Team MemberSpace
WhatsApp is a great tool for creators, coaches, and membership business owners looking to offer a live chat to their online community. With features like sub-groups, announcement groups, polls, video calls, and file sharing, WhatsApp makes it easy to create a home for your members to interact with you and each other.
However, one key feature WhatsApp lacks is the ability to create a paid group or community. That’s where MemberSpace comes in! By integrating MemberSpace with your WhatsApp community, you can:
- Provide members with a secure, private group link
- Charge for community access directly through your website
- Securely manage payments
Launch a paid WhatsApp Group!
The easiest way to accept membership payments or one-time charges for digital products like online courses, communities, content libraries, and more — all from your own website!
Get started for free! 5 minutes to set up.
Step 1: Prepare your WhatsApp Group
Before you start charging, you need to ensure your community/group isn’t open to the public.
Open your WhatsApp group settings and make sure the visibility is set to hidden. This ensures that random people cannot find or join your group without paying for access first.
To get your invite link:
- Open your group settings.
- Tap Invite via link.
- Copy the link—you’ll need this for Step 3!
Step 2: Set up MemberSpace
Next, you’ll need a MemberSpace account to handle the “gatekeeping” and payments.
One of the best things about MemberSpace is flexibility. If you already have a website (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, etc.), you can simply add a small snippet of code to install it. However, if you don’t have a website yet, MemberSpace can create a simple landing page for you to host your sign-up form.
Step 3: Protect your WhatsApp community link
To ensure only paying members see your invite link, you will add it as a protected “Space” in MemberSpace.
- In your MemberSpace dashboard, go to Spaces.
- Click Add a Space (e.g., “VIP Community”).
- Click Add Content and select Add a Link.
- Give it a title like “Join our WhatsApp Group” and paste your WhatsApp invite URL.
- You can also add a description or a cover image to make the member area look professional.
Once this is set up, members will only be able to see and click this link after they have successfully paid for a plan.
✨ Community Tip: At any point in the future, you can add more offerings to your membership community with MemberSpace, like coaching sessions, template libraries, or podcast episodes! Simply add your content to your website and add the URLs to your Online Community in MemberSpace.
Step 4: Set a price for access
Now it’s time to decide how much to charge. MemberSpace integrates with Stripe, the industry standard for secure payments.
- Connect your Stripe account in the MemberSpace settings.
- Go to Pricing and click Create Pricing Plan.
- Choose your payment type. Most WhatsApp communities use Recurring Payments (e.g., $10/month).
- You can also customize advanced options like sign-up fees, free trials, or specific billing dates.
Once the plan is created, MemberSpace will provide you with a Sign-up Link. You can add this link to a button on your website or share it directly on social media.
Step 5: Invite members and manage security
When a new member clicks your sign-up link, they will be prompted to create an account and enter their payment information. Once the payment is processed, they will instantly see the “Space” you created in Step 3, containing the WhatsApp invite link.
✨ Pro Security Tip: If you’re worried about members sharing the invite link with non-paying friends, you can add an extra layer of security within WhatsApp.
- Go to your WhatsApp group settings and enable “Approve New Members.”
- When someone clicks the link, they will “Request to Join.”
- You can then cross-reference their name with your MemberSpace member list to ensure they’ve paid before clicking “Approve.”
Final Thoughts
Combining WhatsApp and MemberSpace is a great way to create an exclusive, valuable community experience for your members. Setting up a paid WhatsApp community is simple and straightforward, even if you don’t have technical experience. With just a few steps, you can start accepting payments, protecting your community link, and inviting new members to join your group. If you’re ready to get started, create a MemberSpace for free today!
Launch a paid WhatsApp Group!
The easiest way to accept membership payments or one-time charges for digital products like online courses, communities, content libraries, and more — all from your own website!
Get started for free! 5 minutes to set up.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I charge for a WhatsApp group subscription?
WhatsApp does not have a built-in payment feature for groups. To charge for access, you need a third-party tool like MemberSpace. You can set up a recurring subscription or a one-time fee, and MemberSpace will only reveal the private WhatsApp invite link to members after they have successfully paid.
Can I automate member removal if they cancel their subscription?
Because WhatsApp is a private messaging app, it does not currently allow external tools to automatically remove members. However, you can easily manage this by using the “Approve New Members” setting in WhatsApp. When a member cancels their MemberSpace subscription, you can simply remove them from the group manually during your weekly or monthly audit.
Do I need a website to create a paid WhatsApp community?
No! While MemberSpace works perfectly with platforms like WordPress, Squarespace, and Wix, you don’t need your own website. MemberSpace can host a simple, professional landing page for you where members can sign up and pay to access your WhatsApp group link.
Is it secure to take payments for a WhatsApp group?
Yes, as long as you use a secure payment processor. MemberSpace integrates directly with Stripe, which is a PCI-compliant payment gateway. This allows you to safely accept credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay from members worldwide.
Can I offer a free trial for my WhatsApp community?
Yes. Within the MemberSpace pricing settings, you can choose to offer a free trial (e.g., 7 days or 14 days). Members will enter their payment details to join the group, but they won’t be charged until the trial period ends, making it a great way to grow your community quickly.
How do I prevent people from sharing my paid WhatsApp link?
To protect your community, set your WhatsApp group to “Manual Approval” mode. This ensures that even if a non-paying person gets hold of the link, they cannot join until you (the admin) verify their name against your MemberSpace member list and approve their request.
