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Paid online community
A paid online community gives members access to a shared space, learning materials and your ongoing guidance in return for a fee. It suits people who can keep the community useful and welcoming over time, not just launch it.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- You make a private online group for people with a shared interest.
- Members pay to join and use your resources and guidance.
- You welcome people, answer questions and keep the group useful.
- Start small and ask members what helps them.
- Keep track of costs, income and tax rules.
Who it suits
People with a useful skill, interest or experience who enjoy helping others learn and can make time to welcome members, answer questions and organise activities.
People may pay for a helpful place to learn, ask questions and meet others with a shared interest. Regular guidance and useful activities can give members a reason to stay, but people may also cancel, so income is not guaranteed.
Step by step
- Choose who you will help and what they need. Name a specific group of people and a problem, skill or shared interest. Write down what members should be able to learn, do or discuss so the offer has a clear purpose. About 30-60 minutes.
- Ask potential members what would make the group useful. Talk to a few people who might genuinely join. Ask what they would value, what would help them stay, and what would make the group feel welcoming; use the answers before building a large library. About 1-3 days.
- Decide what members receive and what you can sustain. Choose a small set of benefits, such as discussions, practical resources, group sessions or feedback. Be specific about how often you will provide them and what support is outside the offer. About 1-2 hours.
- Choose a platform and check its current costs. Compare the platform’s features, payment arrangements and current charges before inviting members. Skool prices subscriptions in USD and pays out in the recipient’s local currency; UK payouts are in GBP. Skool Payments FAQs About 1-2 hours.
- Set a price you can explain clearly. Consider the value members receive and the time and costs involved. Treat published suggestions as guidance, not a promise that people will join; one pricing example uses 20 members paying £50 per month. Skoolprep About 1-2 hours.
- Write a clear offer, cancellation and support description. Explain who the community is for, what membership includes, how members can cancel and what support you do not provide. Keep the wording plain, and check the platform’s current terms before publishing. About 1-2 hours.
- Prepare a simple welcome and first activity. Write a short introduction, add a few useful resources and show new members what to do first. Make the first steps easy to find, rather than expecting members to search through a large library. About Half a day.
- Invite a small first group and ask what to improve. Invite people who have shown genuine interest. Ask what is helpful or confusing, then adjust the offer and welcome process before trying to grow the group. About 1-2 weeks.
- Record income, costs and the rules that apply to you. Keep a simple record of membership income, platform fees and other business costs. Check the tax, VAT and data-protection rules for where you live; if you are unsure, ask HMRC or Revenue, or use the ICO or Data Protection Commission guidance as appropriate. About 30 minutes each week.
Your first 15 minutes
Speak to five people in your intended audience, ask what they would want from a paid community, and use their answers to draft a one-page offer.
The money
Set a fee that reflects what members receive, the time you commit and your costs. Test whether potential members understand the offer before relying on the income, and review platform fees and cancellation levels regularly. A published price example is guidance, not a guarantee. <a href="https://skoolprep.com/online-community-pricing-how-much-should-you-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Skoolprep</a>
Example only: the UK example uses 20 members × £50 per month = £1,000 gross. It estimates Hobby fees at about £106, leaving about £894 before other costs and tax; the estimate is not a guarantee. <a href="https://skoolprep.com/online-community-pricing-how-much-should-you-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Skoolprep</a> For an Ireland calculation, use your own figures: €(members × monthly fee) − €platform and other costs = €left before tax; no euro pricing example is given.
The rules
Paid online communities are generally lawful in the UK and Ireland. You must follow the tax and consumer rules that apply to you. Check platform terms, data-protection duties and rules for any extra services you offer. There's no general licence specifically for paid online communities.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Tax and Self Assessment. You can earn up to £1,000 a year under the trading allowance. This is based on gross trading income before expenses. If your trading income is above £1,000, tell HMRC. If you need to register for Self Assessment, do so by 5 October after the end of the tax year. GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK
- VAT. You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover is over £90,000. If you're unsure, check with HMRC. Business.gov.uk
- Data and ICO fee. Check your data-protection duties. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to see whether you need to pay a data-protection fee. You may be exempt if you hold customer details only for your own accounts and transaction records. This may not cover all your community activities. The ICO gives advertising or marketing another person's business, goods or services as an example of when you need to pay a fee. ICO
- Advertising. Clearly label advertising or affiliate content, for example with “Ad”. ASA
- Consumer rights. Explain your offer, payment, cancellation terms and support limits clearly. Check your consumer-law duties with Trading Standards or a suitable adviser. The detailed consumer rules for this service aren't set out here.
- Insurance and platforms. Consider getting suitable business insurance. Check the current platform and payment-provider terms before you take payments. If you add a regulated service, or you're unsure whether you need to register, check with an adviser.
Ireland
- Tax returns. If you're a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those limits, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount. Check your situation with Revenue or a tax adviser. Revenue
- Self-employed tax. If you're self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Your preliminary tax is due by 31 October. Citizens Information
- VAT. You must register for VAT if your turnover for services reaches the €42,500 threshold. If you're unsure, check with Revenue. Revenue
- Personal data. Check which data-protection duties apply to your community. It's not clear whether a particular community needs a registration or fee in Ireland. Check the rules that apply to you.
- Advertising. Clearly label commercial content, for example with “Ad”. If you're in doubt, label it. CCPC
- Consumer rights and insurance. Explain your offer, payment, cancellation terms and support limits clearly. Check your consumer-law duties with the CCPC or a suitable adviser. Consider getting suitable business insurance. There's no general insurance requirement identified for this activity.
- Business name and platforms. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. Online registration costs €20. Check the current platform and payment-provider terms before you take payments. CRO
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Building a large library before asking potential members what they need.
- Promising more live sessions or personal support than you can reliably provide.
- Forgetting platform charges, cancellations and other costs when setting a price.
- Leaving welcome instructions, group rules or cancellation details unclear.
- Failing to keep income and cost records or check the tax and data rules that apply.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.