Leaky Paywall vs Memberful (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Leaky Paywall if

• Fits if you publish on WordPress and want a metered paywall
• Works for a small publisher that can accept a revenue share while starting

Look elsewhere if

• Not for you if you're off WordPress, as it runs only inside it
• Pricey if you earn a lot, since the free edition takes 10% of new paid subscriptions
• Watch out: recurring plans, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro
• Watch out: payments go through Stripe, and Pro prices weren't readable

Pick Memberful if

• Fits if you run a paid newsletter or podcast on your own website
• Works for WordPress sites that need a members-only paywall with Discord or Discourse access

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you're small, as $49 a month comes before the 4.9% cut and Stripe's fee
• Not for you if you want upsells, order bumps or affiliates, which aren't in the listing
• Watch out: a Stripe account is required, and billing starts the day you connect it and go live
• Tight if you need volume pricing or migration help, which only the custom-priced Enterprise plan offers
• Not for you if you want a phone or desktop app, as only the web is listed

Leaky Paywall

• Prices for the paid plans could not be read: the vendor's site refused automated access, so only the free edition is listed.
• The free edition takes a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; Pro reduces or removes it.
• Runs only inside WordPress, and paid subscriptions are processed through Stripe.
• Recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro features.

Memberful

• Memberful takes 4.9% of every successful charge on top of the $49 monthly fee, and Stripe adds its own fee, typically 2.9% + $0.30.
• A Stripe account is required: Stripe processes the payments and transfers the money to your own bank account.
• There is one self-serve plan; volume pricing and migration help are only on the custom Enterprise plan.

Leaky Paywall

Metered and hard paywalls

Choose metered, hard, or dynamic and hybrid paywalls, and restrict by post, category, tag, taxonomy, post type or content block.

Registration wall

List Builder prompts anonymous readers to register or log in, and registered readers can be exported or sent through Zapier.

Subscription levels

Create free, premium, annual or VIP levels, with Stripe checkout including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Publisher dashboard

A dashboard inside WordPress shows revenue trends, new registrations, paid subscription activity and top content.

Pro revenue tools

Pro adds recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons, group and IP-based subscriptions, and churn risk alerts.

Extensions and integrations

The listing names more than 50 extensions, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier and WooCommerce.

Memberful

Flexible memberships

Weekly, monthly or annual subscriptions, one-time payments, group plans, gifts, free and paid trials, free registration and pay-what-you-want pricing.

Content behind a paywall

Gate newsletters, podcasts, courses, downloads and community access, with dynamic paywalls and integrated comments.

Website and newsletter builder

Build a site and landing pages on a custom domain with your own theme, or protect members-only content on a WordPress site.

Community integrations

Paid members are invited to a Discord server or Discourse forum and lose access automatically when their subscription ends.

Email list sync

Keeps members in sync with Mailchimp, Kit, ActiveCampaign, Klaviyo, MailerLite, Campaign Monitor, Drip or Sailthru, segmented by plan.

Retention and growth tools

Coupons, a built-in referral program, automated retention discounts, cancellation surveys, global tax collection and growth reports.

Leaky Paywall

• Free$0

  Paywalls, unlimited subscription levels and Stripe checkout, with a 10% revenue share on paid subscriptions.

Memberful

• Standard$49

  per month

  Everything Memberful offers, unlimited members. Memberful also takes a 4.9% transaction fee on each successful charge, plus Stripe's processing fee.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Custom volume-based pricing, premium services and success management, and custom migration and implementation support.