Building a thriving online community takes months of work — creating content, moderating discussions, onboarding members, nurturing engagement. At some point, you need that community to generate revenue. The good news: communities with engaged members have more monetization options than almost any other type of website.
The key is choosing a monetization model that fits your community type and does not damage the engagement you have worked so hard to build. A heavy-handed paywall on a community that thrives on open discussion will kill it. But the right approach — where members see the value exchange as fair — actually strengthens the community. Here are seven proven models, each with real-world examples and implementation advice.
1. Paid Memberships and Subscriptions
The most straightforward model: charge members a recurring fee to access the community. This works when your community provides unique value that members cannot find elsewhere — expert access, curated discussions, premium resources, or networking with a specific peer group.
How it works in practice:
- Monthly or annual subscription via Stripe, PayPal, or WooCommerce Subscriptions
- WordPress membership plugins like MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, or Restrict Content Pro handle access control
- BuddyPress integrates with these plugins to gate community features behind membership levels
Real-world example: Superpath, a content marketing community, charges $49/month for access to a private Slack community, job board, and expert AMAs. They have over 3,000 paying members generating $1.7 million in annual recurring revenue.
Best for: Professional communities, mastermind groups, industry networks, coaching communities
Typical pricing: $9-99/month depending on niche exclusivity and value provided
2. Tiered Access Levels
Instead of one membership level, offer multiple tiers with increasing value at each price point. This captures revenue from both casual members and power users who want premium access.
A typical tier structure:
| Tier | Price | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Public forums, limited profile, read-only archives |
| Member | $19/mo | Full forum access, private messaging, member directory |
| Pro | $49/mo | Everything in Member + private groups, live events, resource library |
| VIP | $149/mo | Everything in Pro + 1-on-1 mentoring, expert office hours, job board posting |
The free tier serves as your acquisition funnel — members experience the community, see the value, and upgrade when they are ready. According to Mighty Networks, communities with a free tier convert 3-7% of free members to paid within the first 90 days.
With BuddyPress and the BuddyX theme, you can create different groups and content areas for each tier. Our guide on building a searchable member directory shows how to set up profile fields that help members connect — a feature that adds value to your paid tiers.
Best for: Communities with diverse member needs, from beginners to advanced professionals
3. One-Time Access Fees
Some communities charge a one-time lifetime access fee instead of recurring subscriptions. This works when the community is a complement to another product (a course, a software tool, a book) rather than the primary offering.
Real-world example: Many course creators on platforms like Teachable and Thinkific include lifetime community access with course purchases ($200-2,000). The community keeps students engaged long after they finish the course content, which reduces refund rates and increases upsell opportunities.
If you are combining courses with community, see our guide on community-powered online courses for the setup process.
Best for: Course communities, software user communities, alumni networks
Typical pricing: $99-500 one-time
4. Sponsored Content and Brand Partnerships
If your community has a well-defined audience, brands will pay to reach them. Sponsored content in a niche community is far more targeted than general advertising — and members often appreciate relevant brand partnerships that bring them discounts or early access.
Sponsorship formats:
- Sponsored posts or newsletters: A brand pays to have their message shared with your community. Typical rates: $500-5,000 per placement depending on community size
- Sponsored events: A brand sponsors a workshop, webinar, or AMA in your community. $1,000-10,000 per event
- Product sampling or giveaways: Brands provide free products for community members to try and review. Cost: product value + sponsorship fee
- Job board sponsorship: Recruiters pay to post jobs visible to your community members. $100-500 per listing
Best for: Large communities (5,000+ active members), niche professional communities, hobbyist communities with buying power
5. Marketplace Commissions
Build a marketplace within your community where members can sell to each other, and take a commission on each transaction. This turns your community into a commerce platform where the value grows with every new member.
Marketplace models:
- Service marketplace: Freelancers and agencies offer services to community members (design, development, consulting). Commission: 5-20%
- Digital product marketplace: Members sell templates, courses, ebooks, or tools. Commission: 10-30%
- Physical product marketplace: Artisans, makers, or retailers sell through the community. Commission: 5-15%
WordPress with WooCommerce and multi-vendor plugins (Dokan, WCFM, WC Vendors) makes this achievable without custom development. The BuddyX theme integrates with these marketplace plugins, letting you combine community profiles with vendor storefronts.
Best for: Creative communities, freelancer networks, niche marketplaces
6. Events and Workshops
Live events create a revenue stream that also boosts engagement. Community members who attend events become more invested in the community and are more likely to renew memberships or upgrade tiers.
Event formats that generate revenue:
- Virtual workshops: 1-2 hour focused sessions on specific topics. $25-100 per attendee
- Mastermind sessions: Small group (6-12) deep-dive discussions with an expert moderator. $100-500 per session
- Annual conferences: Full-day or multi-day virtual or hybrid events. $100-500 per ticket
- Expert AMAs: Live Q&A sessions with industry leaders. Free for paid members, $10-25 for non-members
Events work as both standalone revenue and as value-adds that justify higher membership tiers. Many communities include basic events in their membership and charge extra for premium workshops.
Best for: Knowledge-based communities, professional development groups, coaching communities
7. Affiliate Programs
Recommend tools, products, and services that your community members already need, and earn a commission on referrals. This is passive revenue that scales with your community size without adding operational overhead.
High-performing affiliate categories for communities:
- Software and SaaS tools: Project management, design, communication tools (15-30% recurring commissions)
- Hosting and infrastructure: Web hosting, email marketing platforms (20-40% first-month commissions)
- Online courses and books: Educational resources relevant to your niche (10-50% per sale)
- Physical products: Equipment, supplies, merchandise through Amazon Associates or direct partnerships (3-10%)
The key to affiliate revenue in communities is authenticity. Only recommend products you genuinely use or that members frequently ask about. A “tools we recommend” resource page in your community, curated with honest reviews, converts far better than banner ads.
Best for: Any community where members regularly ask for product recommendations
Choosing the Right Model for Your Community
| Community Type | Best Primary Model | Best Secondary Model |
|---|---|---|
| Professional network | Tiered memberships | Job board + events |
| Course community | One-time access fee | Upsell workshops |
| Hobbyist community | Freemium + sponsored content | Affiliate programs |
| Marketplace community | Transaction commissions | Premium vendor tiers |
| Non-profit community | Donations + grants | Sponsored events |
Most successful communities combine two or three models. A professional community might charge memberships as the primary revenue, host paid events as secondary income, and earn affiliate commissions as passive background revenue.
Non-profits have unique monetization challenges and opportunities. Our guide on how non-profits use online communities covers donation integration, grant-funded community programs, and volunteer coordination models.
The communities that monetize most successfully are the ones where members feel the value exceeds the cost. Build genuine engagement first. Create real value. Then introduce monetization gradually, starting with the model that feels most natural for your specific community. Need help setting up memberships, payment gateways, or tiered access on your BuddyPress community? Get in touch with our team — we build monetized community platforms for organizations worldwide.