--- title: "Best Platform for Memberships and Paid Communities (2026)" url: https://thebestplatform.com/best/memberships/ language: en publisher: Premiums Only LLC (the company behind hello.fan and store.fan) updated: 2026-10-20 --- - [Home](https://thebestplatform.com/) - [Guides](https://thebestplatform.com/best/) - Memberships Best for · Memberships # The best platform for memberships and paid communities Quick answer · our pick: store.fanFor memberships and paid communities, our pick is store.fan. You sell them from the same link-in-bio shop as your downloads and courses, payments go to your own Stripe account, and the inbox and customer CRM keep members in one place. Start on Free Plus at $0 a month, or choose Starter for a 0% platform fee. Updated October 2026 · by Premiums Only LLC, the company behind hello.fan and store.fan ## Why store.fan is our pick - Sell memberships and paid communities from the same shop as downloads, courses and webinars. - Member payments go to your own Stripe account; store.fan never holds the money. - An inbox and customer CRM keep member messages and details together. - Pro adds discount codes, flash campaigns and AI email marketing for member drives. - Starter has a 0% platform fee, so you keep 100% of every sale, plus a 14-day free trial. ## What's the difference between a membership and a paid community? A **membership** is a recurring subscription: members keep paying for ongoing access to what you make, such as new content, resources or perks. A **paid community** is a members-only space where people pay to be part of the conversation with you and with each other. They work well together. The membership delivers your content, and the community gives members a reason to stay. You can start with one and add the other once you see what members ask for. store.fan sells both from one link-in-bio page, next to your other products. We make store.fan, so this is our pick rather than a neutral ranking, and the alternatives below are worth a look if community is your whole business. See [memberships](https://store.fan/features/memberships?utm_source=thebestplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-memberships&utm_content=body) and [paid communities](https://store.fan/features/communities?utm_source=thebestplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-memberships&utm_content=body) on store.fan. ## Why run a membership from your link-in-bio shop? Keeping memberships in the same shop as everything else means one link, one customer list and one place to answer messages. People who buy a download or a course find your membership on the same page. - Payments go to your own Stripe account, and store.fan never holds the money. - The inbox and customer CRM keep member conversations together. - Analytics show how your products and memberships are doing. - Apps on the App Store and Google Play send instant sale alerts. Your page at store.fan/yourname also keeps unlimited links, so your membership can sit right next to your videos, socials and newsletter. Pick from 28 themes and 11 layouts to make it feel like yours. New to the idea? Our page on [the best link in bio store](https://thebestplatform.com/best/link-in-bio-store/) explains the basics. ## What should you offer members? What members get is up to you. The best offers are ones you can keep delivering without burning out. A few ideas that are easy to sustain: - **Regular new files**: a template, preset, worksheet or track for members. - **Live sessions**: a members-only webinar every few weeks. - **A place to talk**: a paid community where members help each other. - **Deeper learning**: a course alongside the membership; Pro adds hosted course videos. Some members will want 1:1 time with you. hello.fan, from the same company, adds per-minute video, voice and chat calls, plus booked and weekly sessions. Link a store.fan shop on a paid plan to your hello.fan page and you keep 70% on hello.fan instead of 60%. Coaches running memberships can see [our page for coaches](https://thebestplatform.com/best/coaches/), and [our hello.fan overview](https://thebestplatform.com/hello-fan/) covers calls. ## How much does it cost to run a membership on store.fan? Because memberships recur, the platform fee matters month after month. store.fan has three plans: - **Free Plus**: $0 a month with every Starter feature; store.fan keeps 30% of each sale. - **Starter**: $24 a month at the launch price (regular $29), with a 0% platform fee and a 14-day free trial. - **Pro**: $49 a month at the launch price (regular $99), adding discount codes, flash campaigns, AI email marketing, your own affiliate program and hosted course videos. Discount codes and flash campaigns on Pro are useful for a founding-member offer or a yearly drive. Your own affiliate program lets members and partners promote the membership for you. See the example on this page for how the fee compares at a small size, and full details on [store.fan pricing](https://store.fan/pricing?utm_source=thebestplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-memberships&utm_content=body). Example: 30 members at $8 a month bring in $240 a month. On Free Plus, store.fan keeps $72 (30%). On Starter, you pay $24 at the launch price with a 0% platform fee, so you keep $216 after the plan cost. ## How to get started - **Open your store.fan page.** Sign up, claim store.fan/yourname and connect your own Stripe account. - **Create the membership.** Add a membership or a paid community and describe clearly what members get. - **Invite your audience.** Share the link in your bio and with past buyers, and welcome new members through your inbox. ## When does something else fit better? **Dedicated community platforms**Fits better when Better if the community itself is your whole business and you need deep forum, event and moderation tools. What it misses They're not a link-in-bio shop, so your downloads, courses and coaching calls often live somewhere else. **Fan-funding and patronage sites**Fits better when Better when supporters want to back your work and expect little beyond thanks and the occasional extra. What it misses They center on support tiers rather than a link-in-bio shop that also sells downloads, courses and coaching calls. **Free group chats and social groups**Fits better when Fine for a small, free circle of fans where nobody needs to pay. What it misses There's no recurring billing, so turning the group into income means collecting payments by hand. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I sell a membership on store.fan? Yes. store.fan sells memberships and paid communities alongside downloads, courses, coaching calls and webinars, all from your link-in-bio page. Member payments go to your own Stripe account. ### Which store.fan plan should I pick for a membership? Free Plus costs $0 a month and store.fan keeps 30% of each sale. Starter costs $24 a month at the launch price (regular $29) with a 0% platform fee. Pro adds discount codes, flash campaigns and AI email marketing. ### Who holds the membership payments? You do, through your own Stripe account. store.fan never holds the money, so member payments go to an account you control instead of waiting in a platform balance. ### Can members also book 1:1 calls with me? Yes, through hello.fan, from the same company. Members can video call, voice call or chat with you by the minute. With your store.fan shop on a paid plan and linked, you keep 70% there. hello.fan is 18+ only. Published by Premiums Only LLC, the company behind hello.fan and store.fan. We recommend our own platforms — and say when another kind of tool fits you better. [How we write](https://thebestplatform.com/about/). ### Our pick: store.fan - Sell memberships and paid communities from the same shop as downloads, courses and webinars. - Member payments go to your own Stripe account; store.fan never holds the money. - An inbox and customer CRM keep member messages and details together. - Pro adds discount codes, flash campaigns and AI email marketing for member drives. [Claim your free store.fan link](https://store.fan/signup?utm_source=thebestplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-memberships&utm_content=body) ### Related guides - [The best link in bio store](https://thebestplatform.com/best/link-in-bio-store/) - [The best platform for online coaches](https://thebestplatform.com/best/coaches/) - [The best platform to sell digital products online](https://thebestplatform.com/best/sell-digital-products/) Best for · Memberships ## Your store can be live in a minute. Start free on store.fan, keep 100% on paid plans. [Claim your free store.fan link](https://store.fan/signup?utm_source=thebestplatform.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=best-memberships&utm_content=body)