Access Levels in Circles

Access Levels are one of the most powerful tools in Circles.

They allow you to control who can see what and how members move through your Circle experience.

By combining Circle-level, Page Group-level, and Page-level access rules, you can design anything from open communities and free libraries to fully gated programs, paid memberships, trials, and complex learning journeys.

Access Levels define who is allowed to view content inside a Circle.

They control the visibility of the circle and its page groups and pages, and whether registration, memberships, or payments are required

This article covers:

What Access Levels are
Where Access Levels are set (Circle, Page Group, Page)
How inheritance works
Detailed explanations of each Access Level option
Best practices for testing and structuring access

Where Access Levels Are Set (Hierarchy)

Access Levels can be configured at three different levels, forming a clear hierarchy:

Circle Level (Parent Level)
Page Group Level
Page Level

Understanding how these levels interact is essential.

1. Circle-Level Access (Parent Level)

Circle-level access defines the default access rule for the entire Circle.

This is the top-level rule that everything inside the Circle inherits from – unless explicitly overridden at Page Group or Page level.

Where to Set It

Open the Circle
Go to Circle Settings in the top bar
Locate Access Level

How It Works

All Page Groups and Pages default to this access level
Child items can inherit or override it

Common Use Cases

Making an entire Circle public
Requiring login before anything is visible
Locking the whole Circle behind a payment or member group

2. Page Group Access Levels

Page Groups act as structural containers (folders).

Their access level controls all pages inside the group, unless a page overrides it.

Where to Set It

Click the ⚙️ cog next to a Page Group in the navigation
Open Group Settings
Set Access Level

How It Works

Pages inside the group inherit the group’s access by default
Individual pages can override if needed

Why Page Group Access Is Powerful

Apply rules to entire modules or sections
Keep structure clean and scalable
Change access for many pages at once

3. Page-Level Access Levels

Page-level access gives you maximum precision.

Each page can have its own access rule – independent of the Circle or Page Group.

Where to Set It

Open a Page
Click ⚙️ Page Settings
Set Access Level

Use Cases

Free preview lessons
Locked bonus pages
Upsell or checkout pages
Graduated access within a module

Access Level Options Explained

Each level (Circle, Page Group, Page) supports the same access options.

Open

Who can access it:

Everyone – logged in or not.

Behavior:

Publicly accessible
Can be indexed by search engines

Best for:

Landing pages
Public introductions
Open communities
SEO-friendly content
Free previews

Example:

An open “Welcome” page explaining your program
A public resource library
A marketing Circle showcasing your expertise

Logged-in Members

Who can access it:

Anyone with a free member account. If you enable registrations, anyone can register to access the content by creating a member account giving away their name and email address – perfect for freebies and lead generation.

Behavior:

Login required
No payment required
Ideal for lead capture and free trials

Best for:

Freebies
Free trials
Lead magnets
Community previews

Example:

First module unlocked after free registration
Free challenge content
Trial lessons before upsell

💡 Tip

This access level is one of the most effective ways to turn visitors into registered members.

3. Members of a Group (Recommended for Maximum Flexibility)

Who can access it:

Only members who belong to a specific Member Group.

How it works:

Requires the user to be logged in
Requires membership in one (or more) assigned Member Groups
Member Groups are typically assigned via:
- Product or subscription purchases
- Manual assignment by an admin
- Automations and workflows

Why Member Groups are powerful:

Member Groups give you full flexibility in how you package, sell, and scale your Circle content. Instead of tying access directly to a single payment or structure, you unlock content based on group membership, which can be reused and combined endlessly.

With Member Groups, you can:

Bundle multiple Circles into one offer
Grant access to multiple Page Groups and individual Pages in any combination
Mix free, trial, and paid content within the same Circle
Offer multiple pricing options for the same content, such as:
- Monthly and annual subscriptions
- One-time payment
- Payment plans (e.g. 3 or 6 installments)
Upgrade or downgrade access over time without changing content structure

This makes Member Groups ideal for businesses that want to:

Sell memberships with tiers (Basic, Pro, VIP)
Run programs, cohorts, or academies
Offer bundles, upsells, or lifetime access
Reuse content across multiple offers without rebuilding it

Best for:

Paid courses and programs
Memberships with multiple tiers
Bundled offers
Cohort-based programs
Role-based access (e.g. Student, Coach, Alumni, VIP)

Examples:

A “Gold Members” group unlocks all premium Circles and bonus material
Course buyers are added to a Course Access group that unlocks specific Page Groups
Alumni are added to an Alumni group that unlocks bonus or ongoing content

💡 Recommendation

If you are unsure how your offer may evolve in the future, always choose Member Groups. They prevent lock-in and give you room to expand pricing models, bundles, and access rules over time.

4. Payment Required (Simple, Direct, but Limited)

Who can access it:

Only members who complete a direct payment.

How it works:

Content is gated behind a paywall
Access is granted automatically after purchase
Typically connected to one product or one subscription
Access is tied directly to the Circle, Page Group, or Page structure

Important limitations:

Payment Required follows the navigation structure of your Circle. This means:

You can sell access to one Page Group or one individual Page
You cannot bundle multiple Page Groups or Pages together
You can only charge one way per item:
- Either monthly or annual
- Either one-time or subscription
You cannot offer multiple pricing options for the same content
You cannot combine Payment Required with Members of a Group on the same page or group
→ You must choose one access model

Because access is locked directly to the payment, this model is less flexible if you later want to:

Add bundles
Introduce new pricing plans
Reuse content across offers
Upgrade members to higher tiers

Best for:

Simple, standalone offers
One-off paid workshops
Single mini-courses sold individually
Direct purchase access where no future expansion is planned

Examples:

A paid masterclass with one checkout
A one-time purchase workshop
A simple subscription Circle with one pricing plan

Tip – Choosing Between Member Groups and Payment Required

Once you choose Payment Required, you cannot later layer Member Group logic on top of the same content. This can limit future flexibility.

Use Member Groups when:

You want long-term flexibility
You plan to offer multiple pricing options
You want to bundle content
You want to reuse content across products
You may evolve your offer over time

Use Payment Required when:

You are selling a very simple, standalone offer
You only need one pricing model
You do not plan to bundle or expand the offer
The use case is clearly defined (e.g. selling mini-courses one by one)

📌 Best practice:

If you’re in doubt, default to Member Groups. You can always create simple offers with Member Groups — but you can’t easily add flexibility later if you lock yourself into Payment Required.

5. Inherit from Parent (Page groups and pages only)

Available at Page Group and Page level. This is the default setting for any new Page groups and pages you create. If you duplicate a Page it inherits the same access settings as the original page.

What it does:

Uses the access level from the parent (Circle or Page Group)
Keeps structure clean
Prevents unnecessary duplication

Best for:

Large Circles
Consistent access rules
Easier maintenance

How Inheritance Works (Important)

Access Levels follow this logic:

Circle → Page Group → Page

Pages inherit from Page Groups or Circle
Page Groups inherit from Circle
You can override at any level

💡 Tip: Always Test Access Levels as a Real Member

When working with Access Levels, always test your setup from a real member’s perspective. Preview mode is great for checking layout and content flow, but it does not fully simulate how access rules behave.

Best practice:

Create a dedicated test member account (use a separate email address).
Assign that member the correct Member Groups and/or paid access.
Log in as that member and navigate the Circle normally.

This is the only reliable way to verify:

Locked vs unlocked content
Page and Page Group access rules
Free vs paid areas
Trial and preview experiences

Testing as a real member ensures your access logic works exactly as intended before you publish or sell access.

Best Practices

Define Circle-level access first
Use Page Groups for structure and scalability
Override at page level only when necessary
Prefer Member Groups over Payment Required for future flexibility
Always test with a real member account
Combine Access Levels with Content Availability for staged releases

Summary

Access Levels allow you to:

Control visibility and permissions at every level
Design precise member journeys
Build free, paid, and hybrid experiences
Scale content without complexity

By mastering Circle-level, Page Group-level, and Page-level access rules – and combining them thoughtfully – you can create exactly the experience you want, whether that’s a free community, a paid program, or a sophisticated membership ecosystem.