> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sailia-mintlify-5b02008a.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Memberships vs plans

> Understand the difference between a Membership and a Plan, and how the two work together.

Memberships in Sailia are designed to be flexible — you can sell the same benefits in different ways. Understanding the difference between a **Membership** and a **Plan** is the key to getting the most out of them.

## Memberships: the core product

A **Membership** is the thing you're selling — the identity and benefits a member receives. Think of it as the **what** of your offering.

Each membership has:

* **Name and photos** — what members see on your shop front
* **Description** — explains what the membership is for and who it suits
* **Benefits** — discounts, free sessions, exclusive access (see [membership benefits](/pricing/membership-benefits))

This is the public-facing identity that represents the value of being a member.

## Plans: how people buy it

A **Plan** is how someone pays for and holds the membership — the **how**. The commercial setup.

Each plan defines:

* **Pricing** — what it costs
* **Frequency** — monthly, yearly, or any custom interval
* **Add-ons** — optional extras like locker hire or car stickers (see [membership add-ons](/pricing/membership-addons))
* **Form questions** — info collected from the member when they sign up
* **Subscribers** — the people currently on the plan

The same Membership can be sold via several Plans. For example, a **Gold Membership** could have:

* A **Monthly plan** at £25/month
* A **Yearly plan** at £250/year
* A **Family plan** with an extra form for additional members

All three connect back to the same Gold Membership and share its benefits — only pricing and details differ.

## Why this matters

Keeping Memberships and Plans separate gives you flexibility and control:

* Update benefits once and they apply to every plan automatically — no duplication.
* Experiment freely with pricing, frequency, and add-ons without touching the underlying membership.
* Members on different plans share a single dashboard view, simplifying support.

## Related guides

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a membership" icon="id-card" href="/pricing/create-membership">
    Step-by-step setup of a new membership.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create a plan" icon="receipt" href="/pricing/create-plan">
    Add a billing plan to an existing membership.
  </Card>
</Columns>