How to Set Up Member Areas on Squarespace (Build Your Own Private Community or Course)

How to Set Up Member Areas in Squarespace

Step 1: Enable Member Areas

In your site backend, go to Settings > Member Areas. Click Get Started and follow the setup steps. You'll need to choose a Member Areas plan (Starter, Core, or Pro) - this is a separate add-on cost on top of your website plan.

• Starter ($9/month): 1 member area, 7% transaction fee on member payments
• Core ($18/month): Multiple member areas, 4% transaction fee
• Pro ($35/month): Unlimited member areas, 1% transaction fee

Step 2: Create Members-Only Pages

Go to Pages > Add > Member Area Page. Choose the access level (free or paid), then build your private content inside just like any other Squarespace page. You can gate blog posts, video pages, downloadable resources, course materials, or client-specific content.

Step 3: Set Up Membership Tiers and Pricing

In Settings > Member Areas > Plans, create your pricing structure:

• Free memberships: Require sign-up but no payment - useful for building an email list
• One-time payment: Single charge for lifetime access to specific content
• Recurring subscriptions: Monthly or annual billing for ongoing access
• Trial periods: Let members try before they pay

Connect Stripe or PayPal to handle payments, automatic billing, and subscription renewals.

Step 4: Customize the Login and Signup Flow

Use Site Styles and the Page Editor to design your login screen, signup form, and thank-you page. Match them to your brand so the member experience feels consistent with the rest of your site. Add custom fields to collect information during sign-up if needed.

Step 5: Promote Your Membership

Link to your Member Area from your main site navigation, landing pages, blog posts, and email campaigns. Highlight what members get access to - preview the value on public pages to drive sign-ups. You can also sell membership access through Squarespace's Commerce features.

What You Can Offer Members

• Online courses: Video lessons, written modules, downloadable resources
• Premium content: Exclusive blog posts, guides, or newsletters
• Client portals: Private pages for individual clients with project files and updates
• Community areas: Members-only pages with discussion and interaction
• Digital downloads: Templates, workbooks, audio files, printables
• Workshop recordings: Archived live sessions for members

Tips for a Successful Member Area

• Start with a free tier to build your email list and let people experience the value before upgrading to paid
• Publish new content regularly - members who see updates are less likely to cancel
• Create a welcome sequence that shows new members where everything is and how to get the most from their membership
• Ask for feedback to understand what members want more (or less) of
• Test your payment flow before launching - make a test purchase to verify everything works

Limitations to Know About

• No content dripping: All gated content is available immediately - no automated schedule for releasing content over time
• No built-in community forum: Members can't interact with each other natively
• Gated pages aren't indexed by Google: Your public content needs to drive traffic and conversions to the membership
• Transaction fees on every tier: 1-7% on member payments depending on your plan, plus standard payment processing fees

Bottom Line

Squarespace Member Areas give you a clean, branded way to offer exclusive content, courses, or client portals - all without leaving the platform. Setup takes under an hour, and you can start with a free tier to test demand before charging. The main limitations are the lack of content dripping and community features, but for most creators and small businesses, it covers the essentials.

For a broader look at whether Squarespace Membership fits your business - or whether a dedicated platform like Kajabi or Teachable makes more sense - see our Squarespace Membership comparison guide.