This content is free thanks to our sponsors
Sponsored Ad – I may earn a commission if you click and buy
Online Business
Membership Site
A gated online community or content platform where members pay a recurring subscription for exclusive access to content, community, or resources.
Membership sites typically offer a combination of: exclusive content (videos, articles, templates not available publicly), community access (a forum or group where members interact), live sessions (monthly Q&As, workshops, or coaching calls), and tools or resources (spreadsheets, swipe files, databases). The community element is often the stickiest — people stay for the content but they renew because of the relationships.
Churn — the percentage of members who cancel each month — is the critical metric. A 5% monthly churn rate means you're losing 5% of your members every month and need to replace them just to stay flat. A 2% churn means members are staying an average of 50 months. The best membership businesses obsess over reducing churn through strong onboarding, consistent value delivery, and active community management. Platforms like Skool, Circle, and Kajabi are popular choices for hosting memberships.