Hi there,

Great question, happy to clarify how roles and permissions work in Bettermode.

Currently, Bettermode supports three default roles at the network level:

Admin – full access to all site settings and content
Moderator – limited staff access (primarily for content moderation)
Member – standard community participant

There’s no support for creating custom roles at this time. All staff-level permissions (like managing posts, accessing reports, editing blocks, etc.) are tied to either Admin or Moderator roles. These roles also count toward your staff seat limit, depending on your plan.

If you’re looking to give your R&D team non-staff access with specific capabilities, here are a few suggestions based on what is currently possible:

Workarounds and Alternatives:

Private Spaces with Posting Permissions:
You can create a private space for your R&D team and limit access without assigning them staff roles.
- Navigate to Menu > Administration > Design Studio > Collections and Spaces
- Select the desired space > Space Settings (gear icon)
- Under the Permissions section, configure who can view, post, and comment (e.g., limit posting to specific members while still allowing visibility for others).
Use Custom Profile Fields:
While this won’t change access permissions, you can create a custom field such as “Team” or “Role” to label members internally. This helps with identification but is not used for permissions.
- Path: Menu > Administration > Settings > Members > Profile Fields
- Add a new field (e.g., Dropdown or Text) and assign values like “R&D”, “Marketing”, etc.
Assign Badges:
If you want a visual indicator of someone's role (e.g., “R&D Team”), you can create and assign badges.
- Path: Menu > Administration > Settings > Members > Badges
- Create a badge and assign it to members manually. This is useful for recognition but does not grant permissions.
Moderator Role (Limited Staff Access):
If some R&D members need limited admin capabilities (e.g., moderating posts), consider assigning them the Moderator role instead of Admin. This gives them elevated privileges without giving full admin control or using up all staff seats.

Roles apart from member and Staff