Creator economy

Ad-free, member-funded publishing, but your followers and distribution live on Medium’s terms.

Open-source publishing platform run by a nonprofit foundation; self-hostable for free, Ghost Pro managed hosting funds the foundation without taking a cut of creator revenue.

Tips and memberships with lighter branding than Patreon; Gold tier and shop features add platform dependency over time.

Creator subscriptions with high take rate and policy whiplash; payment processors and brand risk shape who can stay on platform.

Membership platform: take rates, discovery limits, and policy risk sit between creators and their audiences.

Newsletter + payments with clearer creator cut than ad platforms; network features and video push toward fuller stack lock-in.