How to Set Up Paid Groups in Sparkforge Communities

By Sparkforge Support Team ·Last reviewed May 3, 2026

Paid Groups let community admins charge for access with one-time or recurring pricing. Cancellations remove the user from the group automatically; refunds can be issued in Sparkforge or Stripe.

Paid Groups inside Communities let admins and owners charge users to access a group's content. Both public and private groups support paid access.

Public vs private groups

From the Settings button inside a Community, choose whether the group is public or private. Public groups admit paying members automatically. Private groups still require admin approval after payment.

Set up one-time payment

One-time payment grants unlimited access after a single charge.

Open the Community.
Go to Settings > Subscriptions.
Click Add new price.
Enter the amount and set type to One-time.
Click Add, then Save.

Turn on Test Mode if you want to validate the flow before going live. Once saved, the price appears in the group description for prospective members.

Set up recurring subscription

Recurring access is tied to an ongoing subscription.

Open the Community.
Go to Settings > Subscriptions.
Click Add new price.
Enter amount, set type to Recurring, optional Trial Days, and billing period (Monthly or Annually).
Click Add, then Save.

Granting access after payment

Private groups: Go to the People tab, filter by Requested, then accept or deny each membership.
Public groups: Access is granted automatically after payment.

Notifications

Admins and owners get email when a user pays and when they request membership. Users get a payment confirmation, then a separate notice when access is approved.

Cancellations and refunds

Member cancels in Sparkforge Payments or Stripe

Either path triggers the same flow:

The user receives a cancellation confirmation email.
Group admins and owners receive a cancellation notice.
The user is automatically removed from the group.

Issuing a refund

From Sparkforge: Payments > Transactions, click the three dots on the line item, then Refund.
From Stripe: Issue from the contact details screen.

Restored contact records

If a user's contact card is deleted then restored, the user is reinstated to the group without paying again.

Currency limits

Minimum and maximum charge amounts vary by currency. Check the Stripe currencies reference for the exact limits per currency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a community group paid after it's already running?

Yes. Go to Settings > Subscriptions inside the Community and add a price. New members will need to pay; existing members keep their access.

What happens when a paid member cancels their subscription?

They get a cancellation confirmation, admins are notified, and the user is removed from the group automatically — whether they cancel through Sparkforge Payments or Stripe.

Where do I issue a refund for a paid group?

In Sparkforge: Payments > Transactions, click the three dots on the transaction, then Refund. You can also issue refunds directly in Stripe from the contact's payment details.

If I delete a paying member's contact and restore it, do they pay again?

No. The user is reinstated to the group with their existing access — they don't have to pay a second time.

Can I run a free trial on a paid group?

Yes. When you create a recurring price, set Trial Days to give members a free window before the first charge.