Verdict. Pick Fourthwall if merch is part of your plan. One branded site runs your shop, memberships and digital downloads, and Fourthwall handles printing, shipping and sales tax. The 5% membership fee is half of Patreon's standard rate, and the member web app avoids app store fees. The catch is cash flow. You get paid once a month, only above $25, and you cannot request an early payout.
- Founded
- 2019
- Headquarters
- Santa Monica, California, US
- Best for
- YouTubers and streamers selling merch alongside memberships
- Plans from
- Free
- You keep from $1,000
- $891 on Free
Who can join. Open to anyone 16+, with a parent or guardian agreeing to the terms if you are under 18. Payouts need Stripe Connect or bill.com, and some countries are blocked entirely.
Fourthwall pricing and fees
Memberships cost 5% plus 2.9% + $0.30 US card processing, digital products cost 5% on Free or 0% on Pro at $19 a month, and merch earns you the sale price minus a fixed base cost.
| Plan | Price | Fee on sales | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 5% on memberships and digital products | Up to 50 products and 2 team members. Merch pays you the sale price minus base cost. |
| Pro | $19/mo | 5% on memberships, 0% on digital products | $180 a year billed annually, a $48 saving. Adds $10 monthly sample credit, a free .store domain and unlimited team members. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | For high-volume shops and custom needs. |
On $1,000 of monthly sales at $10 each, the cheapest option is the Free plan. You'd pay about $109 in platform and card fees, 10.9% of revenue, and keep $891. Compare that with every other platform.
Payment processing. Fourthwall is the merchant of record and processes payments through Stripe. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay cost 2.9% + $0.30 domestic and 3.9% + $0.30 international. PayPal costs 3.49% + $0.49 domestic and 4.99% + $0.49 international, charged on the full order including shipping and tax.
Payouts. Payouts are automatic and monthly. Stripe Connect payouts go out by the 3rd business day and cover the previous month, once your balance reaches $25. Creators in countries Stripe does not support get paid through bill.com. PayPal, Wise and early payouts are not available.
What you get with Fourthwall
- Print-on-demand merch catalog
- Product designer
- Digital product sales
- Membership tiers with posts and video
- Installable member web app
- Tips and donations
- Custom domain
- Sales tax handled as merchant of record
- YouTube, TikTok and Instagram shopping links
- Patreon content import
Fourthwall pros and cons
What we like
- No platform fee on merch, tips or self-sourced products. You keep the margin you set.
- Fourthwall handles fulfillment, customer support for its products and sales tax as merchant of record.
- The member web app installs from the browser, so there is no 30% app store fee.
- Memberships, merch and digital sales live on one site under your own domain.
What gets in the way
- Payouts come once a month, with a $25 minimum and no early withdrawals.
- PayPal sales cost 3.49% + $0.49, noticeably more than card payments.
- Pro's 0% digital fee still leaves memberships at 5%.
- The Free plan caps you at 50 products and two team members.
Who should skip Fourthwall
If you need money weekly or only sell memberships with no merch, Patreon or Ko-fi pays out faster.
Fourthwall alternatives
| Platform | Score | Keep from $1,000 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ko-fi | 7.9 | $929 | Artists and streamers who mostly take tips and commissions |
| Memberful | 6.6 | $843 | Publishers and podcasters who want a fully branded membership |
| Buy Me a Coffee | 6.4 | $886 | Writers and makers who want a simple tip jar |
| Patreon | 6.1 | $841 | Video creators, podcasters and artists with loyal fans |
Head to head: Patreon vs Fourthwall.
See all 6 membership platforms ranked.
Fourthwall questions
How much does Fourthwall take from memberships?
Fourthwall takes a flat 5% of membership revenue on both the Free and Pro plans. US card payments add 2.9% + $0.30, international cards 3.9% + $0.30, and domestic PayPal 3.49% + $0.49. Tips and donations carry no platform fee, only payment processing.
How does Fourthwall make money on merch?
Each catalog product has a fixed base cost that covers production. Fourthwall deducts it from the price you set and you keep the rest, with no percentage fee on top. A shirt with a $10 base cost sold at $22 earns you $12 before payment processing.
Is Fourthwall Pro worth it?
Pro costs $19 a month or $180 a year. It drops the 5% fee on digital products to 0% and adds $10 of monthly sample credit, a free .store domain and unlimited team members. On fees alone it pays off once digital sales pass about $380 a month, sooner if you order samples.
When does Fourthwall pay creators?
Once a month. Stripe Connect payouts go out by the 3rd business day and cover the previous calendar month, once your balance reaches $25. US banks usually receive funds in 1 to 3 business days and international banks in 3 to 10. You cannot request an early payout.
Sources
We checked these pages on October 20, 2026. Platforms change fees often, so confirm on the official page before you commit.
- Fourthwall pricing
- Fourthwall Help: Transaction fees
- Fourthwall Help: Understanding payout timing and schedules
- Fourthwall Help: What if your country is not supported by Stripe
- Fourthwall Help: How payout methods differ from payment methods
- Fourthwall Help: Fourthwall Free FAQs
- Fourthwall Help: Fourthwall Pro FAQs
- Fourthwall Help: Mobile apps for memberships
- Fourthwall Terms of Service
- Tubefilter: Fourthwall raises $17 million