Growing a Free Community — Strategy-Focused

Hey everyone, 👋

I’m building a free community that’s growing steadily, and I’m genuinely enjoying the impact, connection, and value that’s starting to take shape. But I’m also thinking ahead — and I’d love some advice from others who’ve walked this path.

Right now, I’m considering two possible directions:

🔹 Option 1: Keep the community free long-term, continue building relationships, sharing value, and introducing paid offers outside the group when it makes sense.

🔹 Option 2: Grow it to a certain milestone (number of members or level of engagement) and then transition it into a paid membership, while still keeping the group open and nurturing the community vibe.

Eventually, I may also create a second paid community that's more structured or focused on advanced support — but I’m not keen on shutting down the free one, as I believe deeply in what we’re building.

So, my question is:

👉 What’s the smartest long-term play for sustainability and service? Have you transitioned a free group into a paid one — or built both side-by-side?

Would love to hear: