How to build a membership site in Bubble

The core of a Bubble membership site is: users sign up, you store their membership status in the User data type, protect content with Privacy Rules, and use workflows to control access (e.g., after payment via Stripe). Bubble already gives you User accounts, so you mainly add a Membership Level field, set Privacy Rules, and build pages that show different content based on that field.

Database Setup

Create fields on the built‑in User type:

• membership\_level (text or option set like Free, Pro)
• membership\_active (yes/no)
• membership\_expires (date, optional)

Option Sets are cleaner because you avoid typos and can compare levels easily.

User Signup & Login

Use Bubble’s built‑in actions Sign the user up and Log the user in. After signup, set default membership values (for example, membership\_active = no).

Stripe Integration (Paid Membership)

Install Bubble’s Stripe plugin or use API Connector for subscriptions. For subscription billing, Stripe sends you webhooks when payment succeeds. Catch that with a Backend Workflow set to “Expose as a public endpoint.”

// Example webhook JSON Stripe sends
{
  "type": "invoice.payment_succeeded",
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "customer": "cus_12345"
    }
  }
}

In the backend workflow, search for the User with that Stripe customer ID and set membership\_active = yes.

Protecting Content with Privacy Rules

Go to Data → Privacy. Create a rule on any data type that should be accessible only to members. Example rule condition:

When Current User's membership\_active is "yes"

• Allow “Find this in searches”
• Allow “View all fields”

This is crucial because page‑level hiding is not secure by itself. Privacy rules are the real gatekeeper.

Page Logic

• On member‑only pages, add a workflow: When page is loaded → If Current User’s membership\_active is no → Navigate to signup or payment page.
• Use conditionals on groups: “This element is visible only when Current User’s membership\_active is yes.”

Renewal & Expiration

If you use expiration dates, create a Backend Recurring Event to check daily: if membership_expires < current date/time → set membership_active = no.

What to Test

• Signup flow
• Stripe payment success sets membership\_active correctly
• Privacy Rules truly block data when logged out or on a free account
• Navigation redirects work as expected