Pricing is where new creators lose the most money — usually by going too low out of nerves. The fix isn't a magic number; it's a framework you can re-run as you grow. Here's the one we teach.
1. Decide what the subscription is
Before a price, define the promise. Is your subscription the main event, or a low-cost front door to pay-per-view and tips? Those are two different businesses:
- Subscription-led: a higher monthly price, with most content included. Fewer subscribers, higher value each.
- Funnel-led: a low (or free) subscription that fills your audience, with income coming mainly from PPV, bundles, and tips.
Neither is "right." But your price only makes sense once you've picked one.
2. Anchor, don't guess
Spend an hour looking at creators in your niche at your level — not the top 0.1%. Note their subscription price and what they include. You're not copying; you're finding the believable range a buyer already has in their head. Land inside it, then position with value rather than the lowest price.
3. Use the floor test
Pick the lowest price you could charge and not resent the work. Resentment is the real enemy — it shows in your content and your DMs. If a price makes you dread posting, it's too low, full stop.
4. Build PPV around the subscription
Pay-per-view is where most income lives once you have an audience. Keep it simple:
- Price PPV by effort and exclusivity, not by length.
- Offer a clear "good / better / best" so buyers can choose up.
- Use bundles to raise average order value without inventing new content.
5. Raise prices on purpose
Your first price is a starting point, not a vow. As your library, proof, and demand grow, raise it — deliberately, with notice, and grandfather loyal subscribers where it makes sense. Creators who never raise prices quietly cap their own income.
The short version
Decide what the subscription promises. Anchor to your real peer range. Set a floor you won't resent. Make PPV and bundles the engine. Then raise prices as you earn the right to. Re-run it every quarter — that's pricing without guessing.