Patreon ranks #1 for memberships for creators (score 9.5/10). Pricing: Unverified; free tier: yes (free to start). Runners-up: Substack, Kajabi.
Top 5, ranked by our published rubric. Sponsorship never affects the order. Last updated 2026-10-13.
| # | Tool | Score | Pricing | Paid from | Free tier | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patreon | 9.5 | Free tier | Unverified | yes (free to start) | Memberships for creators |
| 2 | Substack | 9.2 | Free tier | Revenue share on paid subscriptions + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 | yes (free to publish) | Newsletter publishing |
| 3 | Kajabi | 7.1 | From $179 | From $179/month as listed (billed annually) | Unverified | Courses and creator business platform |
| 4 | Ghost | 7.0 | From $18 | From $18/month as listed (billed annually) | Unverified | Publishing and newsletter platform |
| 5 | Skool | 6.0 | From $9 | Hobby $9/mo; Pro $99/mo | no | Community and courses platform |
Memberships for creators
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Build a community, share exclusive work, and turn your passion into a thriving business with Patreon.” We placed it 1st of 5 on fit for this task. Pricing unverified.
Fit 10.0 · value 8.1 · breadth 10 · availability 10 (how we score) · pricing source · site live
Newsletter publishing
Why ranked: Its own site says: “The app for independent voices” We placed it 2nd of 5 on fit for this task. Free tier; paid from Revenue share on paid subscriptions + Stripe 2.9% + $0.30.
Fit 8.5 · value 10.0 · breadth 10 · availability 10 (how we score) · pricing source · site live
Courses and creator business platform
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Kajabi is the operating system for human expertise—helping real experts build, sell, and grow trusted businesses with clarity, momentum, and AI-powered support.” We placed it 3rd of 5 on fit for this task. No free plan confirmed; paid from From $179/month as listed (billed annually).
Fit 7.0 · value 4.4 · breadth 10 · availability 10 (how we score) · pricing source · site live
Publishing and newsletter platform
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Beautiful, modern publishing with email newsletters and paid subscriptions built-in.” We placed it 4th of 5 on fit for this task. No free plan confirmed; paid from From $18/month as listed (billed annually).
Fit 5.5 · value 6.9 · breadth 10 · availability 10 (how we score) · pricing source · site live
Community and courses platform
Why ranked: Its own site says: “Skool is a community platform. You can discover communities or create your own.” We placed it 5th of 5 on fit for this task. No free plan confirmed; paid from Hobby $9/mo; Pro $99/mo.
Fit 4.0 · value 6.2 · breadth 10 · availability 10 (how we score) · pricing source · site live
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By TaskRanking's published rubric, Patreon ranks first, followed by Substack and Kajabi.
Yes: Patreon has a free tier per its own pricing page (checked 2026-10-13).
Score = 50% fit, 25% value (from vendor pricing pages), 15% breadth, 10% availability. Sponsorship never affects rank.
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