WhatsApp is where a huge number of Nigerian creators already run their communities, often without realizing they could be charging for it. Setting it up takes a bit more care than Telegram, but the result is the same: people pay, they get into your group, and you stop chasing bank transfers.
This guide walks through exactly how that works on Memberlet, from your first group connection to your first paying member.
Step 1: Prepare your WhatsApp group
Before connecting anything, open your group's settings and check two things:
- Turn off "Approve new members," so the invite link works instantly for paying members
- Restrict "Add members" to admins only, so people can't invite others around the paywall
Memberlet checks for both of these when you connect your group and flags anything that's misconfigured, but setting them correctly upfront saves a step.
Step 2: Connect your WhatsApp group
Go to Resources → WhatsApp in your dashboard and start the connection. You'll be given a phone number and a short code.
- Add that phone number as an admin of your WhatsApp group
- Send the code as a regular message inside the group
- Memberlet detects the code and verifies the group
That phone number gets reused for every group you connect afterward — you won't be issued a new one each time. Adding a second group just means generating a new code and sending it there.
Step 3: Build your membership page
Open Pages → Create Page and fill in your title, a description of what members get, and your price. Attach your verified WhatsApp group under "What's Included." It's the same page builder used for Telegram, so if you're running both, you can mix them into one offer.
Step 4: Publish and share
Hit publish and you'll get a shareable link. Drop it wherever your audience already is: your status, your bio, your existing free group. Anyone who clicks it can subscribe.
What happens when someone pays
The member lands on "My Access" after checkout, clicks "Join" next to your WhatsApp group, and gets an invite link tied to their subscription. They open it in WhatsApp and they're in. No DM to you, no waiting for a reply.
What happens when someone stops paying
If a renewal fails or a subscription is cancelled, Memberlet removes the member from the group automatically. You don't track who's current and who isn't, and you're never the one sending an awkward "please pay or leave" message.
What's next
Once your group is live, pricing is the next thing worth getting right. See the community pricing guide for a breakdown by community type. And if you're running a Telegram group alongside this, the Telegram setup guide covers that side, including how the two can live on the same membership page.
