In the online coaching and course creation space, there’s a growing trend of offering free communities as a stepping stone to paid versions. This strategy often involves a free trial period or offering limited training for free, with the goal of upgrading members later on. However, I’ve opted for a different approach: a paid-only community.

As the founder of a thriving online community that generates over $300,000 per year in revenue with more than 300 active members, I’ve found that focusing exclusively on paid memberships is the best way to deliver value and maintain a high-quality experience for everyone involved.

1. It Devalues the Quality of the Community

When you create a free community, you open the doors to anyone and everyone. This can dilute the quality of the conversations and connections. In a paid community, every member has skin in the game—they’re invested financially and personally, which means they show up ready to learn, share, and grow.

This level of commitment is essential for maintaining a high-quality environment. There are no bots or passive lurkers—just real, engaged members who are passionate about learning. Additionally, with a paid community, you can enforce strict rules, such as no solicitation policies, to ensure that the focus remains on learning rather than selling.

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2. It Undermines the Value of My Courses and Coaching Programs

If you want to grow your business, you need to place a high value on your time and expertise. Offering a free community can undermine the value of your paid courses and coaching programs. After all, if people can access your knowledge for free in a community, why would they feel compelled to pay for your premium offerings?

In my business, I make it clear that direct access to me and my insights is reserved for:

• Paid communities
• Paid courses
• Coaching programs

This approach not only increases the perceived value of my paid offerings but also ensures that I’m able to dedicate my time and energy to those who are serious about taking their education and business to the next level.

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3. Avoiding Burnout While Managing a Paid Community

Managing an online community, even a paid one, requires time, effort, and resources. In my case, I dedicate specific hours to answering community questions, creating masterclasses, and running live coaching calls. I also have a team of three support members who help with community management.

Opening up this community for free would exponentially increase the workload, potentially leading to burnout. This would also lower the quality of support that I can offer, which could result in dissatisfied members and higher churn rates.

By keeping the community paid-only, I can ensure that I’m offering the best possible experience to my members while avoiding burnout.

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4. Free High-Quality Content on YouTube Makes a Free Community Unnecessary

Another reason I don’t offer a free community is that I already provide a wealth of free, high-quality content on YouTube and other platforms. For beginners who can’t afford the monthly community fee, my free content offers a great starting point.

This way, those who are just getting started can implement the strategies I share on my channel and, when they’re ready, they can join the paid community. This ensures that the community remains focused on those who are committed to investing in their growth.

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Conclusion: Why Paid-Only Communities Are the Future

In summary, while offering a free then paid community model might work for some, I’ve found that a paid-only community ensures higher quality, better engagement, and greater value for both myself and my members. It allows me to protect my time, avoid burnout, and continue offering top-tier support to those who are serious about their growth.

What are your thoughts? Do you prefer the free then paid strategy, or are you more inclined toward a paid-only community model like mine?