Who This Is For / When to Use
This feature is for community administrators who want to monetize channel access or display private channels to non-members in the community sidebar. Use this feature when creating premium discussion groups, subscription-based masterminds, paid resource libraries, or gated announcement feeds. Do not use this feature for public channels where all community members should have immediate, unrestricted access.
How Channel Visibility and Sidebar Icons Function
Private channels provide two visibility options: Visible, which displays the locked channel in the sidebar to all members, and Hidden, which conceals the channel entirely from non-members.
Visible channels allow non-members to view the channel name, description, manager list, and member count without granting access to internal messages. Hidden channels keep the space off the sidebar entirely for anyone who has not been explicitly invited.
Sidebar channel icons indicate visibility and access status:
Visible paid channel: Displays a hash symbol with a lock icon.
Visible free channel: Displays a hash symbol with a lock icon.
Hidden private channel: Displays a hash symbol with a crossed-out eye icon.
How to Configure Channel Details and Visibility in Step 1/2
To configure channel visibility, create a new channel, activate the Private channel toggle, and choose either Visible or Hidden.
Step 1 establishes the name, visual icon, channel description, and member access rules. Enabling the Read Only Channel setting allows administrators to restrict post creation to managers while members retain read-only permissions.
Navigate to the left sidebar of the community.
Click the + button located next to Channels.
Select Create a channel for conversations and updates.
Enter the channel title in the Channel name field.
Select a display icon in the Icon field.
Enter an explanation of the channel in the Description field.
Toggle Private channel to the active position.
Select the Visible box or the Hidden box.
Optional: Toggle Read Only Channel to the active position if members should not be allowed to publish posts.
Click Continue.
How to Set Channel Pricing and Test Mode in Step 2/2
To set channel pricing, select Free, Recurring, or One-time in Step 2, define the currency and monetary values, and toggle Test Mode if running test transactions.
Channel pricing defines whether access is complimentary, billed on an ongoing billing cycle, or purchased through a single transaction. Activating Test Mode allows administrators to verify the payment sequence without charging a real payment card.
On the Step 2/2 modal, select Free, Recurring, or One-time.
If selecting Recurring or One-time, select the transaction currency from the Currency dropdown.
If configuring Recurring access, activate the Monthly toggle, the Annually toggle, or both, and enter the price values in the input fields.
If configuring One-time access, enter the fixed price value.
Optional: Toggle Test Mode to the active position to validate payment flows without live billing.
Click Create Channel.
How Members Access a Visible Paid Channel on Desktop
Members access a visible paid channel by clicking the locked channel in the sidebar, reviewing the channel details, and selecting Join channel.
Non-members cannot view channel messages or publish content before completing checkout. The channel landing screen displays the description, total member count, total post count, and channel managers to inform the member before purchasing.
Click the visible channel marked with a lock icon in the sidebar.
Review the channel summary containing the description, member count, and managers.
Click Join channel.
How Members Complete the Self-Serve Checkout Flow
Members complete enrollment by selecting their billing interval, providing their billing address, and submitting their payment credentials.
The integrated checkout modal processes the transaction automatically and grants immediate access to the channel upon payment completion, removing the requirement for manual administrative invitations.
In the Choose your billing section of the checkout modal, select Monthly or Annual.
Under Billing address, choose the country from the Country dropdown.
Enter the corresponding region in the State field and postal code in the ZIP code field.
Enter the city in the City field and the address in the Street Address field.
Click Proceed to Payment - [Amount].
Enter payment card details and confirm the order.
How Members Enroll in Paid Channels on Mobile Devices
Members can review paid channel details and submit payments directly inside the Kyrios mobile application by tapping Enroll now.
The mobile application mirrors the desktop self-serve flow, providing members with channel statistics, manager listings, and descriptions prior to payment. Use this option when members access communities primarily from mobile devices.
Open the mobile application and navigate to the community.
Tap the visible locked channel from the channel list.
Review the channel description, activity details, and managers.
Tap Enroll now.
Select the billing cycle, input payment information, and submit the order.
Common Issues and Fixes
Common configuration issues include hidden channels failing to appear in the sidebar, checkout failures during testing, and unexpected post restrictions on enrolled members. This section covers troubleshooting steps to diagnose visibility, billing, and permission configurations.
Non-members cannot find a private channel in the sidebar
The channel visibility option is set to Hidden instead of Visible. Hidden channels remain completely invisible to anyone who has not been manually invited by an administrator.
Open the channel settings in the community.
Locate the channel visibility configuration.
Change the selection from Hidden to Visible.
Save the channel settings.
Paid channel checkouts fail during testing
A live credit card was submitted while Test Mode was active, or a payment gateway is not connected in the Payments & Invoicing system. Test mode rejects live payment credentials.
Open the channel settings and locate the pricing configuration.
Verify whether Test Mode is enabled.
Disable Test Mode when processing live customer transactions.
If Test Mode is disabled, verify that the payment gateway is connected inside Payments & Invoicing.
Enrolled members cannot publish posts in the paid channel
The channel has the Read Only Channel configuration enabled. When read-only mode is active, only community administrators and channel managers can publish content.
Open the channel settings.
Locate the Read Only Channel toggle.
Toggle Read Only Channel to the off position.
Save the channel settings.
FAQ
Can a read-only channel also be configured as a paid channel?
Yes. Administrators can activate Read Only Channel on Step 1/2 while configuring Recurring or One-time pricing on Step 2/2. This setup is used for exclusive announcement streams where paying members consume updates without posting replies.
Can administrators test the checkout process without incurring actual financial charges?
Yes. Administrators can enable the Test Mode toggle on Step 2/2 of channel creation to test the checkout experience without processing real bank charges.
Does an administrator need to manually approve a member after payment is completed?
No. Once a member completes the self-serve checkout flow, the account automatically grants the member access to the private channel without manual administrator intervention.