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Head-to-head · Membership Site Platforms

Patreon vs Paid Memberships Pro

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Patreon #1 in Membership Site Platforms 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 2 features Visit Patreon
Paid Memberships Pro #7 in Membership Site Platforms 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 2 features Visit site

Patreon leads on 0 checks, Paid Memberships Pro on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePatreon · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresPaid Memberships Pro · 2 of 2

Patreon scores higher on our rubric for membership site platforms: 9.4 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Patreon is the better fit for creators starting a paid community affordably. Paid Memberships Pro is the better fit for wordPress users wanting flexible membership control.

  • Patreon fits best

    Creators starting a paid community affordably

  • Paid Memberships Pro fits best

    WordPress users wanting flexible membership control

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Patreon 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Paid Memberships Pro 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 8.6
Ranking #1 in Membership Site Platforms #7 in Membership Site Platforms
Best for Creators starting a paid community affordably WordPress users wanting flexible membership control
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — $499/yr
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web
Support Tickets, Community, Docs Email, Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations 8 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features Patreon 1/2 · Paid Memberships Pro 2/2
Custom domain ✓ ✓
Drip content Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Content gating Post Post
Subscription billing Both Both
Member limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Transaction fee 10% platform fee for new creators, plus payment processing, currency conversion, payout fees, and applicable taxes No platform transaction fee; payment gateway charges still apply.
Our review
Pros
  • Free plan includes memberships, content gating, video, messaging, and analytics
  • Supports monthly and annual subscriptions plus one-time digital purchases
  • Connects communities with Discord, Spotify, RSS, and podcast feeds
  • Restricts pages, posts, blocks, categories, and custom post types
  • Supports free, one-time, and recurring membership levels
  • Connects with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, LMS, and community tools
Cons
  • The standard platform fee is 10% for creator pages published after August 4, 2025
  • Additional payment processing, conversion, payout, and applicable tax fees apply
  • Community and publishing features are centered on the Patreon ecosystem
  • Requires a self-hosted WordPress site
  • Series drip content requires a premium Add On
  • Paid tiers start at $49 per month
Our verdict

Patreon is a web and mobile membership platform for creators who want to build communities, publish exclusive content, and earn through recurring memberships or one-time purchases. It suits creators starting a paid community affordably,…

Read the review →

Paid Memberships Pro is a self-hosted, open-source WordPress plugin for creating and operating membership websites. It suits site owners who want control over gated content, membership levels, subscriptions, member accounts, and reporting…

Read the review →
  1. PatreonMembership Site Platforms 9.4Free plan
  2. Paid Memberships ProMembership Site Platforms 8.6Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Patreon — where it wins

    • Free plan includes memberships, content gating, video, messaging, and analytics
    • Supports monthly and annual subscriptions plus one-time digital purchases
    • Connects communities with Discord, Spotify, RSS, and podcast feeds

    Where it doesn't

    • The standard platform fee is 10% for creator pages published after August 4, 2025
    • Additional payment processing, conversion, payout, and applicable tax fees apply
    • Community and publishing features are centered on the Patreon ecosystem

  • Paid Memberships Pro — where it wins

    • Restricts pages, posts, blocks, categories, and custom post types
    • Supports free, one-time, and recurring membership levels
    • Connects with Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, LMS, and community tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires a self-hosted WordPress site
    • Series drip content requires a premium Add On
    • Paid tiers start at $49 per month
  • Patreon9.4/10 · Free plan

    An affordable way to sell memberships, content, and community access, with a 10% platform fee.

    Visit PatreonFull verdict →
  • Paid Memberships Pro8.6/10 · Free plan

    A flexible self-hosted WordPress option for memberships, payments, and gated content.

    Visit siteFull verdict →

More comparisons

All membership site platforms comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update