> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.convella.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Membership setup

Build your audience with free and paid memberships. Let readers join your website, access exclusive content, and support your work through paid subscriptions.

Open [Settings → Membership → Access](https://convella.com/site?publicationSettings=access) to get started.

## Free memberships

Under **Who should be able to subscribe to your site?**, select **Public** to let readers join for free. Free members can read members-only content and subscribe to your newsletters when newsletters are enabled.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Free memberships don't require Stripe. Manage email delivery separately in [Newsletter settings](https://help.convella.com/newsletters/newsletter-settings.md).

## Access settings

**Membership → Access** has separate controls for visiting your website and signing up.

![Separate controls for who can browse the website and who can subscribe](https://mintcdn.com/convella/pBat-kSuSzw_lXD9/images/memberships/access.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pBat-kSuSzw_lXD9\&q=85\&s=90162c098bdcf78f9975cae00f0f0e73)

### Who can browse your website?

* **Public** — Anyone can visit.
* **Private** — Visitors need your access code. Your code appears below this setting, with an option to update it. A spinner and **Loading access code…** indicate when the code is still loading.

### Who can subscribe?

* **Public** — Readers can sign up for free, with paid subscriptions available if you've set them up.
* **Paid members only** — Readers must purchase a paid subscription to sign up. Complete paid membership setup first.
* **Nobody** — Prevent new signups and turn off newsletters.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Selecting **Nobody** doesn't delete existing members. You must end active paid memberships before selecting this option.

## Paid memberships

Paid memberships are available on the **Creator** and **Business** plans. Offer one paid membership with monthly and annual pricing.

**1. Connect Stripe**

Open [Settings → Membership → Tiers](https://convella.com/site?publicationSettings=tiers) and click **Connect Stripe**.

Follow Stripe's prompts to create or connect an account, then return to Convella.

**2. Finish account setup**

Check your Stripe account status. If more information is needed, click **Continue Stripe setup**. If the account is under review, payments become available once Stripe finishes its review.

**3. Set your prices**

Enter your **Monthly plan price** and **Annual plan price**, then click **Save**.

Stripe handles membership payments and payouts. Once setup is complete, keep subscription access **Public** to offer both free and paid memberships, or choose **Paid members only** to require payment at signup.

![Connected Stripe account and monthly and annual membership price fields](https://mintcdn.com/convella/pBat-kSuSzw_lXD9/images/memberships/tiers.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=pBat-kSuSzw_lXD9\&q=85\&s=4a52fce83dc9cf94cd3473bc6b539eb9)

## Members-only content

Open an article's **Settings → Audience**, or a page's **Settings → Page access**, and choose who can read it:

* **Public** — Everyone can read it.
* **Members only** — Signed-in free and paid members can read it.
* **Paid members only** — Only members with paid access can read it, including complimentary members.

For articles, insert a **Paywall** from the editor's **More** menu to mark where restricted content begins. Set the article's **Audience** to **Members only** or **Paid members only** so readers without access see a public preview above the paywall.

See [Publishing articles](https://help.convella.com/articles/publishing-articles.md) and [Pages](https://help.convella.com/website/pages.md) for publishing instructions.

## Customize your Subscribe page

Open the [website editor](https://help.convella.com/website/design#open-the-website-editor) and select **Subscribe** to customize your sign-up experience. Use **Sign-up form** for the form's appearance and **Plans** for the benefits shown to free and paid subscribers.

See [Subscribe page](https://help.convella.com/website/design/subscribe-page.md) for details, or [Managing members](https://help.convella.com/memberships/managing-members.md) to manage your audience.


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