Frequently asked questions

No hidden fees. Beyond your subscription, you only pay for Apple Developer and Google Play Developer accounts for app publishing. Each plan includes video storage limits (5k-20k minutes depending on tier), with additional 10k-minute bundles available at £45/month or $50/month if needed.

No setup fees. Your customer success manager's time is included in your subscription - they'll help with platform configuration, app store submissions, and launch planning. The only upfront costs are the Apple ($99/year) and Google ($25 one-time) developer accounts, which you own.

You're getting the complete platform - iOS app, Android app, web app, unlimited members, groups, events, live-streaming, messaging, courses, analytics, and push notifications. You also get support from real people. Our customer success managers assist you with resources to get you to launch successfully. We handle the infrastructure too- hosting, app maintenance, security, and GDPR compliance. The peace of mind part matters too. We've launched over 2000 communities, so we know what actually works. You're not figuring this out alone.

Yes, we offer a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You get full platform access to configure branding and test features. Most organisations know within the trial whether we're the right fit. If you're still unsure after the trial, we can extend it or arrange reference calls with organisations similar to yours.

We offer 15% off for registered non-profits and charities - just send us proof of status and the discount stays on your account.

With annual billing, you get 2 months free. Quarterly billing gives you more flexibility with no long-term commitment, though the monthly rate is higher. You can switch from quarterly to annual anytime. If you're on annual and want to move to quarterly, that happens at your renewal date.

We never take a cut of your revenue. All membership fees, course sales, event tickets, or any other revenue you generate is yours, minus the standard payment processor fees. We're here to help you succeed, not take a piece of what you've built.

Yes. Registered non-profits and charities get 15% off. Just send us proof of your status and we'll apply it to your account.

You can upgrade anytime and it takes effect immediately. Downgrades happen at your next billing cycle. To cancel, we need 30 days notice on all plans. Before you cancel though, let's talk and talk through areas that could be optimised for your goals and how we might be able to help. If you do decide to leave, you can export your member data, content, and analytics.

No, there are no per-member fees or usage charges. Disciple operates on a flat subscription model (paid annually or quarterly) with unlimited members on all plans.

Live streaming is included with no bandwidth charges. You can go live as often as you want within the platform. The only usage-based charges are for video storage when you save recordings. Your video storage limit covers all video content in your community - both content you upload and videos shared by your members, including saved livestream recordings. Your plan includes generous video storage limits to support your community content. Each plan includes:

Branded App: 5,000 minutes

Branded App Plus: 10,000 minutes

Branded App Pro: 20,000 minutes

If you exceed your included video minutes, you can purchase additional 10,000-minute bundles for $50/month ($600/year).

Enterprise plans include expanded video storage allowances tailored to your organisation's needs.

We'll be honest with you - if the monthly cost is genuinely out of reach right now, Disciple might not be the right solution yet. For very informal communities under 100 members with no budget, Facebook Groups, Discord, or WhatsApp can work. If building a proper community platform is crucial for your mission though, consider framing it as program infrastructure in grant applications or funding bids.

Yes, members can access everything on iOS, Android, and web browsers - it all syncs seamlessly. If someone posts on web, members see it on mobile. If they message on mobile, it appears on web. It's one platform with multiple access points. Most engagement happens on mobile because your app sits right there on their phones. Web is there for longer content consumption, events and webinars, or members who prefer desktop.

We have groups, discussion feeds, direct messaging, member directory, events calendar, live streaming, native video hosting, a content library, push notifications, analytics, courses, custom profile fields, and Pages. We don't have built-in video conferencing (Zoom connects easily), marketplace transactions between members, and advanced forum threading. The platform is more flexible than a feature list suggests. Pages let you build out structured sections however you need them — and because we support iframes, you can embed a lot of external tools directly into your community. Things like a jobs board, a podcast player, onboarding guides, resource hubs, or coach directories. If you need something specific, just ask us. We'll be honest about whether we have it, if it's coming soon, if it's possible through integration, or if another platform might actually fit you better.

It depends on which plan you choose. Branded App has your colors, logo, and branding throughout, but includes "Powered by Disciple" mentions in a few sections like mobile launch screen. Branded App Plus removes all mention of Disciple, it's completely white-labeled. Branded App Pro includes Plus benefits plus branded member support, so even the emails come from your domain with your branding. Enterprise plans offer custom white-labeling options tailored to your specific needs.

Cohorts are built using our group types. You create a private or secret group for each cohort — a January intake or a coaching programme and invite or add members into it. They get a dedicated space for those specific conversations and resources. You can also use profile fields to tag which cohort someone belongs to, then automate which groups they're added to using Zapier or our API. Members still access everything else in the app — the main feed, content library, events, directory, so each cohort has its own home without being cut off from the wider community.

Yes. You can create courses, build resource libraries, drip-release content over time, and combine learning with community discussions. If you already use another course provider, we can integrate seamlessly so you don't have to migrate anything. Branded App Plus and Pro plans let you sell courses directly to members. We're community-first with learning built in so the emphasis is on engagement and connection rather than just content delivery.

The platform is highly customisable and will reflect your brand guidelines. You would control your logo, brand colors, app icon, homepage layout, menu structure, member profile fields, and how groups are organised. We maintain the core mobile architecture and fundamental UX patterns, this ensures performance and app store compliance while giving members a consistent experience. Think of it like furnishing and decorating your house while we maintain the foundation and plumbing.

Yes. Direct messages work one-on-one or in group chats. You decide whether DMs are open to everyone or restricted. All messages stay in your branded environment - members never leave your space. Some organisations enable this feature and some don't. It's entirely up to you and what makes sense for your community.

You can track monthly and daily active members, content views and post interactions, your most engaged members, growth and retention rates, which posts and resources get the most engagement, notification open rates, group activity, event attendance, and course completion. Pro and Enterprise plans get more advanced analytics.

Yes, on Pro and Enterprise plans. Our REST API lets you auto add or remove members, push content from external systems, pull engagement data, sync member profiles, trigger notifications, and integrate SSO. API documentation is available, and Enterprise plans include technical support for custom integration work. This gives you flexibility to connect Disciple with your existing systems in ways that make sense for your organisation.

You're in complete control. You can send to everyone or specific segments based on location, membership tier, group membership, or custom fields. Schedule notifications ahead of time or trigger them automatically for things like new posts, event reminders, or direct messages.

Yes, you have three options. You can use our built-in livestreaming to stream directly in the app with screen sharing, Q&A, and recordings - no third party needed. You can add external links to Zoom or Google Meet in your events so members click a button to join those platforms. Or you can do a hybrid approach - run your live session on Zoom, then post the recording and discussion prompts in Disciple for follow-up engagement. The built-in livestreaming is designed more for presentation-style events (one to many) rather than round-robin discussions where everyone needs to be on camera. For those multi-participant conversations, most customers use the external link option to connect to Zoom or Google Meet. You can also use a hybrid approach where you run the live session on Zoom, then post the recording and discussion prompts in Disciple for async engagement afterward.

Yes. You can write posts now and schedule them for future dates and times. This is really useful for maintaining consistent content when you're away or planning campaigns ahead. Schedule posts weeks or months in advance, and they'll go live automatically at the scheduled time without you needing to remember.

Not for basic use. The majority of organisations run Disciple without developers on their team. You might want developer help for things like custom integration, bespoke automation via our API, complex webhook workflows, or custom SSO setup. But these are optional enhancements, not requirements. Pro and Enterprise plans include API access if you do have technical resources available.

All plans include an customer success manager assigned from day one. They'll guide you through platform configuration, app submission, and set you up for launch. Enterprise customers get a dedicated team with custom onboarding, team training, and integration support. You're genuinely not alone in this - we've launched over 2000 communities and know what works.

Yes. During your demo, we'll show you live examples from your vertical - whether that's associations, training providers, or networks. You'll see different approaches to branding, content organisation, and engagement strategies. We can also send you example apps to download so you can test the mobile experience on your own device.

Most organisations take 4-10 weeks. Every community is different, so timelines vary, but as an example: week one covers the strategy session, platform setup, and branding; week two focuses on content creation and member prep; week three is for app store submission; week four is for soft launch and full launch. For enterprise organisations with custom integrations, large migrations, or multi-stakeholder approval, it can take longer.

Yes, and we often recommend it. You could launch to 20-50 engaged members first, gather their feedback, iterate, then invite everyone else. Or recruit founding members who'll seed content and welcome newcomers before the full launch. Some organisations launch to one cohort or chapter first, learn what works, then expand to other segments. Your customer success manager will help you design the right soft launch approach for your organisation's situation.

From "ready to submit" to "live in stores" typically takes 7-14 days total, and we manage all the back-and-forth with the app stores for you.

No, we don't offer content or member import services. Your customer success manager will discuss on the best strategy for your specific situation.

We don't transfer content — posts, threads, or files don't carry over. For Facebook Groups and WhatsApp, we can't help with the move. For other platforms, we have strategies and can talk through the best way to move your member data during the sales or onboarding process.

During onboarding, everyone gets access to training materials covering posting, moderating, managing members, notifications, and analytics, plus a strategy workshop on community goals and engagement planning. All customers have access to our help centre with videos, guides, and best practices. Enterprise customers can request custom training for larger teams or train-the-trainer programs for distributed organisations.

Your success manager monitors your community health and will track warning signs like declining logins, low interaction, or contributor drop-off before they become serious problems. When engagement drops, we help you diagnose what's happening - is the content valuable enough or frequent enough? Why did members stop engaging? Are people discovering key features? Is the navigation confusing? Then we work with you on a recovery plan: re-engagement campaigns, content refresh, quick wins, and communication reminders about the community's value. Most engagement problems are about strategy rather than the platform itself, and we help you fix that strategy.

You'll have access to your customer success manager and can email them with your queries.

You don't need to worry about downtime, issues are extremely rare. When they do happen, we respond to technical support requests within 72 hours during UK business hours. Plus, our knowledge base with guides and videos is available 24/7 for immediate help.

We maintain institutional knowledge about your community's strategy, goals, and approach. When staff turnover happens, we'll onboard the new team members with platform training, strategy handover, and documentation review. Many organisations experience leadership changes, and our continuity support helps keep momentum going during transitions.

You do. The apps are published under your Apple Developer and Google Play Developer accounts with your organisation listed as the developer. Your brand is the only one members see. On Plus and Pro plans, there's zero mention of Disciple anywhere in the app. You control the apps completely.

Having your own accounts means you're listed as the developer, not us. Members see only your organisation's name. You maintain complete ownership, which matters if you ever want to move the apps elsewhere.

App store rejections are uncommon but do happen. We handle the submission process and help troubleshoot any issues. You'll own the developer accounts and app store relationship, but we'll guide you through any bumps in the process.

Yes. You can use Zapier to connect, or you can use direct API integration. We also support Salesforce SSO integration. The same approach works for HubSpot, membership databases, and association management systems

Yes. We support SAML protocols for single sign-on. The typical use case is members log into your main system - whether that's an intranet, AMS, or portal - and single sign-on brings them into Disciple automatically without needing a separate login

Yes. When you integrate Stripe, you can charge for subscriptions, tiered membership access, event tickets, course fees, or one-time content purchases

You are, and this is important to understand. We provide the secure infrastructure, GDPR-compliant hosting, data encryption, privacy controls, and moderation tools. But you're responsible for content moderation, member safety, your privacy policy and terms of service, handling member data appropriately, and compliance with laws in your jurisdiction. Think of it like we provide a secure building, and you're responsible for what happens inside and how you use it. We give you the tools to do it well.

Your data is stored on EU servers or US servers in AWS. You choose based on where most of your members are located. The infrastructure is GDPR-compliant. Your data doesn't leave the region you've chosen unless you integrate tools that send data elsewhere, like Google Analytics or Mailchimp - in those cases, their terms and data handling apply.

You keep everything. You can export your member database with names, emails, custom fields, and engagement data.

Mighty Networks offers web-only access on its standard plans and charges high custom pricing for branded mobile apps through their Mighty Pro tier. Disciple includes mobile apps from day one at $399/month with zero setup fees. Both platforms offer courses and community features. We include human support with onboarding specialists and success managers, while Mighty Networks is mostly self-service unless you're on Mighty Pro. If you're comfortable with web-only for now and maybe want mobile apps years from now, or if courses are your absolute primary focus and you're okay with self-service support, Mighty Networks could work for you. If you need mobile apps from day one, value ongoing human support, and community engagement matters as much or more than course complexity, Disciple would be a better fit.

Hivebrite is built around resource management — member directories, content libraries, structured pages — with some social features layered on top. It starts at $799/month, and the branded mobile app is a separate paid add-on. Setup typically requires technical resource and time.

Because of our history working with creators and musicians, Disciple is built the other way around — social network first, with content and learning built in. If you want your members opening an app with your name on it without a lengthy implementation project or enterprise pricing, that's where we sit.

If you're a large institution with a dedicated technical team and primarily need a structured resource hub, Hivebrite is worth exploring. If you want a social community with branded mobile apps and a faster path to launch, Disciple is the better fit.

Skool is built for individual creators, coaches, and course sellers. It's simple and cheap at $99/month, but that simplicity comes with trade-offs. There's no white-labelling — your community lives on skool.com with Skool's branding, and your members download the generic Skool app, not something with your name on it. You can't use a custom domain. Customization is limited to an icon and a banner. There's no branded mobile app, no API, and no way to make it feel like your own platform. Disciple gives you a fully branded experience — your own native mobile apps on the App Store and Google Play, your colours, your logo, zero platform branding on our Plus and Pro plans. We also provide human support and success managers along with a knowledge base of resources, while Skool is entirely self-service. If you're an individual creator running a paid community or course and you just need a simple, low-cost tool, Skool does the job. If you're an organisation that needs your own branded apps, data ownership, white-labelling, and human support, Disciple is the right choice.

Free platforms work for small, informal communities under 100 members. Beyond that, the cracks show. Facebook gives you no brand control — everything lives in Meta's environment with their ads, algorithms, and branding. Their algorithm decides who sees what, so members miss important updates. You can't export member data, and many people won't join Facebook at all.

WhatsApp has similar issues. You can't pin resources, structure discussions, or build any kind of searchable knowledge base. No monetization, no analytics, no branding — it's a messaging app, not a community platform. Fine for quick coordination, but it falls apart for anything structured or professional.

If you need to control your brand and data, monetize, or grow beyond a casual group, a dedicated platform like Disciple makes more sense.

Quarterly billing requires a 3-month commitment and you can cancel with 30 days notice. Annual billing requires 12 months and you can cancel at renewal. Enterprise plans typically have custom contract terms, usually 12-24 months. We don't have auto-renewal traps - we'll remind you before your renewal comes up.

Start by calculating your current hidden costs: staff time managing scattered tools in hours per week multiplied by salary, lost member retention revenue from members who lapsed due to disengagement, missed referral opportunities from disengaged members, software costs for your current scattered tools, and the impact on event attendance when communication is poor. ROI typically shows up within 9-12 months through improved retention, increased referrals, higher event attendance, and reduced admin time. For non-profits, It can be considered a program expense for non-profits grant funding. For associations, it's member value investment tool that enhances member experience leading to higher retention. For training providers, it's the alumni engagement infrastructure that facilitates alumni connections long after programmes end. For professional networks, it's legitimatising the brand and infrastructure that replaces ad-hoc WhatsApp groups.

Yes. Networks typically outgrow WhatsApp when it has too many members and becomes chaotic and difficult to manage. Disciple gives you a branded platform that keeps the intimacy of chat but adds structured groups, a member directory, searchable content, professional perception, moderation tools, and analytics. Most networks set up invite-only access, tiered membership with free basic and paid premium levels, direct messaging alongside structured groups, and member profiles that showcase expertise. The key difference is your members see your organisation's app on their phones rather than just another WhatsApp group. That matters for professional credibility and how seriously people take your network.

Yes. Your branded app sits on members' phones creating daily touchpoints throughout the year, not just during conference season. Most associations set up tiered access for public, member, and fellow levels, regional chapters, professional development tracking, and networking groups. The app gives members access to CPD resources, special interest groups, a job board, industry news, a member directory, and event promotion. What associations tell us is they're seeing higher monthly activity compared to the engagement via email newsletters since the app facilitates and creates ongoing engagement opportunities. We can sync with your AMS so membership status automatically controls app access. Your success manager will help you plan an engagement strategy and set you up for a smooth launch.

We offer 15% discount for registered non-profits. For funding, many non-profits successfully frame this as program expense for grant applications rather than operating expense. You can calculate ROI through increased donor retention, volunteer coordination efficiency, and program impact measurement. What you get is the full platform - mobile apps, unlimited members, success manager support, and all core features. It's not a stripped-down "non-profit version" - it's the full platform at a discounted price because we want to support the work you do.

Yes, with proper safeguarding in place. Non-profits use Disciple for mental health support, sobriety groups, advocacy organizing, crisis support, identity-based communities, and caregiver networks. For vulnerable populations, you have access to private groups, moderation tools, content approval workflows, member blocking and reporting, GDPR-compliant data handling, and the option for EU hosting. If your community includes minors, you're responsible for age verification processes, parental consent for anyone under 18, content moderation, safeguarding policies, and compliance with COPPA or equivalent laws in your jurisdiction. What's important to understand is we provide the secure platform and the tools you need. You're responsible for creating community guidelines and enforcing them appropriately. You know your community best, so you're responsible for member safety and legal compliance.