Membership Tiers

Overview

The Membership Tiers Engine (/members/tiers) enables communities to structure access levels, monetize premium offerings, and recognize distinguished contributors. Tiers define paywalls, exclusive content visibility, special event access, and recurring automated perks.

Tier Structure & Hierarchy

Organizations can define multiple ascending tier levels:

  ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │                 Tier Progression Hierarchy               │
  └────────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────────┘
                               │
            ┌──────────────────┼──────────────────┐
            ▼                  ▼                  ▼
       🥉 Free Member      🥈 Pro Member     🥇 Executive VIP
       • Public Feed       • Premium Groups   • All Groups
       • Basic Events      • Exclusive Events • VIP Concierge
       • Standard Badges   • Monthly Bonus    • 2x Point Boost

Tier Configuration Settings

Basic Identity

• Tier Name & Slug: Descriptive name (e.g., Community Pioneer, VIP Patron).
• Badge & Color Theme: Metallic/gem accent flair displayed on member avatars and directory listings.
• Description: Public summary of tier benefits and eligibility rules.

Access Control & Gating

• Community Gating: Specify which sub-communities, discussion boards, and feed channels are unlocked for this tier.
• Course & Content Access: Grant full access or discounts on premium courses and digital resources.
• Event Ticketing: Offer free RSVPs, early-bird registration windows, or exclusive VIP ticket tiers.

Automated Tier Perks

• Monthly Point / Coin Stipend: Automatically credit a recurring balance of points or currency tokens on the first of each month.
• Earning Multipliers: Apply a global point boost (e.g., 1.5x on all actions) while the member maintains this tier.
• Priority Moderation: Priority queue for verified forum answers and marketplace listings.

Billing & Payment Gateway Integration

Connect with Stripe or Shopify to support paid membership tiers:

• Recurring Subscriptions: Monthly, quarterly, or annual billing cycles.
• Free Trials & Grace Periods: Automated grace periods for failed card payments before tier downgrade.
• Automatic Downgrade / Upgrade Webhooks: Instant synchronization of access status upon subscription changes.