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How Do I Set Up Membership Tiers for My Group?

Collecting membership dues helps sustain your homeschool group and fund activities. Homeschool Hive lets you set up free or paid memberships with flexible billing options, trial periods, and grace periods for late payments. All payments are processed securely through Stripe, and you keep 100% of the membership fees collected.

Quick Answer​

Go to your Group Settings > Payments & Billing, connect your Stripe account if you haven't already, then configure your membership as free or paid. For paid memberships, set your price, choose monthly or annual billing, and optionally add trial and grace periods. Members will be automatically billed on their renewal dates.

Understanding Membership Options​

Free vs. Paid Memberships​

FeatureFree MembershipPaid Membership
Join processInstant or approvalApproval + payment
Recurring billingNoMonthly or annual
Trial periodN/AOptional
Grace periodN/AConfigurable
Access to eventsFull accessFull access
RevenueNoneYour group keeps 100%

Who Can Set Up Memberships?​

Only Group Owners and Co-Leaders can configure membership settings. Additionally, your group must be set to Private to enable paid memberships (public groups cannot charge fees).

Step-by-Step Guide​

Part 1: Connect Stripe (Required for Paid Memberships)​

Before setting up paid memberships, you need a connected Stripe account.

Step 1: Access Payment Settings​

  1. Go to your group's page
  2. Click Settings in the group navigation
  3. Select Payments & Billing

Step 2: Connect Your Stripe Account​

If you haven't connected Stripe yet:

  1. Click Connect Stripe Account
  2. You'll be redirected to Stripe's secure onboarding
  3. Enter your business or personal information
  4. Add your bank account for payouts
  5. Complete identity verification
  6. Return to Homeschool Hive
Quick Setup

Stripe onboarding typically takes 2-5 minutes. Have your bank account information and ID ready for fastest setup.

Step 3: Verify Connection​

After returning from Stripe:

  1. Your status should show Payments Active with a green checkmark
  2. If it shows "Pending," click Check Status to refresh
  3. If issues arise, you may need to complete additional verification

Part 2: Configure Membership Settings​

Once Stripe is connected, you can set up your membership model.

Step 1: Choose Membership Type​

In the Membership Configuration section:

  1. You'll see two options displayed as cards:
    • Free Membership: Open community, anyone can join
    • Paid Membership: Recurring fees with premium features
  2. Click to select your preferred option
  3. A checkmark indicates your selection

Step 2: Configure Free Membership​

If you selected Free Membership:

  1. No additional configuration needed
  2. Click Save Membership Settings
  3. Members can join without payment (still requires approval if your group uses approval)

Step 3: Configure Paid Membership​

If you selected Paid Membership, configure these options:

Membership Price:

  1. Enter the amount to charge (e.g., 25.00)
  2. This is the total amount - no hidden fees are added
  3. Consider what covers your group's costs plus activities

Billing Frequency:

  1. Choose Monthly or Annual billing
  2. Monthly provides steady cash flow
  3. Annual encourages commitment and reduces churn

Free Trial Period (Optional):

  1. Enter the number of trial days (0 for no trial)
  2. New members can access the group without paying during trial
  3. Billing begins automatically when trial ends
  4. Common trial lengths: 7, 14, or 30 days

Payment Grace Period:

  1. Set days before suspension for failed payments
  2. During grace period, members see a reminder but keep access
  3. After grace period, access is suspended until payment
  4. Recommended: 7-14 days
About Fees

Members pay a small platform fee at checkout, not deducted from your earnings. You receive 100% of the membership price you set.

Step 4: Save Settings​

  1. Review your configuration in the Pricing Preview
  2. Click Save Membership Settings
  3. Changes apply to new members immediately
  4. Existing members continue on their current terms until renewal

Part 3: Managing Member Subscriptions​

Viewing Member Status​

To see membership status for all members:

  1. Go to your group's Members section
  2. View the membership status column:
    • Active: Current paid member
    • Trial: In free trial period
    • Grace Period: Payment failed, still has access
    • Expired: Payment failed, access suspended
    • Free: No payment required

Handling Failed Payments​

When a member's payment fails:

  1. They receive an automatic email notification
  2. They enter the grace period you configured
  3. They see a banner prompting payment update
  4. If not resolved, access suspends after grace period
  5. They can reactivate by updating payment method

Manually Managing Memberships​

As a group leader, you can:

Extend a membership:

  1. Go to the member's profile
  2. Click Manage Membership
  3. Add extra days or change renewal date

Cancel a membership:

  1. Go to the member's profile
  2. Click Manage Membership
  3. Select Cancel Membership
  4. Choose immediate or end-of-period cancellation

Waive fees for a member:

  1. Invite them with a special link, or
  2. Manually set their status to "Free" member

Part 4: Understanding Member Experience​

Joining a Paid Group​

When someone joins your paid group:

  1. They request to join (if approval required)
  2. After approval, they're prompted to pay
  3. They enter payment information via Stripe
  4. Trial period begins (if configured)
  5. First charge occurs after trial ends
  6. Recurring billing continues automatically

Member Payment Management​

Members can manage their own subscription:

  1. View their membership status in the group
  2. Update payment method if card expires
  3. Cancel membership (effective at period end)
  4. View payment history and receipts

Tips​

Pricing Strategy

Research what similar groups in your area charge. Consider your costs: insurance, venue rental, supplies, and administrative time. Price to sustain your group long-term.

Annual Incentive

If you offer both monthly and annual options, consider offering a discount for annual payment (e.g., 10 months for the price of 12) to encourage longer commitments.

Trial Period Benefits

A trial period lets families experience your group before committing financially. This can increase conversion rates and reduce early cancellations.

Changing Prices

If you change membership prices, existing members keep their current rate until they cancel and rejoin. Only new members pay the new price.

Advanced Options​

Multiple Membership Levels​

Currently, Homeschool Hive supports a single membership price per group. If you need different levels:

  • Create separate groups for different membership tiers
  • Use event pricing to differentiate benefits
  • Offer some events only to certain membership types

Scholarship Members​

For families needing financial assistance:

  1. Have them request a fee waiver
  2. Manually set their membership to free status
  3. They receive full access without payment
  4. Track scholarship members in your records

Tax Considerations​

  • Membership fees may be tax-deductible for educational purposes
  • Consider providing year-end receipts to members
  • Consult a tax professional for your specific situation
  • Your Stripe account provides 1099 forms for your income

Common Questions​

What happens to existing members when I switch to paid? Existing free members remain free. Only new members joining after the change pay the membership fee.

Can members pay for multiple years at once? Currently, members pay one billing cycle at a time. Annual billing is the longest single payment period available.

How do I offer family memberships? Set your price as a "family membership" and communicate that it covers all family members in that household.

What if I need to refund a membership? Process refunds through your Stripe dashboard. Homeschool Hive will update the member's status accordingly.

Can I see who hasn't paid? Yes, filter your members list by status to see those in grace period or with expired memberships.

Do members get charged at midnight? Stripe processes recurring payments throughout the day of renewal. Members are charged on the anniversary of their join date.