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Software · head to head

Etsy vs Memberful

Etsy logo

Etsy

Software

Global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique items

From
$0.2/per-listing
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: Etsy etsy charges a $0.20 USD listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on sale price plus shipping, a 3% plus $0.25 USD payment processing fee, and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when shop and payment currencies differ; Memberful charges a 4.9% transaction fee on top of the flat monthly fee on the Standard plan.
  • They diverge on capability: Etsy covers Shop setup, Memberful covers Membership checkout.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Etsy and Memberful actually diverge.

Attributes where Etsy and Memberful differ
AttributeEtsyMemberful
Starting price$0.2/per-listing$49/month
Pricing modeltransactionsubscription
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded20052013

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 Etsy

  • Shop setup
  • Product listings
  • Payment processing
  • Shop customization
  • Order management
  • Shipping labels
  • Reviews & ratings
  • Shipping protection

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.

Etsy

No use cases recorded yet. See the Etsy review.

Memberful

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

Where each one falls short

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

Etsy

  • Etsy charges a $0.20 USD listing fee per item, a 6.5% transaction fee on sale price plus shipping, a 3% plus $0.25 USD payment processing fee, and a 2.5% currency conversion fee when shop and payment currencies differ

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

Etsy

$0.2/per-listing
  • Standard Shop$0.2/per-listing-plus-commission
    • Listing fees
    • Transaction fees
    • Payment processing

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 Etsy if

  • You need shop setup.
  • You also want product listings.
Etsy review

Choose Memberful if

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

Questions people ask

Is Etsy or Memberful better?
Neither clearly leads. Etsy starts at $0.2/per-listing and Memberful at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Etsy or Memberful?
Etsy starts at $0.2/per-listing and Memberful at $49/month.
Does Etsy or Memberful run on more platforms?
Etsy runs on Web. Memberful runs on web, api.
What can Etsy do that Memberful cannot?
Etsy covers Shop setup, Product listings, Payment processing, Shop customization. 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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