Best Membership Sites Tools in 2026
Toolradar data: we track 48 membership sites tools, 17 of them with a free tier (35%), and 34 entered our catalog during 2026. 18 clear our editorial bar.
Toolradar data: we track 48 membership sites tools, 17 of them with a free tier (35%), and 34 entered our catalog during 2026. 18 clear our editorial bar.
This guide covers the 12 that score highest, what separates them, and where each free tier stops. Scores are ours; ratings and review counts come from third-party review platforms.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Free tier | Rating | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost | Yes | 4.5 | Professional publishing platform |
| Kajabi | No | 4.3 | Unify your course, marketing, and community business |
| Circle | No | 4.4 | Community platform for creators and brands |
| Thinkific | Yes | 4.5 | Turn your knowledge into income with an easy-to-use course pla |
| Mighty Networks | No | 4.4 | Community platform for creators and brands |
| Teachable | Yes | 4.5 | Create and sell online courses |
| LearnWorlds | No | 4.7 | Online course platform for creators |
| Podia | No | 4.5 | Sell courses, downloads, coaching and more, commission-free |
| Memberstack | No | 4.7 | Membership and authentication for no-code sites |
| Substack | Yes | 4.4 | Newsletter platform for writers |
The picks
Ghost
Professional publishing platform. Editorial score 87, free tier available, rated 4.5 across 94 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Kajabi
Unify your course, marketing, and community business. Editorial score 86, paid only, rated 4.3 across 313 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Circle
Community platform for creators and brands. Editorial score 86, paid only, rated 4.4 across 45 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Thinkific
Turn your knowledge into income with an easy-to-use course pla. Editorial score 85, free tier available, rated 4.5 across 586 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Mighty Networks
Community platform for creators and brands. Editorial score 84, paid only, rated 4.4 across 707 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Teachable
Create and sell online courses. Editorial score 84, free tier available, rated 4.5 across 3 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
LearnWorlds
Online course platform for creators. Editorial score 82, paid only, rated 4.7 across 566 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
Podia
Sell courses, downloads, coaching and more, commission-free. Editorial score 82, paid only, rated 4.5 across 142 third-party reviews.
Full profile, pricing and alternatives
How we picked
Every tool here is published on Toolradar with an editorial score of 74 or above, out of 48 tracked in this category. Ordering follows that score, then third-party review volume, so a tool with one glowing review does not outrank one with a thousand. The figures update as the catalog does.
FAQ
How many membership sites tools are there?
We track 48 published membership sites tools, of which 18 clear our editorial bar. 34 were added during 2026, which reflects when we indexed them rather than when each vendor launched.
Are there free membership sites tools?
Fewer than you might expect: 17 of 48 offer a free tier, 35%. This is a category where the serious options are paid, and free tiers are trials in practice.
How should I shortlist?
Start from the constraint that will not move: budget, an existing stack you must integrate with, or a compliance requirement. Filter on that first, then compare the two or three that survive. Ranking by feature count leads to the most expensive tool every time.
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Written by
Louis Corneloup
Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Toolradar. Founder & CEO of Dupple, the publisher of 5 industry newsletters reaching 720K+ tech professionals. Reviews B2B software using a public methodology, see /how-we-rate and /editorial-policy.