Running a profitable Discord community is a full-time job. And if you’re earning $15,000-$30,000 per month from subscriptions, you’re probably not doing it alone.
Behind every successful paid Discord community is usually a community manager—someone handling member support, moderating discussions, running engagement events, and keeping the community alive while you focus on creating content and growing the business.
The problem? Paying them has always been manual, messy, and disconnected from your revenue.
PayBot’s new Revenue Sharing feature changes that. Now you can automatically split subscription revenue with your community manager—they get their cut deposited directly into their bank account, every single payment.
The Reality of Scaling Discord Communities
Let’s talk about what actually happens when your Discord community starts making real money.
The $5,000/Month Stage
At $5,000/month, you’re probably still handling everything yourself:
- Answering member questions
- Moderating discussions
- Welcoming new members
- Creating content
- Running events
It’s sustainable, but barely. You’re working 40+ hours a week on what was supposed to be passive income.
The $15,000/Month Stage
At $15,000/month, something has to give. You’re either:
- Burning out trying to do everything
- Letting quality slip as you can’t keep up
- Hiring help but paying them inconsistently
This is where most community owners bring on their first community manager—often a trusted member who’s been active since the early days.
The $30,000/Month Stage
At $30,000/month, you have a real operation:
- Community manager handling day-to-day operations
- Maybe a content assistant or moderators
- Systems and processes in place
- You’re focused on growth and high-level strategy
The community manager at this stage isn’t just “helping out”—they’re running the show. They deserve consistent, fair compensation tied to the value they’re creating.
How Revenue Sharing Works
PayBot’s Revenue Sharing feature creates a direct link between your revenue and your community manager’s compensation.
Works with all payment types:
- ✅ Recurring subscriptions (monthly/yearly memberships)
- ✅ One-time purchases (courses, coaching, lifetime access)
The Setup (One-Time)
- You designate a community manager in
/setup - They complete Stripe verification (identity and bank account)
- You set the revenue share percentage (e.g., 15%)
- PayBot applies the split to all payments
Every Payment (Automatic)
When someone pays, whether it’s a subscription or a one-time purchase:
- Payment goes through your Stripe account
- PayBot automatically collects the manager’s percentage
- Manager receives their cut directly in their bank account
- You receive the remainder
No spreadsheets. No monthly calculations. No Venmo requests. No awkward money conversations.
Example: 15% Revenue Share
Monthly subscription: $100
├── $85 → Your Stripe account
└── $15 → Manager's Stripe account
One-time course purchase: $500
├── $425 → Your Stripe account
└── $75 → Manager's Stripe account
200 members × $100/month = $20,000 revenue
├── $17,000 → You
└── $3,000 → Community Manager
Your manager earns $3,000/month—automatically, reliably, every single month—tied directly to the community’s success.
Real-World Examples
Let’s look at how two different communities use revenue sharing to compensate their community managers.
Example 1: Trading Signals Community
The Community: TradePro Academy
- 180 active subscribers at $149/month
- Monthly revenue: ~$26,800
- Focus: Forex and crypto trading signals, education, live trading sessions
The Founder: Marcus runs the trading strategy, creates educational content, and hosts the live trading sessions. He’s the “face” of the community.
The Community Manager: Alex has been a member since month 3. Started as a moderator, now handles:
- All member onboarding and support
- Discord moderation (24/7 coverage)
- Weekly Q&A sessions when Marcus is unavailable
- Managing the signals channel organization
- Coordinating with the other 2 part-time moderators
- Member retention and engagement campaigns
The Compensation Structure:
- Revenue share: 20%
- Monthly payout: ~$5,360
- Plus: Bonuses for retention improvements
Why This Works:
Marcus tried paying Alex a flat $3,000/month salary before. The problems:
- Alex had no incentive to help grow the community
- When revenue dipped, Marcus resented the fixed cost
- When revenue spiked, Alex felt undercompensated
With 20% revenue sharing:
- Alex is motivated to reduce churn (higher revenue = higher pay)
- Alex helps with member acquisition (more members = higher pay)
- Compensation scales automatically with community growth
- Both succeed together or struggle together
Alex’s perspective: “I used to just moderate because I enjoyed the community. Now I’m running engagement campaigns, personally reaching out to at-risk members, and thinking about growth every day. The revenue share made me an owner, not an employee.”
Example 2: Fitness Transformation Community
The Community: Iron Mind Fitness
- 220 active subscribers across multiple tiers
- Basic: $47/month (80 members)
- Coaching: $97/month (100 members)
- Elite: $197/month (40 members)
- Monthly revenue: ~$21,360
- Focus: Strength training, nutrition coaching, accountability
The Founder: Sarah is a competitive powerlifter and certified nutritionist. She creates the training programs, handles nutrition consultations for Elite members, and runs weekly live coaching calls.
The Community Manager: David joined as a member 18 months ago. Lost 60 pounds using Sarah’s programs. Now handles:
- Daily check-ins and accountability posts
- Form check reviews for Basic and Coaching members
- Community challenges and competitions
- Onboarding new members (personalized welcome, goal setting)
- Managing the transformation photo system
- Moderating and keeping discussions positive
- Scheduling and coordinating with Sarah on content
The Compensation Structure:
- Revenue share: 15%
- Monthly payout: ~$3,200
- Plus: Free Elite membership (value: $197/month)
Why This Works:
Sarah was spending 3-4 hours daily on community management before David. That’s time she couldn’t spend on:
- Creating new programs
- Growing her YouTube channel
- Taking on more Elite clients
With David handling operations and earning 15%:
- Sarah focuses on content and high-ticket coaching
- David handles everything members need day-to-day
- Members get faster response times and more engagement
- The community grew 40% in 6 months (more attention = more referrals)
The math: Sarah “gave up” $3,200/month to David. But she gained:
- 100+ hours/month of time
- 40% membership growth (~$6,000/month additional revenue)
- Ability to launch a YouTube channel (long-term growth)
- Better member experience (lower churn)
Net result: Sarah’s take-home increased by $2,800/month while working fewer hours.
Why Revenue Sharing Beats Flat Salaries
Alignment of Incentives
Flat salary: Manager gets paid the same whether the community thrives or dies.
Revenue share: Manager’s income is directly tied to community success.
When your community manager earns a percentage:
- They care about retention (every cancellation costs them money)
- They care about member satisfaction (happy members stay longer)
- They care about growth (more members = higher income)
- They think like an owner, not an employee
Scales Automatically
Flat salary: You have to renegotiate every time revenue changes significantly.
Revenue share: Compensation adjusts automatically.
Growing from $15k to $30k/month?
- Flat salary: Awkward conversation about a raise
- Revenue share: Manager’s income doubles automatically
Revenue drops from $25k to $18k/month?
- Flat salary: You’re paying the same while making less
- Revenue share: Costs scale down proportionally
Reduces Cash Flow Stress
Flat salary: You owe $3,000 whether you made $5k or $30k this month.
Revenue share: You only pay when you get paid.
For communities with variable revenue (launch months, seasonal fluctuations), this is huge. Your manager understands that their income varies because they see the direct connection.
Builds Long-Term Partnership
Flat salary: “I work for Marcus. If I get a better offer, I’m gone.”
Revenue share: “I’m building this with Marcus. If I leave, I lose my income stream.”
Community managers with revenue share become invested in the long-term success of the community. They’re not looking for their next job—they’re building something.
What Percentage Should You Offer?
The right percentage depends on your community and your manager’s responsibilities.
10-15%: Standard Community Management
Role includes:
- Member support and moderation
- Onboarding new members
- Basic engagement (welcome messages, check-ins)
- Managing existing systems and processes
Best for:
- Part-time managers (10-20 hours/week)
- Communities where the founder is still very active
- Managers who are learning and growing into the role
15-25%: Full-Time Operations
Role includes:
- Everything in 10-15%, plus:
- Running engagement campaigns
- Managing other moderators/staff
- Member retention initiatives
- Content scheduling and coordination
- Event planning and execution
Best for:
- Full-time managers (30-40+ hours/week)
- Communities where the founder is focused on content/growth
- Experienced managers who run day-to-day operations independently
25-35%: Partner-Level
Role includes:
- Everything in 15-25%, plus:
- Strategic input on community direction
- Revenue growth initiatives
- Brand representation (public-facing role)
- Hiring and training other team members
Best for:
- Co-founder or partner relationships
- Communities where the manager is nearly as important as the founder
- Situations where the manager has unique skills or relationships
Finding Your Number
Start with this question: If you had to hire someone externally for this role, what would you pay them?
- Part-time community manager: $2,000-$3,500/month
- Full-time community manager: $4,000-$6,000/month
- Director-level operations: $6,000-$10,000/month
Now calculate what percentage of your revenue that represents, and round to a clean number (10%, 15%, 20%, etc.).
Example:
- Revenue: $25,000/month
- Fair market value for the role: $4,000/month
- Percentage: 16% → Round to 15%
The Manager’s Perspective
If you’re a community manager considering revenue share (or an owner trying to convince someone), here’s why it’s often better than a salary.
Upside Potential
Flat salary: You make $4,000/month no matter what.
Revenue share at 15%:
- Community at $20k/month: You make $3,000
- Community at $30k/month: You make $4,500
- Community at $50k/month: You make $7,500
If you’re good at your job and the community grows, your income grows with it. No awkward raise negotiations—you just earn more.
Proof of Value
Flat salary: Hard to prove your contribution.
Revenue share: Your income is proof of the value you create.
When the community grows, you can point to your revenue share and say “I helped build this.” That’s powerful for your career, whether you stay or move on.
Skin in the Game
Flat salary: You’re an employee doing a job.
Revenue share: You’re a partner building something.
The psychological shift matters. You’re not “working for” someone—you’re building together. That’s more meaningful and more motivating.
Downside Risk (And Why It’s Okay)
Yes, your income can drop if the community shrinks. But consider:
- You have influence over the outcome. Your work directly affects retention and growth.
- You’d probably get fired anyway. If a salaried community’s revenue drops 50%, the manager usually gets let go. At least with revenue share, you keep your job (just at lower pay).
- It forces good communities. You won’t take revenue share at a dying community. You’ll choose communities with growth potential.
How to Propose Revenue Sharing to Your Community Manager
If you’re a community owner considering this, here’s how to have the conversation.
Frame It as an Upgrade
Don’t say: “I want to pay you less when revenue is down.”
Do say: “I want to tie your compensation directly to our success. When we grow, you grow automatically—no awkward raise conversations.”
Be Transparent About Numbers
Share your actual revenue numbers. If you’re offering 15%, show them:
- Current revenue: $22,000/month
- Their cut at 15%: $3,300/month
- What that looks like at $30k, $40k, $50k
Transparency builds trust and helps them see the upside.
Start with a Hybrid (If Needed)
If they’re nervous about variable income, offer a hybrid:
- Base salary: $2,000/month (guaranteed)
- Revenue share: 10% on top
This gives them security while still creating alignment. As trust builds, you can move toward pure revenue share.
Document Everything
Create a simple agreement covering:
- The percentage (15%)
- What’s included in “revenue” (subscription payments, not one-time purchases?)
- How often they’re paid (weekly, monthly?)
- How long the arrangement lasts
- How either party can end it
You don’t need a lawyer—just clarity.
Technical Implementation
PayBot’s Revenue Sharing feature makes this technically seamless.
For the Community Owner
- Enable Revenue Sharing in
/setup - Select your manager from server members
- Set the percentage (1-50%)
- Confirm and PayBot handles the rest
For the Community Manager
- Receive DM from PayBot with Stripe onboarding link
- Complete identity verification (takes 5-10 minutes)
- Add bank account for deposits
- Done — payments start flowing automatically
What PayBot Handles
- ✅ Calculating the split on every payment
- ✅ Collecting the application fee automatically
- ✅ Transferring funds to manager’s Stripe account
- ✅ Handling currency conversion if needed
- ✅ Tracking all transfers for your records
- ✅ Updating percentage if you change it
What You Handle
- ❌ Manual calculations
- ❌ Monthly payments
- ❌ Tracking who owes what
- ❌ Tax documents (Stripe handles 1099s)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the percentage later?
Yes. Changes take effect on the next billing cycle. If you increase from 15% to 20%, subscriptions that renew after the change will use the new percentage.
What if I have multiple community managers?
PayBot supports multiple managers! Set a total revenue share (e.g., 30%) and split it among your team:
- Manager A: 15%
- Manager B: 10%
- Manager C: 5%
Each manager completes their own Stripe verification and receives their share automatically. The total across all managers can be up to 50%.
Does this work with one-time purchases?
Yes! Revenue sharing works with both:
- Subscriptions — Monthly/yearly memberships
- One-time purchases — Courses, coaching packages, lifetime access
The same percentage applies to all payment types. Your manager gets their cut whether it’s a $20/month subscription or a $2,000 coaching package.
What if my manager leaves?
Disable revenue sharing in /setup. All future payments go 100% to you. Past payments already transferred to them stay with them (that was earned income).
What about taxes?
Stripe handles tax reporting. Your manager will receive a 1099 from Stripe at year-end if they’re US-based. They’re responsible for their own taxes as an independent contractor.
Is there a minimum community size?
Revenue sharing is available on the Ultra plan ($399/month). It’s designed for communities with significant revenue where professional management makes sense.
What about affiliates?
The Ultra plan also supports affiliate revenue sharing. Affiliates earn commission on subscriptions they refer, tracked via personalized payment links with ?aff=CODE parameters. This is separate from community manager revenue sharing. You can use both at the same time.
Can I see a history of transfers?
Yes. PayBot tracks all transfers in your dashboard, showing date, amount, and status for each payment to your manager.
Getting Started
Ready to set up revenue sharing for your community manager?
Requirements
- Ultra plan — Revenue sharing is an Ultra-exclusive feature
- Active subscriptions — Something to share revenue from
- Community manager — A trusted person to share with
- Manager with Stripe — They need to complete Stripe verification
Next Steps
- Upgrade to Ultra if you haven’t already (run
/setup→ Upgrade Plan) - Talk to your manager about the arrangement and percentage
- Enable Revenue Sharing in
/setupwhen you’re ready - Manager completes Stripe onboarding via the link they receive
- Payments start splitting automatically
Build Your Team, Scale Your Community
The best Discord communities aren’t one-person shows. They’re teams of dedicated people working together—and compensated fairly for their contributions.
Revenue sharing turns your community manager from an expense into a partner. Their success becomes your success, and vice versa.
Stop doing manual payments. Start building a real team.
Related Resources
Getting Started:
- Setup Guide — Connect Stripe and configure PayBot
- Membership Tiers — Create subscription tiers
- Payment Links — Accept payments outside Discord
Scaling Your Community:
- Monetize Large Discord Communities — Scale from 100 to 1,000+ members
- High-Ticket One-Time Purchases — Add premium offerings
- Building Trading Communities — Niche-specific strategies