When you want to limit access to content in the community to a group tied to a paid offer, you are requiring a member to pay to join the group before viewing and interacting with the content. This is how paid communities work in Heartbeat.
Want to create exclusive content, channels, or events for a specific group of members? You can do that easily in Heartbeat using Access Groups.
New to Access Groups? Check out our full Access Groups Overview →
Want to sell paid access to a group? Learn more about Offers →
What Are Access Groups?
Think of Access Groups like “buckets” or segments of members — similar to how you'd segment an email list. Once a member is added to a group, they automatically get access to any discussion channels, events, documents, courses, and sidebar links tied to that group.
Use Cases for Private Groups
Access Groups are powerful and flexible — here are a few ways communities use them:
High-ticket coaching → Exclusive content, events, and booking links
Interest-based subgroups → e.g. Podcasters, TikTokers, Designers
Skill level breakdowns → Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced learning paths
Paid upgrades → Content tied to specific Offers or memberships
Simple Workflow: Build Your Group, Then Gate Your Content
In this video example, we start by creating content first — then tie it to a private group. Here’s a high-level summary of that process:
1. Create Your Private Content
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Add channels (like
#mastermind-questions) -
Add documents, events, or booking links
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Initially limit visibility to Admins (to avoid exposing content early)
2. Create Your Access Group
Go to Settings → Access Groups
Click Create Group
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Choose how members are added:
Admin-controlled (you assign members)
Joinable (members opt-in)
Automated (based on activity or attributes)
Under Access, select all content tied to this group
3. (Optional) Create a Signup Page
Auto-enroll people into the group via a unique invitation link
Great for landing pages, email campaigns, or cohort programs
Use an automated workflow to send a welcome message or email as soon as someone joins a group.
FAQs
What happens if I have upsells turned on?
If your paid offer has upsells turned on, the content it controls access to will be shown to members outside of the group with a lock icon and a custom upsell message.