Membership types
Tiers, pricing, how long a membership runs, and what a couple membership covers.
Quick answers
6 questions · click to openCan two people share one membership?
Yes. A type can cover up to two people — a primary member and a partner — which is how couple memberships work. Both are covered by the one record and the one renewal.
How long does a membership last?
Whatever you set on the type: a number and a unit, so twelve months, one year or ninety days all work.
How is pricing handled?
Each type carries its own price, and types are synced to Stripe as products so they can be paid for online.
What happens to existing members if I change a price?
They pay the new price at their next renewal — a membership reads its price from the type rather than storing a copy. Payments already taken keep the amount that was charged, so your history stays accurate.
How many types should we have?
Fewer than you think. Full, concession and couple covers most organisations. Every extra tier is another decision you are asking a supporter to make before they join.
Can I retire a type?
Yes, without deleting it, so existing members on that tier and their payment history are untouched.
A membership type is a tier: what it’s called, what it costs, how long it lasts and how many people it covers.
The four decisions
| Setting | What it decides |
|---|---|
| Name | What a supporter sees when choosing. "Concession" beats "Type B". |
| Price | What they pay. Synced to Stripe so it can be paid online. |
| Period | A number and a unit — 12 months, 1 year, 90 days. |
| People covered | One, or two for a couple membership. |
Couple memberships
A type set to cover two people gives the membership a primary person and an optional partner. One record, one expiry date, one renewal — but both people are members, both count in your numbers and both can be emailed as members.
That’s the right model for most organisations: households join together, and chasing two separate renewals from the same kitchen table annoys everybody.
Changing a price
Existing members pay the new price at their next renewal. A membership reads its price from the type rather than keeping its own copy, so a change ripples forward but never backward — payments already taken keep the amount that was actually charged.
Change prices well before a renewal run, not during one. Members whose reminder has already gone out will see one figure in the email and another at checkout, and you’ll hear about it.
Keep the list short
Every extra tier is another decision you’re asking someone to make at the exact moment they’ve decided to join. Full, concession and couple covers most organisations. If you’re considering a fourth, check whether it’s a membership tier or really just a donation.