MemberPress vs Teachable: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between MemberPress and Teachable comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Teachable is our overall pick for online course platforms workflows. Pick MemberPress if you need membership sites.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
MemberPress
Sell memberships, courses, and downloads on WordPress
Best for you if:
- • You need membership sites features specifically
- • MemberPress is a powerful WordPress plugin for creating and managing membership sites, selling online courses, and building communities.
- • It offers extensive content restriction, flexible payment options, and tools for increasing average order value and member engagement.
Teachable
Create and sell online courses
Best for you if:
- • You want to try before committing
- • You need online course platforms features specifically
- • Online course creation platform
- • Student management tools
| At a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $199.50/year/moLaunch | $29/moStarter |
Best For | Membership Sites | Online Course Platforms |
Rating | - | - |
Choose MemberPress or Teachable?
Choose MemberPress if
Sell memberships, courses, and downloads on WordPress
- Comprehensive suite of features for membership, courses, coaching, and community building within WordPress.
- Easy setup and user-friendly interface with tools like ReadyLaunch™ and a Setup Wizard, requiring no coding skills.
- Extensive content access control (paywalling) for various content types, including posts, pages, and custom post types.
- Your work is membership sites-shaped, not online course platforms-shaped
Choose Teachable if
Create and sell online courses
- Easy course builder
- Good student experience
- Multiple payment options
- Your work is online course platforms-shaped, not membership sites-shaped
| Feature | MemberPress | Teachable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.7/5 641 reviews | No ratings yet |
| Categories | Membership SitesE-commerce | Online Course PlatformsLMS |
In-Depth Analysis
MemberPress
Sell memberships, courses, and downloads on WordPress
Strengths
- +Comprehensive suite of features for membership, courses, coaching, and community building within WordPress.
- +Easy setup and user-friendly interface with tools like ReadyLaunch™ and a Setup Wizard, requiring no coding skills.
- +Extensive content access control (paywalling) for various content types, including posts, pages, and custom post types.
- +Supports a wide range of payment gateways, including credit cards, digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Wallet), PayPal, Square, and Authorize.net.
- +Includes advanced features like content dripping, customizable coupons, order bumps, and bulk membership sales (Corporate Accounts).
Weaknesses
- -Transaction fees are applied to the lowest-tier plan (Launch), which can reduce profit margins.
- -Some advanced features like the complete Easy Affiliate™ Platform, full API access, and Amazon S3 integration are only available on the highest-tier plan (Scale).
- -While offering extensive features, the sheer number of options might present a learning curve for absolute beginners despite the ease-of-use claims.
Key features
Teachable
Create and sell online courses
Strengths
- +Easy course builder
- +Good student experience
- +Multiple payment options
- +Mobile apps
Weaknesses
- -Transaction fees on starter
- -Limited customization
- -Can get expensive
Key features
Pricing: MemberPress vs Teachable
| Plan | MemberPress | Teachable |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $199.50/year Launch | $29 Starter |
| Tier 2 | $349.50/year Growth | $69 Builder |
| Tier 3 | $499.50/year Scale | $139 Growth |
| Tier 4 | N/A | $309 Advanced |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on MemberPress pricing and Teachable pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Teachable has a free tier. MemberPress is paid only.
Go with: Teachable
Want the highest-rated option?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: MemberPress
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Teachable
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
MemberPress is paid. Teachable is freemium. Teachable lets you start free.
What's your use case?
MemberPress is a membership sites tool. Teachable is in online course platforms. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Key Takeaways
Teachable
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
MemberPress
- Better fit for membership sites
The Bottom Line
Teachable is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MemberPress or Teachable better?
Teachable is rated in our evaluation. MemberPress is paid and Teachable is freemium.
What are MemberPress and Teachable used for?
MemberPress: Sell memberships, courses, and downloads on WordPress. Teachable: Create and sell online courses.
What does MemberPress cost vs Teachable?
MemberPress is a paid tool. Teachable is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.