---
title: "Paid Memberships Without the Workarounds: Native Subscription Integration"
slug: "native-membership-subscriptions"
url: "https://joy.so/updates/native-membership-subscriptions/"
kind: "update"
author: "Thomas Nguyen"
author_url: "https://joy.so/author/thomas/"
published_at: "2026-02-02T06:50:00.000+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-08T08:58:18.000+00:00"
description: "Joy Loyalty now integrates natively with Joy Subscription to power paid membership tiers — no Shopify Flow hacking required."
category: "Product Updates"
tags: ["Product Updates"]
reading_time: 2
feature_image: "https://images.pexels.com/photos/30918003/pexels-photo-30918003.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&dpr=2&h=650&w=940"
---

# Paid Memberships Without the Workarounds: Native Subscription Integration

## Why this matters

Sell a paid membership as a subscription and let Joy manage who holds the tier. [Joy Loyalty now connects directly to Joy Subscription](https://help.joy.so/membership/membership-subscription/membership-subscription-via-joy-subscription), so buying the subscription product places a customer in an exclusive tier with the perks you configured.

### Sell entry to an exclusive tier

An exclusive tier cannot be earned through points or spending. You attach it to a subscription product with its own billing frequency, so the subscription purchase is the entry.

### Unlock perks the moment customers subscribe

When a customer buys the subscription on your storefront, Joy assigns them to the tier automatically. Perks such as discounts, free shipping, and point multipliers apply with no manual step from your team.

### Remove perks when a subscription ends

If a customer cancels or a payment fails, Joy removes them from the exclusive tier and the perks stop. The sync covers assignment, renewal, and cancellation without a Shopify Flow workflow.

> **Try this**
> Create an exclusive tier with free shipping and a bonus point multiplier, then assign it to a subscription product so customers join from the product page.

---

## How to access and use

### Step 1: Create an exclusive tier

Go to **Membership → New tier**, check **Exclusive tier (Manual only)**, set the perks, and click **Save**.

### Step 2: Connect Joy Subscription

Open **Membership → Subscription Membership** and click **Connect now**.

### Step 3: Create a membership plan

Click **Create plan**, pick the product and billing frequency, assign your exclusive tier, and click **Save**.

### Step 4: Add the subscription widget

In Joy Subscription, click **Activate** on the warning banner and save. Then open **Widget**, click **Add widget**, and save.

## Setup guides

[Membership subscription (via Joy Subscription)](https://help.joy.so/membership/membership-subscription/membership-subscription-via-joy-subscription)

## Good to know

Membership subscriptions are available on Joy Advanced plans and above, for programs with an exclusive tier configured. On Joy Advanced, connecting the apps upgrades Joy Subscription to Advanced at no extra charge.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use a third-party subscription app instead?

Yes. With a third-party subscription app, you assign the exclusive tier through Shopify Flow. Only Joy Subscription handles tier assignment and removal directly.

### Can one plan offer both monthly and quarterly billing?

Yes. Add several billing frequencies to a plan and map each to an exclusive tier. When a customer qualifies for more than one, the frequency with the highest priority wins.

### What happens if I delete the linked subscription in Shopify?

Existing subscribers keep billing under their original terms. Joy flags the plan as orphaned so you can relink or remove it.