Heartbeat shows three plans, Build, Grow and Scale, and all three show a monthly figure for annual and for monthly billing. There's no free plan, only a free trial.
If you're planning to charge members for your community, the monthly plan figure is only one of the numbers that matter. The other is how much of each member payment you keep, and on Heartbeat that changes by tier.
Heartbeat is a community platform with discussions, courses, events, payments and workflows. Here's what its pricing page shows as of Nov 2026, starting with the part that most affects a paid community.
The fee surprise for paid communities
Heartbeat takes a transaction fee on member payments: 5% on Build, 2.5% on Grow and 1.25% on Scale. That fee sits on top of Stripe's own processing fee, which the page puts at typically 2.9% plus a fixed charge per payment. So on Build, a paid community can lose a bigger share of each payment than the plan figure alone suggests.
The second point is about who counts. Admins and moderators count toward the member cap, so a community with a busy team of helpers uses up its allowance faster than its member list might suggest.
Build, Grow and Scale as shown on the page
| Plan | Price as shown | Billing basis | Main limit | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build | $40 /month billed annually as $490; $49 billed monthly | Annual or monthly | Up to 350 members; 5 automation workflows; 1 custom landing page; transaction fee 5%; support within 2 business days | 'Everything you need to launch and monetize your community' |
| Grow | $124 /month billed annually as $1,490; $149 billed monthly | Annual or monthly | Up to 5,000 members; unlimited workflows; 15 custom landing pages; transaction fee 2.5%; support within 1 business day | 'Grow your community business with automation, customization, and deep insights' |
| Scale | $766 /month billed annually as $9,200; $849 billed monthly | Annual or monthly | Unlimited members; 50 custom landing pages; transaction fee 1.25%; same day support | 'Advanced tools and dedicated support for high-growth community businesses' |
What changes between the Heartbeat tiers
Three limits do most of the work: the member cap, the transaction fee and the support response time. Features sit on top of those.
Build
The entry tier comes with unlimited channels, courses, events, documents and landing pages, a custom domain and brand colours, community and course analytics, and video call and calendar integrations. It carries Powered by Heartbeat branding, a cap of 350 members, 5 automation workflows and 1 custom landing page.
Grow
This tier keeps all Build features and adds auto-responder and DM rules, native video hosting with 50 hours included, and white-label emails and customisation. Members rise to 5,000, workflows become unlimited and you get 15 custom landing pages.
Scale
The top tier adds a branded mobile app (white-label), advanced analytics, native video hosting with 200 hours included and a dedicated onboarding expert, with unlimited members and same day support. The page describes the branded app as a white-glove service and doesn't list a separate figure for it.
The page also marks API access as a higher-tier feature. For a wider look at how other tools in this space set their tiers, see our guide to community platforms.
The free trial and what happens after it
There's no free plan. The page offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, and the FAQ says your community is deactivated at the end of the trial if you haven't upgraded. If you're building something in the trial, it's worth knowing that before you invite members.
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Plain advice from the Heartbeat pricing page
Here's what the page shows, and nothing beyond it. Three things separate the tiers: the member cap (350, 5,000, then unlimited), the transaction fee on member payments (5%, 2.5%, then 1.25%, on top of Stripe's fee) and the support response time. Every plan shows its figure openly, so none of them needs a sales conversation, as of Nov 2026.
The figures you'll want before reading the page are your member count, including admins and moderators, and how much you expect members to pay you each month, since that's what the transaction fee is taken from.
Before you charge your first member
- Count your team. Admins and moderators count toward the member cap.
- Work out the fee on your own payments. Apply your tier's transaction fee and Stripe's fee to a typical member payment.
- Check the branding. Build carries Powered by Heartbeat branding; white-label emails start at Grow.
- Plan the trial. The community is deactivated at the end of the trial if you haven't upgraded.
If you're still comparing options, our list of other paid community platforms and our list of community and course platform options cover the rest of the field.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Heartbeat have a free plan?
No. As shown on the page as of Nov 2026, there's a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, and the community is deactivated at the end of the trial if you haven't upgraded.
What transaction fee does Heartbeat take?
The page lists a transaction fee on member payments of 5% on Build, 2.5% on Grow and 1.25% on Scale, on top of Stripe's processing fee.
How many members does each Heartbeat plan allow?
Build allows up to 350 members, Grow up to 5,000 and Scale unlimited members. Admins and moderators count toward the limit.
Is Heartbeat cheaper billed annually?
The page shows a lower monthly figure for annual billing on every plan. Build, for example, shows $40 /month billed annually as $490 against $49 billed monthly.
Which Heartbeat plan includes a branded mobile app?
Scale. The page lists a branded mobile app (white-label) on Scale and describes it as a white-glove service.
