Tier Groups & Upgrades

Create tier hierarchies for seamless subscription upgrades and downgrades between related membership tiers

Table of Contents

Understanding Tier Groups

Tier Groups allow you to organize related membership tiers into hierarchical structures, enabling seamless upgrades and downgrades for your subscribers.

🎯 What Are Tier Groups?

Tier Groups are collections of membership tiers organized by rank or progression level. They enable:

  • Seamless upgrades: Members can move up to higher tiers within the same group
  • Logical progression: Clear paths for member advancement
  • Better organization: Related tiers grouped together for easier management
  • Enhanced UX: Members understand their upgrade path clearly

Group Structure Example

Basic Tier Group

Community Access
  1. Bronze - $5/month (Basic channels)
  2. Silver - $10/month (Bronze + priority support)
  3. Gold - $20/month (Silver + exclusive events)

Advanced Tier Group

Professional Services
  1. Starter - $15/month (Basic consultation)
  2. Business - $35/month (Starter + custom solutions)
  3. Enterprise - $75/month (Business + dedicated support)

Creating Tier Groups

Start by creating logical groups for your membership tiers based on your server's value proposition and member needs.

1

Plan Your Group Structure

Before creating groups, identify logical progressions in your server:

  • Access levels: Basic → Premium → VIP → Elite
  • Service tiers: Individual → Team → Enterprise
  • Content types: General → Specialized → Exclusive
2

Create the Group

Use the tier group management interface to create a new group:

  1. In /setup, navigate to "Tier Groups"
  2. Click "Create New Group"
  3. Enter a descriptive group name
  4. Add an optional description
3

Add Tiers to Group

Populate your group with membership tiers:

  1. Select ungrouped membership tiers
  2. Add them to your new group
  3. Arrange tiers in logical progression order
  4. Set relative ranks for each tier

Group Creation Tips

  • Keep it simple: Start with 2-3 groups maximum
  • Clear naming: Use descriptive group names that members understand
  • Logical progression: Ensure higher ranks provide clearly superior value
  • Balanced sizes: Aim for 3-5 tiers per group for optimal choice

Managing Group Tiers

Once created, you can modify group membership, reorder tiers, and manage the overall group structure.

Adding Tiers to Groups

Expand existing groups with new tiers:

  • Browse ungrouped membership tiers
  • Select tiers that fit the group's theme
  • Add them to the appropriate group
  • Set their rank within the group

Reordering Group Tiers

Adjust tier progression order:

  • Drag and drop to reorder tiers
  • Higher ranks = more valuable benefits
  • Ensure logical value progression
  • Update ranks when adding new tiers

Group Management Actions

✏️ Edit Group Details

Update group name and description to reflect current offerings

➕ Add New Tiers

Create new membership tiers and add them to appropriate groups

🗑️ Remove Tier Groups

Delete groups that are no longer needed (doesn't affect individual tiers)

Upgrade & Downgrade Flow

Tier Groups enable smooth transitions between membership levels, providing a better experience for subscribers.

1

Member Views Upgrade Options

When members use /subscription change, they see tiers organized by groups with clear upgrade paths.

2

Seamless Transition

The system handles the transition automatically:

  • Calculates prorated charges/credits
  • Updates Discord roles immediately
  • Maintains subscription continuity
  • Preserves payment method
3

Confirmation & Access

Members receive immediate confirmation and access to their new tier benefits.

Upgrade Benefits

⚡

Immediate Access

Members get instant access to new tier benefits and Discord roles

💳

Prorated Billing

Fair billing adjustments ensure members only pay for what they use

🔄

No Service Interruption

Seamless transitions maintain continuous subscription status

📱

Better User Experience

Clear upgrade paths make it easy for members to understand their options

Group Organization Strategies

Different server types benefit from different group structures. Here are proven strategies for organizing your tier groups effectively.

🎮 Gaming Communities

Structure around gameplay progression and exclusivity:

Example Groups:

  • Game Access: Casual → Regular → Hardcore
  • Tournament Tiers: Spectator → Participant → VIP
  • Content Creators: Viewer → Streamer → Partner

💼 Professional Servers

Organize by service level and business needs:

Example Groups:

  • Consultation: Basic → Premium → Executive
  • Networking: Member → Insider → Leadership
  • Resources: Standard → Professional → Enterprise

🎨 Creative Communities

Focus on skill development and recognition levels:

Example Groups:

  • Skill Levels: Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced
  • Portfolio: Starter → Featured → Showcased
  • Collaboration: Member → Contributor → Mentor

🎯 Strategic Considerations

  • Member Journey: Design groups that match how members naturally progress
  • Value Perception: Ensure each tier clearly justifies its price increase
  • Conversion Funnel: Make upgrade paths obvious and compelling
  • Retention Focus: Higher tiers should provide significant ongoing value

Best Practices

Proven strategies for creating effective tier groups that drive upgrades and maintain subscriber satisfaction.

Group Structure Best Practices

  • Limit groups to 3-5 tiers for optimal choice
  • Ensure clear value progression between tiers
  • Use descriptive, benefit-focused tier names
  • Price tiers with meaningful differences (2-3x increments)

Member Experience Best Practices

  • Show upgrade paths clearly in subscription commands
  • Highlight the additional benefits of higher tiers
  • Make upgrade/downgrade process frictionless
  • Communicate changes transparently

Common Group Patterns

🚀 Entry to Premium

Basic access → Enhanced features → VIP treatment

Best for: Most community servers

📊 Usage-Based Tiers

Light usage → Regular usage → Power user features

Best for: Tool or service-focused servers

👥 Community Roles

Member → Contributor → Leader → Mentor

Best for: Professional or educational servers

⚠️ Avoid These Common Mistakes

  • Too many tiers: More than 5 tiers per group overwhelms members
  • Unclear progression: Members shouldn't be confused about which tier to choose
  • Minimal value differences: Each tier should offer significantly more value
  • Poor naming: Use clear, descriptive names that communicate benefits