Free vs paid community: the two-tier setup
A free community builds trust. A paid one pays the bills. Here is how to run both so one feeds the other.
Why run a free tier
People rarely pay for a community they haven't seen. A free space lets them meet you, see the members and get a quick win. The best of them upgrade.
Two communities, or one with locked courses?
Two communities (one free, one paid) keep the conversations separate, so paying members get a quieter, closer space. In OpenEscool both run on the same install at no extra cost, and you can list both on your Discover page.
One community with locked courses keeps everyone together. Free members see the feed and starter courses; advanced courses unlock at a level or stay for paying members.
Level unlocks reward taking part
Members earn points when others like their posts and comments. Points raise their level, and you can set a course to unlock at, say, level 3. It rewards the people who help others, and they're the ones most likely to pay.
Leaderboards that drive upgrades
7-day, 30-day and all-time leaderboards show who's active right now. Mention top members in posts and invite them to the paid tier first.
Digests that re-engage
A weekly digest emails each member the best new posts and upcoming events. People who drifted away see what they're missing. Members choose weekly, daily or off.
Measure it
The Revenue page shows MRR, revenue in the last 30 days and paying members per community. Watch how many free members move up after each launch or event.
Set it up with the install guide, or see running multiple communities on one server.
Questions
Should my community be free or paid?
Many creators run both: a free community to build trust and a paid one for deeper access.
How do level unlocks work?
Likes earn points, points raise levels, and a course can be set to unlock at a chosen level.
Do members lose their points if paid access ends?
No. Their membership is marked expired, but points and history are kept if they come back.
Run it on your own server
Free, open source, and live in about 30 minutes.