If you can think of a membership program, I've tried it. Circle, Skool, Clickfunnels Thinkific, ThriveCart, Kajabi, Thrive Apprentice...you name it.

The last one on my list was the new kid on the block, Whop. I wasn't as interested in Whop because I have an irrational aversion to Discord. I know...I'm weird for that.

It became clear though that the audience for one of my businesses (an Amazon FBA reselling community) preferred Discord, so Whop was necessary to at least try. 

Here's everything you need to know...

What is Whop?

Whop is an all-in-one marketplace and platform for selling and hosting digital products, services, and memberships.

It is a free tool (you pay in transaction fees and marketplace referral commissions only) that replaces expensive tools like Skool, Circle, Clickfunnels and a litany of others. 

Whop was designed to help creators monetize their communities, software, courses, and digital offerings through a single, integrated platform.

What sets Whop apart is its focus on bundling different digital products together, allowing creators to offer comprehensive packages to their customers.

The platform has already processed over a billion dollars in transactions and serves millions of users, making it a significant player in the creator economy space.

Setting Up Our Whop: First Impressions

Getting started on Whop was actually quite simple.

The initial set up process took just a few minutes and I tinkered around with things to get everything else just right. It wasn't difficult though at any point. The platform was clean and the interface was intuitive.

Coming from other platforms, the user interface immediately stood out as modern and well-designed.

The platform provides a pre-built landing page template that's optimized for conversions - so there is no need for separate tools like ClickFunnels or Squarespace.

The default styles are nice looking but all look similar (which isn't a huge deal). 

If you want to use other tools though, you can. You can either direct traffic to your checkout page or integrate Whop with Zapier (I don't recommend that though). 

We send traffic to our website at oachallenge.com/plus and then direct them from their to our Whop checkout page.

This alone can save creators significant time and money on website hosting and design.

Key Whop That Impressed Me

Here are the biggest things that impressed me about Whop

#1 A Deep Catalog of "Apps"

One of Whop's standout features is its extensive app marketplace. You can add pre-built apps to your Whop with just a few clicks, essentially building your own custom software suite. Some of the apps I found particularly useful include:

• Course App: Full video hosting included (no need for expensive third-party solutions like Wistia)
• Community App: More engaging than traditional forum-style communities
• Calendar Bookings: Perfect for service-based businesses and consultations
• Prizes App: Gamification through daily prize wheels
• Challenges App: Create bounties and cash rewards for community engagement
• Help Desk: Built-in ticketing system for customer support

#2 Premium Payment Processing and Dispute Management

Having dealt with payment processor headaches in the past, I was pleasantly surprised by Whop's approach. Since payment processing is their core business model, they've built robust systems that:

• Move money quickly (no lengthy holds)
• Offer excellent dispute resolution
• Provide flexible payment options (subscriptions, one-time, weekly, crypto, financing)
• Handle VAT taxes and currencies automatically

The 3% transaction fee plus processing costs is competitive, especially considering all the features included.

#3 Built-in Affiliate Program

Every Whop comes with an integrated affiliate program system. This is a game-changer for scaling businesses, as it allows customers to earn commissions for referrals. The system includes:

• Customizable commission structures
• Content folders for affiliates
• Tracking and analytics
• Automated payouts

What I Love About Whop

Mobile App Excellence: The mobile experience is fantastic - everything works seamlessly on phones, which is crucial since many users primarily access content via mobile. It's not just the customer experience though. As a Whop owner, I can manage almost everything I need to from inside of the Whop mobile app. The only thing I'd need to really use desktop for is editing the sales pages. 

Partner Payment System: The ability to easily pay partners and affiliates is something that's often complicated on other platforms. For example, if I wanted to send my admin $500, I can do that and it just comes out of my Whop balance. 

Custom Payment Options: Unlike Skool, Whop allows multiple pricing tiers and flexible payment structures.

Dispute Management: Their built-in dispute resolution is professional and effective.

Marketplace Exposure: Once accepted, you get free exposure through Whop's marketplace, which receives over 2 million views weekly. You do pay a commission fee 

Areas for Improvement

Limited Course Features: If your primary focus is course content, Whop's course app is basic. You can upload videos and add text, but it lacks advanced course-building features. For comprehensive course delivery, you might need to supplement with Discord or other tools.

Sales Page Limitations: While functional, the sales page customization options are somewhat limited. I encountered minor glitches, like being unable to remove my creator profile from the sales page.

Platform Perception: Some of the top-performing Whops on the marketplace can appear questionable, which might affect the platform's overall credibility perception.

Whop vs. The Competition

Let's compare Whop to the only other two programs I recommend for the same type of services. Circle and Skool

Whop vs. Skool

• Whop wins: Payment flexibility, app ecosystem, affiliate programs, mobile experience
• Skool wins: Course-focused features, community discussion format
• Best for: Whop is better for diverse digital products; Skool is better for education-focused communities with minimal needs for customizing anything (no promo codes, no custom trials etc.)

Whop vs. Circle

• Whop wins: Payment processing, monetization features, app integrations
• Circle wins: Community management features, customization options
• Best for: Whop for monetization-focused communities; Circle for engagement-focused communities

Who Should Use Whop?

Whop is ideal for creators who:

• Want to monetize Discord communities
• Sell software, apps, or digital tools
• Need to bundle multiple digital products
• Prioritize mobile-first experiences
• Want integrated payment processing and affiliate management
• Prefer revenue-share pricing over monthly fees

Whop is NOT ideal if:

• Your primary focus is comprehensive course delivery
• You need extensive customization options
• You prefer traditional forum-style communities
• You want to self-host your platform

Final Verdict

After thoroughly testing Whop, I can confidently say it's the best platform I've used for monetizing diverse digital offerings, especially if your audience is Discord-native. The combination of payment processing excellence, mobile optimization, and the app ecosystem creates a powerful foundation for building scalable online businesses.

While it's not perfect for every use case - particularly course-heavy businesses - Whop excels at what it's designed to do: help creators bundle, sell, and deliver digital products efficiently.

The platform's rapid growth (processing over $700 million in transactions) and strong team culture suggest they're just getting started. For creators looking to consolidate their tech stack and focus on revenue generation rather than platform management, Whop deserves serious consideration.

Rating: 4.7/5

Ready to try Whop for yourself? Get started here and see how it can transform your creator business.

Have you used Whop or considering it for your business? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below.