# Set up memberships

> Sell monthly subscriptions with member rates, free included sessions, rollover and early access, and choose which sessions each tier covers.

Who can do this: admins only.

A membership is a Stripe subscription, or one payment. Set tiers up under [Offers → Memberships](/go/admin/shop/memberships); once people have joined, see [manage members](/docs/membership-members).

## What you can offer

Each tier can combine a **member rate**, **free sessions** and **early access**. Offer as many tiers as you like; a £0 tier works as a free perk, for example for staff. For a members-only session, turn off all its prices - see [price options](/docs/price-options).

## Which sessions it applies to

By default a membership applies to **every** session, including ones you add later. Change that from either end:

- **From the session.** In the session's **Prices** panel, select the tier and turn **Included in this session** on or off.
- **From the membership.** Under **Limits and visibility**, open **Applies to** and choose **Choose sessions**.

<Callout variant="warning">
  Exclude a premium one-off while you're creating it - excluding it later doesn't undo bookings members have already made.
</Callout>

**Who can book this without paying full price**, at the foot of the panel, lists everything a session accepts; [bundles](/docs/bundles) and session gift vouchers have their own switch under its **More options**.

## Where customers see and buy it

Two switches under **Limits and visibility** → **Visibility** control where a tier is offered. Neither affects existing members.

- **Show on members page** lists the tier on your /members page.
- **Show on checkout** offers a join-now prompt when a non-member is about to pay full price for a session the tier would save them money on. Override it per session with **Sell at checkout** when you select the tier in the session's **Prices** panel.

The **Checkout description** is a one-line pitch for the prompt and the tier's card. Cards already list the benefits, so use it for who the tier suits.

The /members page intro shows once you have two or more memberships; edit it with **Members page**.

To cap members or sell one that ends, see [limited memberships](/docs/membership-limits).

## Discount on bookings

Choose a **percentage discount** or **fixed price** per session. For off-peak, set **When the member rate applies** to **Off-peak times** or **Choose days and times**.

The rate covers the member's own space. **Apply to guests and private hire** extends it to extra spaces and, on an anytime percentage, [private and group bookings](/docs/private-sessions#give-members-a-discount-on-private-hire), up to **Spaces covered per booking**: at 2, the member plus one guest.

To take money off the membership payment itself, see [Stripe discount codes](/docs/stripe-promo-codes).

## Session allowance

Members get free sessions per period, then pay the standard price (or the member rate, if you turn on both **Free sessions** and **Member rate**). The counter shows on their cart and account page.

A free session covers **one space** on one booking, whatever its [length](/docs/session-lengths) - a 30-minute and a 60-minute booking each use one. Set **Spaces covered per booking** to 2 for a duo tier, for pairs booking together.

### Free sessions for some lengths only

If your sessions have [lengths](/docs/session-lengths), **Covers** under **Free sessions** sets which lengths a free session is for. Choose **Only these lengths** and tick them - say 30 min, for a cheaper tier beside your hourly ones.

A booking at another length doesn't use a free session. The member pays the standard price, or the member rate if the tier has one. Sessions without lengths are always covered.

### When the allowance resets

- **Day, Week, Month** are calendar periods in your venue's timezone - a monthly allowance resets at midnight on the 1st for everyone. A session counts on its own date.
- **Billing period** resets on each member's own payment date. A session counts when booked.

New monthly and yearly memberships start on **Billing period** - on a yearly membership the allowance is for the whole year, so choose **Month** for a monthly allowance. One-time memberships start on **Month**, since they have no payment date to reset on.

<Callout variant="warning">
With **Month**, a member billed on the 23rd who has used that month's allowance gets nothing for their payment until the 1st, and one who joins late in a month gets a fresh allowance on the 1st. Unless everyone joined on the 1st, use **Billing period**. Changing the period carries over sessions already used this period.
</Callout>

For an unlimited tier, set **1 per Day**.

### Letting unused sessions roll over

Tick **Unused sessions roll over** under **Free sessions** (not available on Day). Members carry up to one period's worth, for one period: on 4 a month, using 1 leaves 7 next month. Only full periods count, so joining, resuming or switching tier mid-period starts carrying from the next full period.

## Early access

Early access adds days to members' booking window: a 30-day window plus 30 days' early access means members see 60 days. It extends rolling windows only - repeat schedules, and one-off dates set to open bookings nearer the date - never a fixed end date. See [give members early access](/docs/booking-window#give-members-early-access).

## Common questions

1. **Can a customer have more than one membership?** No - one active membership at a time. To move to another paid tier they use **Change plan** on their account page - see [change tier](/docs/membership-change-tier).

2. **Can I offer a free trial?** Not directly. Use a £0 tier and move customers to a paid tier later.

3. **I can't save my off-peak membership - it says a session has no bookable price.** Off-peak members pay the normal price at peak times, and that session has every price switched off. Add a price (£0 is fine), set a member price for the tier there, or switch the tier to a fixed price or **Any time**.

4. **Does moving a booking change which allowance it uses?** On Day, Week or Month, the free session moves to the new date's period, and a customer can't move into a used-up period (you still can). On **Billing period**, moves never shift it.

5. **A member says their allowance is short just after paying.** It's almost always **Month** where you meant **Billing period**. If not, check the **Used on** list on their membership card - see [check what a member's sessions went on](/docs/membership-members#check-what-a-members-sessions-went-on).