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Software · head to head

Acast vs Memberful

Acast logo

Acast

Software

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Memberful logo

Memberful

Software

Membership platform for creators to sell subscriptions, courses and gated content

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acast the free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace; Memberful charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Memberful covers Membership checkout.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Memberful actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Memberful differ
AttributeAcastMemberful
Starting priceOn request$49/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded20142013

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acast

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Only in Memberful

  • Membership checkout
  • Flexible subscriptions
  • Member management
  • Landing page builder
  • Dynamic paywalls
  • Third-party integrations

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acast

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening appsnot Memberful
  • Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Memberful
  • Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Memberful

Memberful

  • Selling paid membership subscriptions from an existing websitenot Acast
  • Gating podcast, newsletter or course content behind a paywallnot Acast
  • Running a WordPress site with paid member-only contentnot Acast
  • Offering one-time purchases alongside recurring membershipsnot Acast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acast

  • The free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
  • Multiple shows require the paid Influencer plan at $14.99 per month billed annually or $25 per month billed monthly
  • Team management, prioritised support and the Publishing API require the Pro plan at $29.99 per month billed annually or $40 per month monthly
  • Publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts requires the Video plan at $39.99 per month billed annually or $50 per month monthly
  • The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
  • A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
  • The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price

Memberful

  • Charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • Requires a separate Stripe account, adding setup complexity compared to all-in-one checkout platforms.
  • Lacks built-in course-hosting depth found in dedicated learning management platforms.
  • No free plan beyond the pre-launch trial period; charges begin once payments go live.

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Sponsorship marketplace

Memberful

$49/month
  • Standard$49/month
    • 4.9% transaction fee
    • Full platform access
    • Free until you go live
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom volume-based rates
    • Premium services and success management
    • Dedicated migration support

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Memberful if

  • You need membership checkout.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want flexible subscriptions.
Memberful review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Memberful better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at On request and Memberful at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Memberful?
Acast starts at On request and Memberful at $49/month.
Does Acast or Memberful run on more platforms?
Acast runs on Web. Memberful runs on web, api.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps, monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships, publishing video podcast episodes alongside audio. Of those, hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps and monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships are not what Memberful is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Memberful cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Memberful covers Membership checkout, Flexible subscriptions, Member management, Landing page builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Memberful: What does Memberful cost?

Memberful's Standard plan costs $49/month plus a 4.9% transaction fee, while larger organizations can get custom volume-based rates on the Enterprise plan.

Source
Memberful: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Memberful can be used for free while setting up a membership site, with no charges incurred until the creator goes live and starts accepting payments.

Source
Memberful: What does Memberful integrate with?

Memberful integrates with WordPress, Mailchimp, Discord and Kit, among other tools, to connect membership data with existing sites and marketing systems.

Source
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