As outlined on the Stitch Membership page, Stitch has two membership types:
Limited Memberships
Full Memberships
A Limited membership is free, and gives members access to the public parts of the Stitch Community.
(Check out our article on Stitch membership plans and pricing if you'd like more detailed information about the different membership plans.)
But what exactly can Limited members access in the Stitch Community?
We're glad you asked!
Limited members can do a range of things in Stitch, including:
Suggest in-person local activities as a way to meet other like-minded local members
Attend in-person activities hosted by other members, as long as the host has opened their event to Limited members
Participate in online discussion forums open to Limited members
Attend virtual activities that are open to Limited members
Reply to direct messages sent to them by other members
Stitch provides all these things free to Limited members without requiring them to watch ads or give up their personal information.
Most so-called "free" sites actually profit from their members by showing ads and selling member information to third parties. Stitch is dedicated to protecting its members, so we don't show ads or sell member information to anyone.
That means that, unlike on a site like Facebook, everything a Limited member receives from the community is truly, genuinely free.
Having said that, Stitch still does need to cover the substantial costs of developing and maintaining the Stitch website and app, protecting our members against scammers, providing support for our members, advertising, insurance, and other associated expenses, which is why we encourage anyone who wants to support Stitch to become a Full member.
Full members get complete access to everything in the community. Full members are the ones who keep the community running, so we think it's fair that they get more out of being a member than Limited members.
Any Limited members who would like to participate more but can't afford to do so should check out our Volunteering programs as an alternative way to get involved. Stitch also offers an Assistance program for financially disadvantaged members as part of our non-profit charity.
If you'd like to learn more about any of those programs, please contact Stitch Support.
So why become a Full member?
Another great question!
While Limited members get access to parts of the Stitch Community as long as they want, Full members get access to everything in the community, along with the knowledge they are helping support our social mission and improve the lives of members everywhere.
Full members can:
Attend members-only activities
Initiate one-on-one connections with other members
Create and join member-only Groups
Participate in member-only Discussions
Register for Activity suggestions and message other attendees
Join member-only Trips
and much more
We try to make Full membership as affordable as possible, starting at $7 / £4 per month for an annual membership. We encourage all our members to remain Limited members as long as they want, and only become Full members when they feel they are ready to participate fully in the community. We don't want anyone to feel rushed to join Stitch until they're ready.
At the same time, the only way we can support and grow the community is through the support of our Full members, so as soon as you're ready, please sign up. You'll be doing your part to make a positive difference in the lives of members around the world!