Membership Tiers
Membership tiers are the foundation of how creators monetise their content on PayBru. Each tier represents a level of support that members can subscribe to, with different pricing and benefits.
How Tiers Work
Creators define one or more tiers on their PayBru page. Each tier has:
- A name: something descriptive like "Supporter", "VIP", or "Inner Circle".
- A price in ZAR: set by the creator (monthly billing via Paystack).
- A description: outlining what members get at that level.
- Access permissions: determining which content is unlocked for members of that tier.
- Subscription duration options: 1, 3, 6, or 12 months (configurable per tier).
Members pick the tier and duration that suit them and subscribe. Their membership remains active as long as their recurring payment succeeds each billing cycle.
Paid Tiers and Free Tiers
PayBru supports both paid and free membership tiers:
- Paid tiers: billed monthly via Paystack. Members choose a subscription duration (1, 3, 6, or 12 months) and are charged accordingly.
- Free tiers: no payment required. Free memberships auto-renew indefinitely, giving creators a way to offer a basic level of access at no cost.
Free tiers are a great way to build your community. Use them to give members a taste of your content before they commit to a paid tier.
Subscription Durations
Creators can configure which subscription durations are available for each paid tier:
| Duration | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 month | Standard monthly subscription |
| 3 months | Quarterly - can include a discount |
| 6 months | Half-yearly - can include a discount |
| 12 months | Annual - can include a discount |
Multi-Month Discounts
Creators can set discount percentages for longer subscription durations to encourage members to commit for longer:
- 3-month discount: e.g. 5% off the monthly price
- 6-month discount: e.g. 10% off the monthly price
- 12-month discount: e.g. 15% off the monthly price
The discount percentages are fully configurable per tier, so each tier can offer different incentives.
Promotional Pricing
Tiers can also have promotional or special prices during active promotion periods. When a promotion is running, members see the discounted promotional price instead of the standard price.
What Creators Can Configure
Creators have full control over their tier structure:
- Number of tiers: offer one simple tier or several to cater to different budgets.
- Pricing: all prices are set in South African Rand (ZAR).
- Subscription durations: choose which duration options (1, 3, 6, or 12 months) to offer per tier.
- Multi-month discounts: set discount percentages for 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month commitments.
- Promotional pricing: run time-limited promotions with special pricing.
- Benefits and perks: describe what each tier includes, such as early access, exclusive posts, downloads, or community access.
- Content gating: assign specific posts or content categories to specific tiers.
Keep tier names clear and benefits specific. Members are more likely to subscribe when they understand exactly what they're getting.
How Members Choose a Tier
When visiting a creator's PayBru page, members can see all available tiers listed with their prices and benefits. To subscribe:
- Browse the creator's tier options.
- Select the tier you want to join.
- Choose your subscription duration (1, 3, 6, or 12 months).
- Complete payment using one of PayBru's supported payment methods (card, bank transfer/EFT, or mobile money - all via Paystack).
- Get immediate access to all content included in your chosen tier.
You can only be subscribed to one tier per creator at a time. Upgrading to a higher tier replaces your current subscription, and the billing amount adjusts accordingly.
Changing Tiers
Members can upgrade or downgrade their tier at any time from their account settings:
- Upgrading grants immediate access to the higher tier's content.
- Downgrading takes effect at the start of your next billing cycle, so you keep your current access until then.