We are developing a new paid membership community launching initially in the UK with international ambitions.
We are considering using Discourse as the core platform for both our public-facing presence and our private members’ community, The Sanctuary.
Our priority is simplicity. We do not want unnecessary bespoke development or a large collection of external systems where Discourse can already provide the functionality.
We are looking for an experienced Discourse specialist who can advise on and potentially implement:
• A highly customised, premium/luxury Discourse design that does not feel like a conventional forum
• Public-facing landing, About, Membership, FAQ and Creator Partner information
• Private paid-member Sanctuary areas
• Stripe-based membership/subscription access
• Pseudonymous member identities and strong privacy controls
• Discussions, chat, polls and private communication
• Making maximum use of Discourse’s persistent searchable community knowledge
• Excellent mobile experience and Discourse Hub compatibility
• Creator/affiliate tracking integration where appropriate
• AI/translation/search capabilities available within the Discourse ecosystem
• A launch architecture capable of scaling internationally
We would particularly like to hear from people who will challenge unnecessary complexity and recommend the simplest reliable architecture rather than automatically proposing custom development.
Please provide examples of Discourse communities/themes you have built, particularly highly customised or membership-based communities, along with an indication of your approach and likely budget range.