(and why migrating your course to your own academy is usually the smart move)
There are two types of course creators:
- Those who look at their revenue.
- Those who look at their revenue y then look at “commissions,” and suddenly feel a little pain in the side.
If you sell on Hotmart, you're very likely in group 2. Because yes: Hotmart gives you distribution, checkout, affiliates and “I'll set it up in an afternoon.” But the real price isn't always in the subscription… it's in what you don't see: the commission on every sale.
On the other side you have the “own academy” approach: your platform, your brand, your student base and your cash. And this is where Membersfy comes in, positioned as a platform 100% in Spanish and with no sales commissions (you keep your revenue and pay for your platform as a service).
Let's get to the point: how much you lose, how to calculate it with no smoke and mirrors, and when migrating is a business decision (not a technical whim).
(Hotmart's rates were checked in November 2026 on its pricing page. Check them before deciding, because they can change.)
The quick answer
Hotmart doesn't charge a monthly fee, but it keeps from 9,9 % of every sale plus a fixed amount per sale. In Membersfy you pay for your plan and there's no commission per sale. Result: when your volume grows (or your ticket rises), the “invisible” commission often becomes the most expensive cost of your business.
1) Hotmart: where your money goes (no drama… well, a little)
On Hotmart, your main cost isn't “having the account,” but the toll on every sale: a variable commission on the price plus a fixed cost per sale. That means the more you sell, the more you pay. It's scalable… but for them.
- Variable commission: 9,9 % of every sale if you bill up to 9.900 € in 12 months; up to 8,4 % from 10.000 to 99.000 €, and up to 6,9 % from 100.000 to 999.000 €.
- Fixed cost per sale: its website gives different figures, between 0,10 € and 1 €, depending on the page and the product price. Check the one that applies to your account.
- Other costs (depending on your operation): refunds/chargebacks, exchange rate, etc.
How to calculate your real “Hotmart tax”
Use this formula (simple and brutal):
Total Hotmart cost (month) = Σ [Sales_i × (Commission% + fixed_cost/Price)]
Or more practically:
Estimated commission per sale = (Price × Commission%) + Fixed cost (if applicable)
Practical example with the entry rate
We take the first tier and the highest fixed amount its website gives:
- Commission% = 9,9 %
- Fixed cost = 1€ per sale
| Course price | Commission (9,9 %) | Fixed | Total “toll” | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97€ | 9,60€ | 1€ | 10,60€ | 86,40€ |
| 297€ | 29,40€ | 1€ | 30,40€ | 266,60€ |
| 997€ | 98,70€ | 1€ | 99,70€ | 897,30€ |
The blow isn't the 9,9 %… it's the 9,9 % repeated hundreds (or thousands) of times.
Common mistakes
- Looking only at revenue and not at the net.
- Not calculating the cost “at scale” (when your launch works, you pay more).
- Thinking: “I'll migrate when I'm big” (spoiler: you migrate to become big).
2) Membersfy: the “I keep my money” model
In a model with no commission per sale, your main cost stops being “per transaction” and becomes “per platform.” That makes your relative cost go down as you sell more. In other words: growing stops penalizing you and starts rewarding you.
Definition
- Commission-free model: you don't pay a % on every sale (you pay for the service).
- Your academy: domain, brand, students and content under your control.
How to compare correctly
The fair comparison isn't “Hotmart vs Membersfy” as brands, but:
- Variable cost per sale (Hotmart)
vs - Fixed monthly cost (Membersfy)
Break-even point):
Migrating usually makes sense when:
Monthly commissions you pay > Platform + payment gateway + operating cost
Practical example with Membersfy's plans
With a 97 € course you pay about 10,60 € per sale. Membersfy's Iniciador plan (37 €/month) pays for itself with 4 sales per month and the Creador plan (197 €/month) with 19, not counting the payment gateway (Stripe or PayPal), which you pay separately in your academy. To calculate your case:
- If today you pay X€ in commissions/month on Hotmart
- And your total cost for your own academy is Y€/month
- If X > Y, you're literally paying for not owning your platform.
3) What you don't see in the table: brand, data and conversion
The biggest loss isn't always the commission: it's the control. In your own academy, you control the student experience, the data, the communication and the “lifetime value.” That usually improves conversion, reduces dependence and lets you build assets: community, upsells, memberships and bundles without friction.
What you gain by having your own academy
- Brand: an experience that's 100% yours (not “your course inside…”).
- Data and relationship: real segmentation for email, community and renewals.
- Offer: memberships, plans, bundles, certifications, cohorts.
- Healthy scalability: growing doesn't punish you with an extra %.
Practical example
- Before: you sell a course and the student disappears.
- After: you sell a course → the student enters your ecosystem → consumes more → recommends → renews.
(It's the classic shift from “campaign” to “system.” And yes, it sounds like a slogan on a mug, but it works.)
Common mistakes
- Migrating only “to save money,” without redesigning your offer and onboarding.
- Not taking care of the student's transition (access, emails, support).
- Not measuring (conversion rate, drop-off, recurrence).
4) Step-by-step guide to migrate from Hotmart to Membersfy with no drama
Migrating well is more like an organized move than “copying and pasting videos.” The goal is twofold: that the student doesn't suffer and that you gain control. If you follow a phased plan (content, access, payments, communication), the risk drops enormously.
Step 1: Inventory (1 hour that saves you 10)
- Courses and modules
- Downloadable material
- Emails and automations
- Access and segmentation
- FAQ and recurring support
Step 2: Replicate the structure and improve 1 key thing
Don't just migrate “as is.” Improve one high-impact piece:
- onboarding,
- community,
- roadmap,
- or assessment.
Step 3: Payments and access
- Define a payment gateway
- Define access rules (by course, by membership, by cohort)
- Test as if you were a student (mobile included)
Step 4: Migration communication (quick template)
- Email 1: “Upgrade + what changes”
- Email 2: “How to access (step by step)”
- Email 3: “Support and dates”
Step 5: Transition week
- Keep both platforms active for a few days if you can
- Resolve issues quickly (the first 48h are key)
Common mistakes
- Switching Hotmart off all at once without mentally redirecting the student.
- Not having support ready (tickets, WhatsApp, email).
- Not testing the complete purchase flow.
Quick checklist on Hotmart vs Membersfy commissions: “Should I migrate?”
- I know how much I pay actually in commissions per month
- I have (or can build) my own lead-generation system (email, ads, organic, community)
- I want to control the student's experience and data
- My ticket size or volume makes the % hurt
- I'm ready to operate as an “academy” or a real digital business, not as a “standalone product”
If you checked 3 or more: probably yes.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Hotmart vs Membersfy commissions
Is Hotmart bad?
No. Hotmart can be useful if you don't mind paying commissions as a percentage of revenue. The problem appears when the commission stops being “convenience” and becomes a “brake.”
What do I lose by leaving Hotmart?
Mainly its affiliate marketplace: in Membersfy, the affiliate program for each community is in development. You take your students with you: you can import them all at once from a CSV or an Excel file and receive automatic sign-ups from Hotmart.
Does Membersfy work if I sell a membership?
That's exactly where your own academy tends to shine: access control, recurrence, community and upsells without a % per transaction.
How much money do I “exactly” lose on Hotmart?
It depends on your actual rate and your product mix. Use the formula in the article and calculate by month.
Does migrating affect the student?
Only if it's done badly. Done well, the student experiences it as an improvement: better access, a better platform, a better experience.
How long does a migration take?
It depends on volume (number of courses, students, automations). In many cases it can be done in phases: first the main course, then the rest.
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