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Arc Publishing vs Memberful

Arc Publishing logo

Arc Publishing

News

The enterprise publishing platform for news organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Memberful logo

Memberful

E-Commerce

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: Arc Publishing now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there; Memberful charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • They diverge on capability: Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Memberful covers Membership checkout.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arc Publishing and Memberful actually diverge.

Attributes where Arc Publishing and Memberful differ
AttributeArc PublishingMemberful
Starting priceOn request$49/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Mobileweb, api
CategoryNewsE-Commerce
Founded20162013

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

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 Arc Publishing

  • Modular CMS
  • Content creation
  • Publishing workflow
  • Paywall management
  • Subscription billing
  • Analytics dashboard
  • API framework
  • Commerce integration

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.

Arc Publishing

  • Content management for news and digital publishersnot Memberful
  • Subscription and paywall managementnot Memberful
  • Video publishing alongside articlesnot Memberful
  • Multi-site delivery for broadcast and B2B publishersnot Memberful

Memberful

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

Where each one falls short

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

Arc Publishing

  • Now sold as Arc XP, and arcpublishing.com redirects there
  • Pricing is not published
  • Built for media companies, so the editorial workflow assumptions do not suit a general business site

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

Arc Publishing

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom CMS
    • Paywall integration
    • Advanced analytics

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 Arc Publishing if

  • You need modular cms.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want content creation.
Arc Publishing review

Choose Memberful if

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

Questions people ask

Is Arc Publishing or Memberful better?
Neither clearly leads. Arc Publishing 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, Arc Publishing or Memberful?
Arc Publishing starts at On request and Memberful at $49/month.
Does Arc Publishing or Memberful run on more platforms?
Arc Publishing runs on Web, Mobile. Memberful runs on web, api.
What is Arc Publishing best used for?
Arc Publishing is most often used for content management for news and digital publishers, subscription and paywall management, video publishing alongside articles, multi-site delivery for broadcast and b2b publishers. Of those, content management for news and digital publishers and subscription and paywall management are not what Memberful is typically brought in for.
What can Arc Publishing do that Memberful cannot?
Arc Publishing covers Modular CMS, Content creation, Publishing workflow, Paywall management. Memberful covers Membership checkout, Flexible subscriptions, Member management, Landing page builder.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arc Publishing: Does Arc XP publish pricing online?

No. Arc XP does not publish pricing on their website. Interested customers are directed to schedule a chat with a local account manager or request a demo to discuss pricing.

Source
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
Arc Publishing: How do I get a pricing quote from Arc XP?

You must contact Arc XP's sales team directly. The company offers options to schedule a chat with your local account manager or submit a demo request form.

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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