According to the Pew Research Center, 16% of US adults have at some point earned money through various types of online businesses using an online gig platform, and Whop is the platform where people do business online. It gives creators and small companies a single space to sell digital products and services, take payments, manage members, and […]
According to the Pew Research Center, 16% of US adults have at some point earned money through various types of online businesses using an online gig platform, and Whop is the platform where people do business online.
It gives creators and small companies a single space to sell digital products and services, take payments, manage members, and grow their revenue. The platform facilitates more than $3 billion in annual payouts to people across 144 countries.
Whop hosts a wide mix of business models, and many of its biggest money makers started from humble beginnings on platforms like Discord or Telegram. The platform pulls those scattered jobs into one place so founders can sell their offers and manage members without juggling separate tools. Earning money online is already common. This guide breaks down nine types of online businesses that perform well on Whop and explains how each one earns.
A paid community charges for access to a private space built around a shared interest or goal.
Members typically get:
This model makes money through recurring subscriptions, usually billed monthly or yearly. Many add tiers, such as a baseline membership and a premium level with extra perks, so members can pay more for deeper access.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 54% of US college students were enrolled in at least one distance education course in fall 2023. Course creators host live video lessons and written guides, along with other multimedia content, to teach a practical skill or pass on knowledge. They make money by offering different pricing structures.
A common setup pairs a one-time lifetime access pass worth hundreds of dollars with a lower monthly subscription. Many courses also offer free access, so new users can sample the content before committing to a recurring plan.
Coaches package their expertise and time into a high-value offer. On Whop, they sell that offer through a product with a clear call to action, where interested users apply for coaching in a specific skill.
Competitive video game players, for example, often pay for coaching from people with a history of top-level or professional play. The most in-demand coaches keep an active waiting list, which keeps clients arriving even when their schedule is full.
Writers and publishers sell newsletters to subscribers. Most newsletters explore a single niche in depth and give readers insight into the notable developments in that space. The money comes from a newsletter product with a subscription price.
As with online courses, it helps to offer both monthly and yearly plans, plus a free version that gives interested readers a taste of what they would get.
Software founders use Whop as the billing and access layer for their apps. Software as a service runs on recurring payments, so these businesses sell subscription plans to earn revenue.
They also gate the software behind access checks so users cannot skip paying for it. Whop supports this through license keys and email login, both of which confirm whether a customer has an active plan before unlocking the product.
Event organizers sell access to a memorable experience, whether that is a live musical performance or an online gaming tournament. They make money by setting up an event at a specific time, in person or online, and charging an entry fee.
A Chat app gives ticket holders a space to coordinate before the event and stay connected afterward.
Agencies use Whop across the full client lifecycle, from first contact through final delivery. They attract leads by sharing useful files such as case studies and templates through the Files app.
Those leads then turn into clients who pay a one-time project fee or a recurring retainer. Signed clients can also get a private portal with chat, files, and scheduling.
Direct-to-consumer brands sell physical products and build a social presence around them. They make money by creating a product at a fair price and collecting the details needed to ship it. Whop supports automated fulfillment wired to Zapier, which can notify a third-party logistics partner or send a confirmation email.
These are communities built around sourcing information: restock alerts, deal lists, where-to-buy tips, anything time-sensitive enough that being first matters. Community admins typically charge a subscription fee for access to that information.
The online businesses that earn the most on Whop tend to have recurring payment models. Here are some of the models that tend to profit:
Making money online is all about finding out if you have something to offer. On Whop, the path to figuring that out is short:
A successful online business typically has a strong product and an owner who maintains communication with its members. Successful members have a few simple habits in common:
The basic concept remains consistent across these nine categories of online businesses. A founder develops a product and determines whether to charge a one-time fee or a recurring fee. Once they are set up on Whop, all types of online businesses can drop a checkout link anywhere online and start selling.
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