I know there’s a bit of controversy surrounding members only videos right now. Some people still think adding a paywall to content will drive away fans. Others assume managing members-only videos is too much work.

Both of those things can be true, but usually, only if you go in without the right strategy. People pay for access to exclusive stuff all the time, just look at Amazon Prime or Netflix. All you really need is people who genuinely want to support you. The real challenge is keeping them engaged.

Deloitte found 90% of US households subscribe to a paid SVOD, but around 41% cancelled in the last six months. So picking a paywall solution is just the first step. What you really need is a system that can help you manage and nurture your community. Fortunately, tools like that do exist, and they’re much easier to use than you might think.

I’m going to show you how to use one of my favorites, Fourthwall, to create your own members-only video business right here.

Decide What Should be Free, and What Should be Members-Only

This is the most important first step. Locking all of your videos behind a paywall isn’t a great idea, even if you already have a loyal community. You still need people to be able to discover you and fall in love with your work. Free videos should help with recruiting fans, while paid videos reward them.

Keep clips, trailers, simple tutorials, highlights from your podcasts or live streams, and best moments available to everyone. That’s the material you use to earn attention, like a taster.

The members-only side should make the customer feel like they’ve upgraded. You want the unique stuff, like deep-dive step-by-step videos, and behind-the-scenes secrets sitting behind the paywall.

Here’s how I’d split things up:

Creator type	Keep free	Put behind the membership
Fitness creator	30-second workout clips, maybe some fan transformation videos	Full programs, form breakdowns, replay library
Podcaster	Main episode highlights, snippets from video interviews	Bonus episodes, video Q&As, uncut conversations
Educator	Short YouTube lessons, or interviews with students	Full tutorial paths, templates, worksheets
Musician	Performance clips or updates about new releases	Lesson videos, tabs, studio notes, private sessions
Streamer	Funny highlights or exciting moments	VOD archive, private Discord access, member streams
Designer	Quick tips, or past insights into your work	Full walkthroughs, critique videos, project files

Fourthwall makes it pretty easy to organize everything (I’ll get back to that in a minute), you can upload 1080p VOD, embed YouTube, Vimeo, and Streamable videos, and organize paid content with tags, collections, and video series.

Choose a Pricing and Membership Model

It’s so easy for creators to get flustered with pricing. Some spend weeks coming up with creative names for tiers, then end up panicking and just copying what their biggest competitor does.

Sometimes that’s fine, but I think it makes more sense to really just think about what you’re asking your member to pay for. If you’re publishing new videos every week or month, then a standard subscription makes sense.

If you’ve got things like workshops, or mini courses, you’d probably sell them as a one-time purchase. If you know your members are going to want to stick around for exclusive videos, plus extra things like access to events, or live streams, maybe an annual membership.

For tiers, keep things simple:

• Entry tier: $5-$10 for previews, early access, and small perks, like one exclusive video per week or month.
• Core tier: $10-$15 for members-only video libraries and other perks.
• Premium tier: $20-$25+ for live Q&As, scripts, downloads, or Discord access.

The middle tier will usually be the obvious choice for most people, the cheap tier is just there for fans who want to be part of the community, but don’t have the full budget or commitment yet.

Again, Fourthwall helps here because you don’t actually have to spend anything to launch your site, you just pay a fee (5%) on digital downloads and memberships for the free plan. That gives you a good opportunity to figure out what kind of pricing works, without spending much upfront.

Pick Your Platform for Selling Members-Only Videos

Now I know there are a lot of options here, and some of them are really good. Still, before you settle on something just because it’s popular, or cheap, I’d clarify what you’re looking for.

If your whole business is video, with live classes, a large back catalog, TV apps, subscriber reporting, and proper streaming controls, look at Uscreen or Vimeo OTT first. If you’re a creator selling video as one part of a bigger brand, you’d probably use something like Fourthwall.

Check:

• Can you upload and embed videos from the tools you’re already using?
• Can you group videos into series or categories?
• Who deals with sales tax, VAT, and payment issues?
• Can you lock videos by specific membership tiers?
• Can you build pages that match your brand (rather than setting up a rented profile)?
• Do you actually get to keep member emails and audience data?
• Can you sell other things alongside videos, like downloads or merch?
• Can you accept donations?
• Does the price of the platform change based on number of members?

My Recommendations: Which Platforms to Use

My favorite option, as I mentioned before, is Fourthwall, for a few reasons. It’s more of a complete system than a simple solution for video streaming. You can upload 1080p VOD, embed YouTube, Vimeo, and Streamable videos, organize content with tags or series, and you can let members watch anywhere, including on desktop, mobile, Chromecast, or Airplay.

You also get a shop surrounding your membership community. So you can easily branch out into selling custom premium merch, digital downloads, and other products. Plus, Fourthwall acts as your Merchant of Record, handling VAT collection and sales tax, so there’s less work on your plate when you’re running an actual business.

On top of that, Fourthwall is free to use for beginners, you just pay the fees I mentioned whenever someone buys a membership or download.

Still, there are other options if you’re not looking for something that extensive. I still like Patreon for simple fan access and community sales, just keep in mind that the fees are 10%, and you don’t get a full branded presence online.

Memberful is great for creators with an existing website, and Uscreen works well for video-first memberships and streaming. Vimeo OTT is ideal for OTT channel streaming, and YouTube memberships could be ideal if you already have a community on YouTube.

Just think about what you really need now, and what you’re probably going to need in the future if you decide to scale.

Set Up Your Members-Only Video Library

Once you’ve chosen your platform, you need to create a “members-only” doorway on your site. That’s basically the landing page that people visit when they decide to join your community.

That page needs to say who the membership is for, explain what’s inside, and guide subscribers to their first video, or series. I’d also add a very obvious reason for someone to sign up to this page, just in case they’re on the fence. Maybe promise something special when they join, like 10% off their first month.

For the library itself, create a “Start here” section, with a welcome video, a few tips on how to make the most of the membership, and a suggestion of the first best watch.

Then you might have separate pages or tabs for:

• The latest videos you’ve uploaded (in order)
• Full tutorials or long-form videos
• Shorter videos
• Bonus episodes
• Replays
• Downloads (like templates, worksheets, files, or notes)

Remember to set access controls before you launch, and make it clear to each member what they’re getting on their tier. For the cheaper tier, don’t lock everything away, but remind fans that they can upgrade whenever they like.

My minimum launch library would probably be pretty small at first. One welcome video and public preview, five to ten paid videos, one “Start Here” post, a release schedule, and a “coming next” section, to keep people excited.

Launch and Promote the Membership

Even if you already have a fanbase, don’t just post a link to your membership website and ask them to join. You need to make the offer compelling.

Create a little launch kit. Show off the first few video titles on social media, or share a clip. Show off your dashboard and library, and try to make it clear how much extra value the paid version of your community offers compared to the free version.

For a small launch, you can plan it over two weeks.

In the first week, say what you’re creating, and share your plans with as many people as possible, on your live streams, YouTube, social media, and even through email if you have a list. Maybe even ask followers what they’d like to see included in the membership, and share the first five video names and a short trailer. Open signups with a waitlist so excited people have a place to go.

Then in week two, publish the membership page, and keep talking about it. Add the link to YouTube descriptions, pinned comments, Instagram Stories, TikTok bio, podcast intros, newsletters, livestream chats, and your store header. Don’t under-promote because you’re scared of being annoying.

Also, add a clear launch offer. Maybe the first 100 members get a discounted rate forever, or you get two months free when you buy the annual subscription. You could even dish out a special prize, like a digital download, or a small piece of merch (like stickers or a pin) for early subscribers.

Keep Members Paying After the First Month

The first month should be simple enough, particularly if you put enough effort into promoting, or you already have a community of fans. Still, you need to keep people coming back for more.

The best way to do that is really just to be consistent. Set a publishing promise, like a new exclusive video every Friday, and one replay every Tuesday, and stick to it. Share two bonus videos a month, or something special at the end of each month, like a workshop download.

Keep your community talking, too. Ask them to share what they’ve got from the membership, get them to vote on exclusive episodes they’d like to see next. If you’ve got some big fans, maybe ask them if they want to have a cameo on one of your videos.

Also, build an email list. When people sign up to your membership, you should collect their email, not to bother them with constant upsells, just to remind them when new videos are posted, and keep them involved with what you’re doing.

Over time, consider adding more perks based on what your members ask for most, or even expand into print-on-demand custom merch, so people have more ways to support you. Fourthwall lets you do all that without investing in extra apps or tools, so it’s worth experimenting.

FAQs

How much should I charge for members-only videos?

That really depends on how much value you’re offering. If you’re doing a tiered membership strategy, have one “cheap” entry-level option, a main tier with full access, and a premium tier with extra perks like downloads or live Q&A access.

Do I need a big audience to sell members-only videos?

Not necessarily, all you really need is an audience that really trusts you. Even a hundred people who regularly engage with your content can earn you a good income each month, and when they start advocating for you and contributing to your community, it’ll grow by itself.

What videos should I put behind a paywall?

Gate the videos with a clear payoff: full workshops, bonus episodes, uncut footage, private Q&As, replays, project walkthroughs, training paths, and lessons with downloads attached. The discovery content that actually attracts people to your membership site should stay free.

Is Fourthwall good for members-only videos?

It’s one of the best tools I’ve used. It supports paid VOD, high-quality uploads, and embeds from a lot of different sites. Plus it lets you add tags, create collections, organize access based on tiers, and track insights with analytics.

Can I sell one-off videos instead of a membership?

You can, and you can even do both. You might have some products you sell as a one-time purchase, like a mini course or workshop, and a membership that includes access to new content every week. With Fourthwall, you can sell digital downloads and merch next to memberships.