, a year ahead, or even 2 years ahead. In the case of monthly billing, you should pay $63 for 100 contacts. There is also a free trial available.

My recommendation: shall you use Wild Apricot to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You are running a team, or need to track real-world data like member levels, attendance, and physical directories. 
• NO, if: You are a solopreneur, you only sell digital products and do not need detailed tracking for the members and member activity. 

Memberspace 

Best if you already have a website, (like Wix) and want a membership platform

MemberSpace is a platform where you can build a website and create & sell your digital products. It integrates well with popular CMS solutions and allows selling your digital content with different pricing options, including free member plans.

Key features

• Any-site integration. You can turn any part of your existing website into a member-only space by simply adding a snippet of code.
• Member-only pages. Protect specific pages or files so that only logged-in members can see them.
• Flexible payment plans. Offer a wide range of billing options, including one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, or multiple-payment installments.
• Content dripping. Control exactly when your members get access to specific content. You can schedule pages to "drip" out a certain number of days after someone joins or on specific calendar dates. 
• Free trials and coupons. Give potential members a taste of your content by setting up free trial periods.
• Automated retention tools. Use built-in "abandoned cart" recovery and cancellation alternatives to keep your revenue steady.

What is great about building a membership site on Memberspace is that you can create different signup fields for specific membership plans. 

Also, in the case of Memberspace, your website and membership settings can be viewed as separate. In a sense, that even if you change your website, your membership settings would still remain, and you would not have to set everything up again. 

You can choose whether you want to customize the membership and keep the same style as your website, or have a different one from it. 

The onboarding emails are also customizable, and you can set them based on the membership tier they joined. 

What do users think?

“I am using Memberspace for 2 years now, and I am very happy with the service. Everything is simple, my members are happy with the setup, and the Memberspace team always answers super fast to my questions.”

 

G2 Reviewer

Pricing

MemberSpace does not provide information on pricing publicly. For details, you can contact their team and request information on pricing.

My recommendation: shall you use Memberspace to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You already love your current website (especially if it is on Squarespace or Webflow) and just want to add the membership opportunities. 
• NO, if: you want an all-in-one platform to handle all your courses, programs, and memberships. 

Kartra  

Best if you want a high-performance, all-in-one platform that connects every part of their sales funnel, from lead capture and email automation to the membership. 

Kartra is another marketing solution that enables you to create sales funnels, run marketing campaigns, host online courses, and automate detailed email sequences all in one platform. If you need powerful marketing tools, Kartra is for you.

Key features

• The funnel-to-membership flow. You can set up "behavioral tagging," where a member is automatically moved to a different tier or sent a specific email sequence based on which pages they visit or which videos they finish.
• Multi-tier access levels. This allows you to "tease" premium content to lower-tier members and encourage them to upgrade their subscription right inside the portal.
• Email automations based on member behavior. You can trigger automations based on video behavior, for example, if a member stops watching halfway, Kartra can automatically email them a reminder to finish the lesson.
• Dynamic drip content. You can drip lessons based on the member's sign-up date, on a specific calendar date, or only after they have completed a previous module.
• Built-in helpdesk. Provide professional support without external tools. You can embed a helpdesk with a ticketing system and live chat directly into your membership site.
• Membership portals. If you run multiple different programs, Kartra allows you to build a "Portal" a single branded homepage where members can see all the different memberships you offer and log into them with one single click.

What do users think? 

“Having everything in one place is so handy. I love that my membership, my affiliate, my products, and my cart are all on the same platform. Yes many all-in-ones do this, but I like the flow of kartra. i also like the built-in page builder. It is a time saver”.

 

G2 Reviewer

Pricing 

Kartra offers 3 main pricing options, with the lowest tier being $59 if billed monthly. The contacts and webinars you can have for each tier are limited. You can also start with a 14-day free trial.

My recommendation: shall you use Kartra to build your membership site?

• YES, if: You want to automate everything. It is the best choice if you have a complex product ladder with many upsells, downsells, and tiers.
• NO, if: You are a beginner looking for a simple, low-cost setup. Kartra has a steeper learning curve than platforms like Uteach and Podia. 

Wix

Best if you want total visual control over your website

The last membership website builder on our list is Wix. It is a beginner-friendly tool that will help you build a professional online presence with the help of ready-made templates and a drag-and-drop interface.  

Key features 

• Customizable members area: Wix automatically generates a dedicated "Members Area" where users can manage their profiles, track their past purchases, and access private content. 
• Wix online programs: This is Wix’s native tool for building online courses and challenges. You can create structured modules with video lessons, quizzes, and downloadable resources, and then gate them behind a "paywall" that only active members can access. 
• Pricing plans app: This app handles all your recurring billing and tiered access. You can set up multiple subscription levels, offer free trials to new members, and even create "buy now, pay later" installment options.
• Wix groups and forums: Foster member-to-member interaction by adding a community feed or a discussion forum. Members can follow each other, post updates, and join specific interest groups.
• Role-based access control: You can assign specific "roles" to your members. This allows you to show or hide entire pages of your website based on a member's specific badge or subscription level.

What do users think?

“I've designed about two dozen websites for clients using Wix. Very easy to use. The templates are excellent. New features are cutting edge. Customer service is a bit more difficult to reach. Integrations with other software programs seem adequate so far”.

 

G2 reviewer

Pricing 

Wix offers four main pricing options. In fact, you can get started for free, build your website, and decide to pay for Wix Premium features later. If you are not using the paid version, you will not be able to connect a custom domain, remove Wix branding, etc. The four pricing options come with limitations to the storage space.

My recommendation: shall you use Wix to build your membership site?

• YES, if: The site design and experience is a priority for you. 
• NO, if: Your main focus is online courses, with hundreds of videos and need to track student results. 

Key factors for choosing a membership platform 

That is it! We have analyzed the best membership website platform for you. However, it may still be difficult for you to choose, as each of these platforms comes with its unique features. 

• User experience 

It should go without saying that a great user experience is what you should be looking for in a membership website platform. A platform with an intuitive interface ensures that both you and your members can navigate it easily. 

• Customization options

Another important factor to consider is customization and flexibility. Your membership platform should allow you to match the design and functionality of your brand and meet your specific needs. So, think about this.  Does the platform offer the kind of templates I need for my business? Can I create flexible membership tiers? How does the platform help me provide an exclusive experience for my members? 

Also, look if the platform puts any limitations on the number of members, storage, or anything you create. You might start small at the beginning, yet the platform should be able to accommodate your needs as you grow. 

• Content management functionality

You will need a system that allows you to easily create, organize, and deliver content to your members.

You should have all the flexibility when it comes to delivering your content. For example, can you use drip scheduling? Can you share blog content? How can you categorize the content? Would you have access to multimedia elements? 

Also, you may want to restrict access to certain content based on membership levels. So, choose a membership website builder that helps you manage access and provide diverse formats of content. For example, with Uteach, you can post and share everything, from pre-recorded courses and audio to digital downloads. 

• Community management 

The reason people purchase memberships from you does not lie solely in your exclusive content. They are also interested in the experience you can provide. And what can channel that experience if not your dedicated community? 

With the help of the community, your members can gain new connections and collaborate with other members. Of course, you may be using third-party tools like Facebook groups to manage your community. However, if the community is the core of your business, choosing a platform that offers such features is always a better idea. 

• Payment processing 

The payment methods a membership website platform provides play a huge part in whether people become paying members. If they cannot find a payment method supported by their country, they are unlikely to pay. 

That is why you need to analyze the payment gateways your platform offers and see if there are enough options for you. 

What is my next step? 

Essentially, whichever membership website builder you should choose depends on your business needs. As you can see, each of them has its unique functionality when it comes to website design, branding, membership management, and community. 

If you need a membership website platform where you can offer everything in one place, including online courses, digital downloads, and live and coaching sessions, consider starting with Uteach. With Uteach, you can also present your offers in bundles, offer memberships for your business needs, and engage your members with a dedicated community. 

Explore more of Uteach features and get started with your 14-day free trial today.