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Everyone Is Quietly Building A Members-Only Internet
The creators and brands who spent a decade renting attention on other people's feeds are now buying software to build private homes instead. Skool, Patreon, Podia and a stack of quieter forum companies are all fighting to be the front door.
Why every course app suddenly wants to be a community
Disciple, Podia, Thinkific, LearnWorlds, Kajabi and Open Social are all chasing the same tired-of-renting creator. Here is how the fight over who owns your audience actually breaks down.
Nobody Owns A Community They Just Rent The Room
Gravyty, Podia, Khoros, Bevy, Personify and a crowd of rivals all sell the same promise - that your audience is an asset you control. The platforms making that promise keep getting bought, merged and switched off.
Matt Ragland
Matt Ragland is a creator-economy builder, founder of HeyCreator, and host of The HeyCreator Show podcast. He went from camp counselor to ConvertKit employee #5, to full-time creator, building a 100,000+ audience across YouTube, newsletters, and social media. Through HeyCreator and Good People Digital, he helps creators turn their expertise into sustainable businesses via courses, communities, and newsletters. Known for radical transparency, outdoor adventures, and a systems-first approach to creative work.