ChatGPT answers, unedited

For a small mastermind group, I’d shortlist Square first.

Best fit: Square Subscriptions

Square Subscriptions

• $0/month platform fee
• Built specifically for recurring payments, including membership fees
• Members can subscribe through a shareable checkout link.
• Supports weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual billing.
• You only pay payment-processing fees when someone pays. squareup.comsquareup.com
• Square's current U.S. online/invoice card processing is generally 3.3% + $0.30 on the Free plan; ACH via invoice is 1%, $1 minimum. squareup.comsquareup.com

Example: 10 members paying $100/month = $1,000/month collected. At 3.3% + $0.30 each, you'd pay about $36/month in processing, with $0 platform subscription fee.

Runner-up: Stripe

Stripe Payments

Stripe is more flexible if you eventually want a polished membership site or custom automation. Its standard payments pricing has no setup or monthly fee, with domestic cards at 2.9% + $0.30. However, Stripe Billing adds 0.7% of billing volume on its pay-as-you-go plan, so it isn't as cheap as Square for simple recurring memberships. stripe.com

My recommendation

Use Square if: you just need "member clicks link → enters card → gets charged automatically every month."

Use Stripe if: you expect to build a more sophisticated membership operation with a website, integrations, automated workflows, or different subscription tiers.

One important distinction: "zero platform fees" doesn't mean zero fees overall—card networks/payment processors still charge transaction fees. If your goal is literally the lowest possible cost, especially for higher-priced mastermind memberships, I can compare Square vs Stripe vs ACH/direct-bank options at, say, $500–$2,000/member/month.

For a small U.S. mastermind, I’d shortlist these:

My pick: Square

For a small mastermind, Square is probably the simplest low-cost choice. Its subscription management is free, supports recurring membership payments, and lets you create checkout links that you can send to members. squareup.com

You can also use recurring invoices and automatically charge a card on file. squareup.com

One important distinction: “zero platform fees” doesn't mean zero payment-processing fees. Square still charges when a member actually pays. squareup.com

When I'd choose Stripe instead

If you want a more polished membership/subscription experience, Stripe is stronger. Its Billing pay-as-you-go option has no recurring fee, but charges 0.7% of Billing volume on top of the underlying payment-processing fee. squareup.comstripe.com

For example, if you're charging 20 members × $100/month = $2,000/month, I'd lean Square for simplicity; if you're building a more sophisticated membership operation with different tiers, trials, upgrades, etc., I'd lean Stripe.

If you tell me your monthly membership price and roughly how many members you expect, I can calculate the actual monthly cost of Square vs. Stripe vs. PayPal and tell you which is cheapest.

For a small mastermind group, I’d prioritize something simple where you pay only the underlying payment-processing fee—not an additional “platform” percentage.

My top pick: Stripe + a lightweight checkout

stripe.com is probably the best fit if you want members to enter a card once and be charged automatically each month.

• $0/month platform fee on Stripe’s standard plan.
• Standard online card processing is 2.9% + $0.30 per successful domestic card transaction. Stripe
• The catch: Stripe Billing itself adds 0.7% of recurring billing volume, so it isn't literally zero platform fees if you use Stripe's full subscription-billing product. Stripe
• You can use payment links/checkout and keep the setup relatively lightweight. Stripe

If “zero platform fee” is the absolute requirement

I'd look at Helcim. It has $0 monthly software fees and supports subscription billing; current comparisons list online processing around 0.5% + $0.25 plus interchange, making it potentially attractive for a small group. NerdWallet

Another simple option: PayPal

paypal.com has built-in recurring payments with $0 monthly and setup fees, but its current recurring-payment rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per USD transaction. PayPal That's convenient, but the per-member cost can get expensive for a mastermind.

What I'd choose:
If you're charging, say, $100–$500/month per member and have 10–30 members, I'd start with Helcim if minimizing fees is the priority, or Stripe if you care more about polished checkout, integrations, and flexibility.

If you tell me your monthly membership price, number of members, and whether you need invoices/community access, I can calculate the actual monthly cost of 3–5 options and identify the cheapest.

For a small mastermind group, I’d keep it simple and avoid membership platforms that add their own percentage fee.

My top pick: Square Subscriptions

• $0/month platform fee.
• Supports recurring weekly/monthly/annual billing.
• You can create a subscription and send members a checkout link—no website required.
• Members can save their payment method, and Square handles recurring charges.
• You pay payment processing fees, but no additional platform fee. squareup.com
• Square is particularly attractive for a mastermind because you don't really need a full membership-management system—you mainly need to collect dues automatically.

Also worth considering: Stripe Billing

Stripe has no monthly platform fee on its pay-as-you-go Billing plan, but charges 0.7% of Billing volume in addition to Stripe's normal payment-processing costs. stripe.com

So for your specific requirement of “zero platform fees,” Square is the cleaner choice.

PayPal is another simple option

PayPal Recurring Payments has $0 monthly and setup fees, with recurring-payment processing currently listed at 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. www.paypal.com

What I'd do: Start with Square, create one monthly subscription (e.g. $100/month), send the members the signup link, and let Square handle automatic renewals.

If you tell me your monthly membership price and roughly how many members you expect, I can compare the actual monthly cost of Square vs. Stripe vs. PayPal for your group.

For a small mastermind group, I’d prioritize something with $0 monthly/platform fee, recurring subscriptions, and a simple payment link—rather than paying for a full membership platform.

My top picks

My recommendation: PayPal if your priority is lowest complexity and no platform subscription. PayPal currently advertises $0 monthly and $0 setup fees for recurring payments; its standard recurring-payment rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per USD transaction. www.paypal.com

Square is probably my second choice if you want something more business-oriented. Its Free plan has no monthly subscription, and it supports recurring payments; online/invoice card payments are currently 3.3% + $0.30, while ACH via invoice is 1% with a $1 minimum. squareup.com

One important distinction: “zero platform fees” doesn't mean zero payment fees. You'll still pay the card/ACH processor on each membership payment.

For example, on 20 members paying $100/month:

• PayPal: roughly $119.80/month in processing
• Square online/invoice: roughly $72/month
• Square ACH: roughly $20/month (assuming $100 payments)

So if your members are comfortable paying by ACH, Square could be substantially cheaper.

If you tell me (1) monthly membership price, (2) number of members, and (3) whether you need credit cards or can use ACH, I can recommend the cheapest setup and calculate your exact monthly fees.

For a small mastermind, I’d keep it simple: use a payment processor rather than a membership platform. You can get recurring billing without paying a separate platform fee.

My top picks

Stripe has no setup or monthly fee on standard pricing, and its Payment Links can sell subscriptions without building a website. Stripe Billing's pay-as-you-go option adds 0.7% of billing volume, so for maximum cost efficiency, I'd investigate whether your setup can use Stripe's subscription/payment-link functionality without unnecessary Billing add-ons. stripe.com

Square is particularly attractive for a small group: Square Subscriptions has no monthly fees or fixed costs, and it lets you manage recurring subscriptions from the dashboard. api.squareup.com

PayPal also has $0 monthly/setup fees for its recurring-payments offering, but its standard transaction rate is higher at 3.49% + $0.49 per U.S. transaction. www.paypal.com

What I'd choose for your mastermind

Square if you want the simplest setup.
You could create something like:

Mastermind Membership — $100/month
Renews automatically each month
Cancel anytime

Then send members the checkout link. No website or complicated membership software required.

Stripe if you want a more polished/expandable operation. It's better if you eventually want different membership tiers, automated customer management, integrations, or your own branded checkout.

One important distinction: “zero platform fees” doesn't mean zero fees overall. The processor will still take payment-processing fees. If you tell me your monthly membership price and roughly how many members you expect, I can calculate the actual monthly cost of Stripe vs. Square vs. PayPal and tell you which is cheapest.

For a small mastermind, I’d keep it simple and avoid a dedicated membership platform unless you need community/course features.

My pick: PayPal recurring payments

PayPal recurring payments

• $0 monthly/platform fee
• Recurring subscriptions are built in.
• Members can be billed monthly, annually, etc.
• You can set it up without building custom billing software.
• Current U.S. pricing shown by PayPal is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. www.paypal.com
• PayPal specifically supports memberships and similar recurring-payment use cases. www.paypal.com

Another good option: Stripe

Stripe Billing

Stripe has no monthly platform fee, but its recurring Billing product currently adds 0.7% of Billing volume, on top of payment-processing fees. Standard U.S. card processing starts at 2.9% + $0.30. stripe.com

So if by “zero platform fees” you mean no recurring software/platform charge, both work. If you mean literally zero fees beyond payment processing, Stripe doesn't quite meet that requirement.

For a small mastermind, I'd choose PayPal if minimizing software costs and setup complexity is the priority. I'd choose Stripe if you want a more polished checkout, better subscription administration, and room to grow.

If you tell me your monthly membership price and roughly how many members you expect, I can compare the actual monthly cost of PayPal vs. Stripe (including processing) for your group.

For a small mastermind group, I’d prioritize no monthly/platform fee + simple recurring billing, rather than paying for a dedicated membership platform.

My picks

1. PayPal — my pick for simplest setup.
PayPal explicitly offers recurring payments with $0 monthly and setup fees. Its current U.S. recurring-payment rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. You can create subscription plans and automate recurring charges without building much yourself. www.paypal.com
PayPal recurring payments

2. Square — best if you also want invoicing.
Square Subscriptions has no monthly fees or fixed costs. On Square Free, online payments are currently 3.3% + $0.30, while ACH via invoice is 1% with a $1 minimum (and ACH deposited into Square Checking can be $0). api.squareup.com
Square pricing

3. Stripe — best overall experience, but slightly more expensive.
Stripe has no setup or monthly fees on standard payments; domestic cards are currently 2.9% + $0.30. However, Stripe Billing itself adds 0.7% of billing volume, so it isn't quite as cheap if you're specifically using its subscription-billing product. stripe.com
Stripe pricing

What I'd do for your mastermind

If you're, say, 10–30 members paying $100–$500/month, I'd start with Stripe or Square, and avoid Kajabi/Memberstack/Circle-style platforms unless you actually need their community/content features.

If your requirement is literally "zero platform fee", I'd choose Square Free or PayPal. You'll still pay payment-processing fees—there generally isn't a legitimate way to accept recurring credit-card payments with zero fees.

If you tell me your monthly membership price, expected number of members, and whether members pay by card or ACH, I can calculate the cheapest option for your group.

For a small mastermind group, I’d start with Square Subscriptions.

• $0/month platform fee — Square says its subscription-management software is free, with no monthly fee. squareup.comsquareup.com
• Recurring billing built in — weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual billing, plus shareable checkout links. squareup.com
• Easy for a nontechnical group — members can subscribe through a link, and you manage everything from Square Dashboard.
• You still pay payment processing — currently Square lists 3.3% + $0.30 per online transaction on its U.S. Payment Links page. squareup.comsquareup.com

Square Subscriptions

Two alternatives

PayPal explicitly lists $0 monthly/setup fees for recurring payments. www.paypal.com Stripe's Billing pay-as-you-go plan adds 0.7% on top of its payment-processing fees, so I wouldn't choose it if minimizing fees is the priority. stripe.com

My pick: Square if you want the simplest setup for, say, 5–50 members. Create one subscription plan (e.g. $200/month), generate the checkout link, and send it to members.

\*Payment-processing rates can vary by payment method and Square product, so verify the rate shown in your account before launching.

For a small mastermind group, I’d start with Square Subscriptions.

Square Subscriptions

Square explicitly says its subscriptions have no monthly fees or fixed costs, and you can create subscription plans and share a checkout link with members. api.squareup.comsquareup.com

Why I'd pick Square

• No platform fee — good for a small group where you don't want another $20–$50/month expense.
• Members can subscribe through a shareable payment link.
• Supports recurring weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. billing. squareup.com
• You can manage subscriptions from the Square Dashboard.
• No coding or website required.

Example: If you charge 15 members $200/month, that's $3,000/month collected. At 3.3% + $0.30, processing would be about $103.50/month, leaving roughly $2,896.50 before any other costs.

One important distinction: “zero platform fees” doesn't mean zero fees altogether. Square still charges payment-processing fees on each transaction. api.squareup.comsquareup.com

If your mastermind is $100–$500/month per member, I can also compare Square vs Stripe vs PayPal vs a membership-specific platform and tell you which is cheapest at your expected member count.

If by “zero platform fees” you mean no monthly membership/billing-software fee, there are a few good options. You’ll still generally pay card-processing fees—there’s effectively no reputable US service that lets you accept recurring credit-card payments with literally zero fees.

My pick: PayPal Recurring Payments

For a small mastermind, I’d start with PayPal Recurring Payments.

• $0/month
• $0 setup fee
• Supports monthly/weekly/annual recurring charges
• Automated retries when payments fail
• Customers can manage their subscriptions
• No separate subscription-billing platform required
• Current US rate for recurring payments: 3.49% + $0.49 per USD transaction www.paypal.com

For example, on a $200/month mastermind membership, the processing fee would be about $7.47/month, leaving you ~$192.53.

Another option: Stripe

Stripe Billing is probably the better choice if you want a more polished membership/payment experience.

The catch is that Stripe Billing itself charges 0.7% of billing volume, on top of Stripe's payment-processing fees. Standard US card processing is currently 2.9% + $0.30, so it isn't truly “zero platform fees.” stripe.com

What I'd do for your group

For 5–20 mastermind members, I'd choose PayPal if minimizing fees and setup is the priority. If you tell me roughly how much you're charging per member/month and how many members you expect, I can compare the actual monthly cost of PayPal vs. Stripe vs. a few other options and find the cheapest setup.

If you're in Canada, I’d go with Square Subscriptions for a small mastermind.

• $0/month — no platform/subscription fee. squareup.com
• Handles automatic recurring monthly/weekly/quarterly/annual payments. squareup.com
• You can give members a checkout link rather than building a website or custom payment system. squareup.com
• Current online card processing is 2.8% + $0.30 CAD per transaction. squareup.com
• Members can manage payment details, and you can pause/resume subscriptions.

My shortlist

Stripe is excellent, but for a small group its additional 0.7% Billing fee makes it less attractive if your priority is keeping costs down. stripe.com PayPal's Canadian standard domestic commercial rate is currently 2.90% + a fixed fee, with recurring billing using the standard transaction fees. www.paypal.com

One important distinction: “zero platform fees” doesn't mean zero fees altogether. You'll still pay payment-processing fees whenever someone pays.

For example, on $100/month membership, Square would cost about $3.10/member/month in processing, leaving you about $96.90.

If you tell me your membership price (e.g. $50/$100/$500 per month) and approximate number of members, I can compare the actual monthly cost of Square vs Stripe vs PayPal and tell you which is cheapest.

For a small mastermind group, I’d shortlist Square first.

Best fit: Square Subscriptions

Square Subscriptions offers:

• $0/month platform fee
• Recurring weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual billing
• Shareable checkout links—you don't need to build a website
• Automatic recurring payments and subscription management
• Free trials, pauses, cancellations, and plan changes
• Designed explicitly for memberships and recurring fees squareup.comstripe.comwww.paypal.com

For U.S. online payments, Square's current published rate is 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction on the Free plan. squareup.com

Example: if you charge $100/month, you'd pay about $3.60, leaving $96.40.

Runner-up: Stripe

Stripe is excellent if you want more sophisticated subscription management or eventually plan to build a custom member portal. However, there's an important catch: Stripe Billing itself can add a 0.7% fee on top of payment processing on its pay-as-you-go plan. stripe.com

So for a small group wanting simple recurring charges without a platform subscription, Square is probably the cleaner choice.

Also worth considering: PayPal

PayPal Recurring Payments has $0 monthly and setup fees, with recurring payments at 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction. www.paypal.com It's easy, but generally more expensive per payment than Square for typical mastermind dues.

My recommendation: Start with Square if you're 5–50-ish members and just need "members click a link → subscribe → get charged every month." You can run the actual mastermind community separately in Slack, Circle, Discord, etc.

If you tell me your expected membership price and number of members (e.g. 20 members × $250/month), I can calculate the actual monthly fees for Square vs. Stripe vs. PayPal and tell you which is cheapest.

For a small mastermind group, I’d prioritize simple recurring payments with no separate subscription/platform fee. You’ll still pay the underlying payment-processing fee—“zero platform fees” generally doesn’t mean zero fees.

My top pick: Square

Why: Square Subscriptions currently has no monthly or fixed subscription fee, and you can manage recurring plans from the Square Dashboard. api.squareup.com

For U.S. online payments, Square’s current Free-plan rate is 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction; ACH via invoice is 1%, $1 minimum. squareup.com

So if your mastermind is, say, $200/month, a card payment costs roughly $6.90, with no additional Square subscription/platform charge.

Other good options

PayPal's recurring-payment product currently advertises $0 monthly/setup fees, but standard U.S. recurring transactions are 3.49% + $0.49. www.paypal.com

Stripe is powerful, but its current Billing pay-as-you-go pricing adds 0.7% of Billing volume on top of payment processing. stripe.com

For your use case, I'd choose Square if you want a simple checkout link → member enters card → automatically billed every month, without paying a separate membership/billing platform.

If you tell me your monthly membership price and roughly how many members you expect, I can compare the actual monthly cost of Square vs. Stripe vs. PayPal (including ACH) and tell you which is cheapest.