Workaround for Creating Paywalled Groups/Spaces — Manual User Addition?

Hi everyone,

I really like Better Mode and think it’s a great platform overall — in many ways, it’s better than other community platforms I’ve tested. However, one major issue continues to frustrate me: the lack of paywall or subscription features for gated access to specific spaces or groups.

In 2025, this seems like a basic feature for any serious community platform. Even worse, support can’t give a timeline — or even confirm if it’s on the roadmap at all. I’m genuinely puzzled by this. The only explanation I can think of is that the way the platform is built might make it difficult to implement paywall features without causing complications.

That said, I’m trying to find a workaround.

My idea:

1. Create a space or group that is invite-only or restricted.

2. Use an external form (e.g., Typeform, Google Form) to let people request access.

3. Take payment separately through a third-party (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).

4. After payment, manually add users to that private space/group.

Yes, I know this is clunky and far from ideal. But if it works, it might help me keep using Better Mode.

My question:

  • Is it possible for me to manually assign users to a specific group or space after they’ve joined the community?

  • If yes — what are the steps, or what’s the best way to do this?

  • Also, if anyone here has found a better solution for creating paywalled content/groups within Better Mode, please do share. Even if you’ve done it through a third-party setup, your insights would be hugely appreciated. And if you’d prefer to share privately, feel free to message me.

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas — I imagine many other users would benefit from a working paywall workaround too.

All the best,

Ryan

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