Paying fee before registering

jimdiebolt · Post by **jimdiebolt** » Fri Dec 02, 2022 1:30 am

I did a search but couldn't find this. Is there any way that my forum can be setup that a new member has to pay the fee before they can register? This would also help with all the spammers joining before reading that the forum is not free.

Post by **KevC** » Fri Dec 02, 2022 8:55 am

Stopping spammers is easy.

You'll find it extremely difficult to get any members at all signing up with a fee.

[Dimetrodon] · Post by **[Dimetrodon]** » Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:01 pm

This with a good question setup can keep spammers out: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... s_captcha/

You can make new users answer a question as well before posting by also installing this: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... ptchaplus/

To my knowledge, there is no extension that sets up that you have to pay a fee before registering.

jimdiebolt · Post by **jimdiebolt** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:43 pm

KevC wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 8:55 am Stopping spammers is easy.

You'll find it extremely difficult to get any members at all signing up with a fee.

My forum is a specialty Cabinet CAD membership that offers tech support for a very popular software that stopped offering any support. I currently have over 140 current and past members with over 70 active. I have been doing this for 6 years now with a 240.00 annual membership for each member.

https://forum.designsbydiebolt.com/viewforum.php?f=23

Not a bad gig for retirement.

jimdiebolt · Post by **jimdiebolt** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:53 pm

[Dimetrodon] wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:01 pm This with a good question setup can keep spammers out: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... s_captcha/

You can make new users answer a question as well before posting by also installing this: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... ptchaplus/

To my knowledge, there is no extension that sets up that you have to pay a fee before registering.

Thanks for the info. I just thought that if I could have them pay first it would weed out the bad apples. I will try the captchaplus.

warmweer · Post by **warmweer** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:54 pm

jimdiebolt wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:53 pm
[Dimetrodon] wrote: ↑Fri Dec 02, 2022 3:01 pm ... support answer ...
Thanks for the info. I just thought that if I could have them pay first it would weed out the bad apples. I will try the captchaplus.

No thanks necessary: 50€, payable into the account [Dimetrodon] will send you per PM, should suffice

GTI · Post by **GTI** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:02 pm

The PayPal Group Subscription PayPal Group Subscription extension is pretty good.

Using that extension, new members could go into a 'free members' group which aren't able to post and can only see 'lounge' topics.

Then they can pay to subscribe to a group which allows them to see everything, like 'full members'

Users will be automatically removed out of the 'full members' group on the day their subscription ends.

I also think there was an extension that deletes certain members automatically, can't remember the name but that extension could have been configured to automatically delete members out of the 'free members' group after x days, which would mean you wouldn't need to bother deleting members who didn't pay as it be done for you.

Alternatively, a simple way without using any extensions... you could disable all forum registrations and just design a fancy home page at http://designsbydiebolt.com/, which tells users about the forum and has a payment button on it.
The payment setup would tell them that when paying they must specify a desired username... and then when they pay, you just create an account with the username/email they provide and email them the login details - with a random password and tell them to change it when they first log in.

[Dimetrodon] · Post by **[Dimetrodon]** » Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:41 pm

GTI, your suggestions are good, but the last one will still require the ACP add user extension: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... dd_user_2/

GTI · Post by **GTI** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 12:34 am

[Dimetrodon] wrote: ↑Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:41 pm GTI, your suggestions are good, but the last one will still require the ACP add user extension: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... dd_user_2/

Good point, although if he is only adding one new member a month he could just quickly enable registration for 2 minutes to register an account. if the user has already paid him 240.00 it is worth taking the time.

It goes to show - if you have good quality content that there is a need for - forums can make money.