{
  "schema": "launchmyserver.blueprint/v1",
  "source": "https://launchmyserver.com/templates/paid-membership",
  "updated": "2026-11-12",
  "slug": "paid-membership",
  "name": "Paid Membership",
  "title": "Paid Membership Discord Server Template",
  "description": "Discord server template for paid memberships: free vs member tiers, gated channels, role-based access, paywall bot setup, AutoMod and onboarding.",
  "tagline": "For paid communities sold through Whop, LaunchPass, Patreon or Server Subscriptions.",
  "bestFor": [
    "Monthly paid communities",
    "Free + paid tier funnels",
    "Trading, investing, career and hobby memberships"
  ],
  "sizeHint": "Built around a free lobby and paid tiers so non-members can see what they're missing.",
  "discord_template_url": null,
  "categories": [
    {
      "name": "LOBBY (FREE)",
      "channels": [
        {
          "name": "welcome",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "What members get and how to join.",
          "access": "Everyone can read; only Staff can post"
        },
        {
          "name": "rules",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Rules and refund policy summary.",
          "access": "Everyone can read; only Staff can post"
        },
        {
          "name": "join-membership",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "How to subscribe and get your role. Link to checkout.",
          "access": "Everyone can read; only Staff can post"
        },
        {
          "name": "free-chat",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Chat with the community before you join.",
          "access": "Members can read and post"
        },
        {
          "name": "sample-content",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "A taste of the members area.",
          "access": "Everyone can read; only Staff can post"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "MEMBERS",
      "channels": [
        {
          "name": "member-announcements",
          "type": "announcement",
          "topic": "Members-only updates.",
          "access": "Member role: read; Staff posts"
        },
        {
          "name": "member-chat",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Main members discussion.",
          "access": "Member role only"
        },
        {
          "name": "ask-the-host",
          "type": "forum",
          "topic": "Questions for the host. Tags: Answered, Weekly Q&A.",
          "access": "Member role only"
        },
        {
          "name": "resources",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Members library.",
          "access": "Member role: read; Staff posts"
        },
        {
          "name": "member-lounge",
          "type": "voice",
          "topic": "Hang out.",
          "access": "Member role only"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "VIP",
      "channels": [
        {
          "name": "vip-chat",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Higher-tier members.",
          "access": "VIP role only"
        },
        {
          "name": "vip-calls",
          "type": "voice",
          "topic": "Small-group calls.",
          "access": "VIP role only"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "SUPPORT",
      "channels": [
        {
          "name": "billing-help",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Billing questions open a private ticket.",
          "access": "Everyone can read; ticket panel only"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "STAFF",
      "channels": [
        {
          "name": "staff",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "Team chat.",
          "access": "Hidden from everyone except Staff"
        },
        {
          "name": "mod-log",
          "type": "text",
          "topic": "AutoMod and paywall-bot logs (role added/removed).",
          "access": "Hidden from everyone except Staff"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "roles": [
    {
      "name": "Admin",
      "color": "#2f5d50",
      "purpose": "Owner",
      "permissions": [
        "Administrator"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Owner"
    },
    {
      "name": "Paywall bot",
      "color": "#778ca3",
      "purpose": "Role managed by Whop / LaunchPass / Patreon bot",
      "permissions": [
        "Manage Roles"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Created when the bot is invited; must sit above Member and VIP"
    },
    {
      "name": "Staff",
      "color": "#e9b44c",
      "purpose": "Moderators",
      "permissions": [
        "Manage Messages",
        "Timeout Members",
        "Kick Members",
        "View Audit Log"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Admin"
    },
    {
      "name": "VIP",
      "color": "#f7b731",
      "purpose": "Top tier",
      "permissions": [
        "View VIP + MEMBERS"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Paywall bot on payment"
    },
    {
      "name": "Member",
      "color": "#4b7bec",
      "purpose": "Paid tier",
      "permissions": [
        "View MEMBERS"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Paywall bot on payment; removed when payment stops"
    },
    {
      "name": "Free",
      "color": "#a5b1c2",
      "purpose": "Joined the lobby",
      "permissions": [
        "View LOBBY"
      ],
      "assignedBy": "Onboarding"
    }
  ],
  "permissionNotes": [
    "Gate content with roles, never with secret invite links: invites can be shared, roles can be revoked.",
    "@everyone: deny View Channel on MEMBERS, VIP and STAFF categories.",
    "The paywall bot's role must be above Member and VIP, or it can't add or remove them.",
    "Give VIP the Member role too (the paywall tool can grant both) so you only set MEMBERS permissions once.",
    "Members-only content should not be posted where Free can see it, including threads started in lobby channels."
  ],
  "onboarding": [
    {
      "question": "Are you already a member?",
      "required": true,
      "multiSelect": false,
      "options": [
        {
          "label": "Yes, I paid",
          "grants": "Points to #join-membership to connect your account (role comes from the paywall bot)"
        },
        {
          "label": "Not yet, just looking",
          "grants": "Free role"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "question": "What do you want most from the community?",
      "required": false,
      "multiSelect": true,
      "options": [
        {
          "label": "Learning",
          "grants": "Highlights #sample-content"
        },
        {
          "label": "Networking",
          "grants": "Highlights #free-chat"
        },
        {
          "label": "Live sessions",
          "grants": "Live pings role (optional)"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "automod": [
    {
      "rule": "Block Mention Spam",
      "setting": "On. Start with a low mention limit per message (Discord lets you choose the number) and enable raid protection.",
      "response": "Block message + send alert to #mod-log + timeout member"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Block Suspected Spam Content",
      "setting": "On for all channels.",
      "response": "Block message + send alert to #mod-log"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Block Commonly Flagged Words",
      "setting": "Enable the preset lists (insults and slurs, sexual content, severe profanity) that match your audience.",
      "response": "Block message with a short custom explanation"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Custom keyword rule: scams",
      "setting": "Keywords such as *free nitro*, *steam gift*, *airdrop*, *crypto giveaway*, *dm me for*. Exempt Staff.",
      "response": "Block message + alert #mod-log + timeout member"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Member profile filter",
      "setting": "Block the same scam terms plus impersonation patterns like *admin*, *support team*, *moderator* in usernames and nicknames.",
      "response": "Block member from interacting until they change their name"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Custom keyword rule: invite links",
      "setting": "Block *discord.gg/* and *discord.com/invite* outside staff. Exempt Staff.",
      "response": "Block message + alert #mod-log"
    },
    {
      "rule": "Custom keyword rule: content leaks",
      "setting": "Block known leak/share phrases like *mega.nz*, *drive.google.com/drive/folders* in member channels if you sell downloadable content.",
      "response": "Block message + alert #mod-log"
    }
  ],
  "bots": [
    {
      "name": "Whop or LaunchPass",
      "url": "https://whop.com",
      "job": "Paywall: charge and grant/revoke roles",
      "why": "Both sell access and add or remove a Discord role automatically when a payment starts or stops. Compare fees on their official pricing pages.",
      "optional": false
    },
    {
      "name": "Ticket Tool",
      "url": "https://tickettool.xyz",
      "job": "Private support tickets",
      "why": "A button panel that opens a private channel between a member and staff, with transcripts. Set up from its web dashboard.",
      "optional": false
    },
    {
      "name": "Carl-bot",
      "url": "https://carl.gg",
      "job": "Role menus, logging, tags",
      "why": "Reliable reaction/button role menus for anything Onboarding doesn't cover, detailed mod logs, and saved 'tags' for answers you type every week.",
      "optional": false
    },
    {
      "name": "Wick",
      "url": "https://wickbot.com",
      "job": "Anti-raid and anti-nuke",
      "why": "Extra protection for public or fast-growing servers: raid detection and limits on destructive admin actions.",
      "optional": true
    }
  ],
  "welcomeMessages": [
    {
      "where": "#welcome",
      "text": "Welcome to {Community name}.\n\n**Free lobby:** say hi in #free-chat and see #sample-content.\n**Members get:** {benefit 1}, {benefit 2}, {benefit 3}.\n**Join:** {checkout link}. After paying, connect your Discord account in the checkout and your Member role appears automatically.\n\nBilling question? Use #billing-help (it's private)."
    },
    {
      "where": "#member-chat (first pinned message)",
      "text": "You're in. Start here: 1) read #resources, 2) post your goal for this month, 3) add the next live call to your calendar from the Events list."
    }
  ],
  "checklist": [
    {
      "phase": "Before you start",
      "items": [
        "Pick a payment tool (Server Subscriptions, Whop, LaunchPass, Patreon) and read its current fees",
        "Write your refund and cancellation policy"
      ]
    },
    {
      "phase": "Structure",
      "items": [
        "Create roles; put the paywall bot's role above Member and VIP",
        "Create categories; deny @everyone on paid categories",
        "Write #join-membership with the checkout link"
      ]
    },
    {
      "phase": "Community features",
      "items": [
        "Enable Community",
        "Onboarding with the 'already a member?' question",
        "AutoMod including the leak rule"
      ]
    },
    {
      "phase": "Bots and automation",
      "items": [
        "Connect the paywall tool and map products to roles",
        "Test: buy with a test card or 100% coupon, confirm role appears, cancel, confirm role disappears",
        "Ticket Tool panel in #billing-help"
      ]
    },
    {
      "phase": "Launch",
      "items": [
        "Post sample content in the lobby",
        "Announce launch pricing in your email list and socials",
        "Check #mod-log for role add/remove events in week one"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "guides": [
    "https://launchmyserver.com/guides/charge-for-discord-access",
    "https://launchmyserver.com/guides/whop-vs-launchpass",
    "https://launchmyserver.com/guides/remove-member-stops-paying-discord",
    "https://launchmyserver.com/guides/discord-server-subscriptions-fees"
  ],
  "notice": "LaunchMyServer is an independent service. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Discord Inc. Discord is a trademark of Discord Inc."
}