The Passes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Passes in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Passes
The Insider’s Guide
Creator memberships, paid messages, calls and content vault
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among tools for selling digital products, read from Passes’s own pages.
Made by Passes Inc. · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Passes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Passes’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 11 of the 50 other tools for selling digital products we grade
Passes is a platform where creators sell memberships, paid direct messages, one-on-one calls, livestreams, group chats, merchandise and digital goods. It also offers a content vault with scheduling and mass messaging to fans. The homepage says creators keep up to 90% of what they earn, and sign-up for fans and creators is free.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Passes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and it is a web app where the work is building a page and its tiers, so it sits at C.
- 1
Best for creator memberships with paid messages and calls
Passes lets creators sell memberships, paid messages, calls and a content vault, with no subscription fee.
- 2
It is free
Passes has no paid plan at all. No subscription fee is listed; the homepage says creators keep up to 90% of what they earn, and the exact split by account type is not shown in the page text read.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Memberships
Recurring tiered access for fans, listed as the most popular revenue stream.
- 5
Paid DMs and 1:1 calls
Creators can charge for direct messages and book paid calls, with an example 30-minute session shown on the homepage.
- 6
Content vault and scheduling
A vault to organize, price and lock exclusive content, with a smart scheduler for planning posts ahead.
- 7
A 2.2 GPA, above 11 of 50
That is against the other tools for selling digital products we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Passes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Passes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Passes Inc.
- Category
- Selling Digital Products
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for creator memberships with paid messages and calls
Passes lets creators sell memberships, paid messages, calls and a content vault, with no subscription fee. The homepage says creators keep up to 90%, and we could not find a fees page that confirms what it keeps.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | No price is published beyond the homepage line that creators keep up to 90%, so there is nothing to grade against the category. C is where no price is published. |
| Free plan and trial | B | No subscription fee, so a creator pays only through a share of earnings. Creators apply to join, so it isn't open to everyone. |
| Features | C | Memberships, paid DMs and calls, a vault, mass DMs, livestreams, merch and digital goods. The FAQ answers on apps and the Creators+ terms could not be read. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and it is a web app where the work is building a page and its tiers, so it sits at C. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only on record. The FAQ lists a question on iPhone, iPad and Android apps, but its answer could not be read. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Passes is for
- Fits if you are a creator who wants paid DMs and calls beside memberships
- Works for people who prefer a share of earnings to a monthly fee
Who it is not for
- Watch out: the homepage only says up to 90%, and no pricing or fees page was found
- Skip it if you need to know your cut before signing up, because the split depends on the account
- Not for you if you want to join straight away, as creators apply and the FAQ lists follower requirements
- Watch out: whether iPhone and Android apps exist is not clear from the pages we could read
Good to know
Good for
- Creators who want memberships, paid messages and calls in one place
- Creators who want to schedule and price exclusive content
- Talent managers and streamers working with several creators
Worth knowing
- The revenue split depends on the account; the homepage only says creators keep up to 90%, and the FAQ answers were not readable here.
- No pricing or fees page was found, so the share Passes keeps could not be confirmed.
- The FAQ lists a question on iPhone, iPad and Android apps, but the answer was not readable; only the web is recorded.
- Creators apply to join; the FAQ lists questions on eligibility and follower requirements.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Passes is free to use.
No subscription fee, so a creator pays only through a share of earnings.
Creator account
$0
Passes keeps a share of earnings; the homepage says creators keep up to 90%. A Creators+ program is listed in the FAQ, but its terms were not readable.
The free plan
No subscription fee is listed; the homepage says creators keep up to 90% of what they earn, and the exact split by account type is not shown in the page text read.
Read from passes.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Creator memberships, paid messages, calls and content vault. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: community, digital downloads.
Memberships, paid DMs and calls, a vault, mass DMs, livestreams, merch and digital goods.
- Memberships
- Recurring tiered access for fans, listed as the most popular revenue stream.
- Paid DMs and 1:1 calls
- Creators can charge for direct messages and book paid calls, with an example 30-minute session shown on the homepage.
- Content vault and scheduling
- A vault to organize, price and lock exclusive content, with a smart scheduler for planning posts ahead.
- Mass DMs
- Targeted messages and promotions that reach many fans at once.
- Livestreams and group chats
- Paid livestreams and group chats for exclusive communities.
- Merch, digital goods and discounts
- Sells merchandise and digital items, with discounts and trials to convert fans.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Passes is made by Passes Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
11/50
Other tools for selling digital products it is graded above
Passes's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 50 other tools for selling digital products we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 23 of 50) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 0).
Passes has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 51 tools for selling digital products we grade, cut by the letter each got. Passes’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 5 of 50
- BFree plan and trialAbove 23 of 50
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 50
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 50
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 50
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 33 tools for selling digital products. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Passes is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Passes is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 28 of the 50 other tools for selling digital products grade higher.
What you could make
- Digital downloads: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A members' space with posts, chat and events that people keep coming back to.
What this rests on. Passes’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Patreon, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, SubscribeStar and Memberful
The 5 tools Passes is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Patreon
Free
Paid memberships, a shop and community for creators and their fans.
- Only Patreon lists iOS and Android apps.
- Patreon also covers paid newsletters.
- 2.6GPA
Ko-fi
Free plan
Creator page for tips, memberships, a shop and paid commissions.
- Passes also covers community.
- Ko-fi also covers online store.
- 2.6GPA
Buy Me a Coffee
Free
Creator page for tips, memberships and a simple shop.
- Only Buy Me a Coffee lists iOS and Android apps.
- Passes also covers community.
- Buy Me a Coffee also covers paid newsletters.
- 2.2GPA
SubscribeStar
Free
Subscription platform for creators, billed as a share of earnings.
- Passes also covers digital downloads.
- SubscribeStar also covers reports.
- 2.0GPA
Memberful
Free trial · from $49/mo
Membership platform for paid newsletters, podcasts and communities.
- Passes has a free plan. Memberful does not, though it has a free trial.
- Memberful also covers paid newsletters and online courses.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Passes free?
Yes. Passes is free to use.
How much does Passes cost?
Passes lists one plan. Creator account: $0.
What platforms does Passes work on?
Passes is available on Web.
Does Passes have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Passes is listed for Web.
Does Passes have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Passes is listed for Web.
Is Passes open source?
Passes is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Who makes Passes?
Passes is made by Passes Inc.
What are the alternatives to Passes?
The closest alternatives to Passes in our directory are Patreon, Ko-fi, Buy Me a Coffee, SubscribeStar and Memberful.
How does Passes compare with other tools for selling digital products?
Passes's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 11 of the 50 other tools for selling digital products we grade, and level with 11.
Is Passes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Passes C for value for money. Passes has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Passes?
Passes is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Passes’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Passes's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Passes Inc. Prices change, so check passes.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Passes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/passes
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Passes: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/passes
Know someone choosing between tools for selling digital products?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/passes/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded tools for selling digital products after Passes, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Selling Digital Products Insider's GuideEvery one of the 51 tools for selling digital products we grade, compared
- Whop Insider's GuideStorefront, checkout and payouts for paid communities and products3.4 GPA
- itch.io Insider's GuideOpen marketplace for indie games, assets and tools, pay what you want3.2 GPA
- Patreon Insider's GuidePaid memberships, a shop and community for creators and their fans3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Passes’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Passes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Passes Inc. Prices and plans change: check passes.com before you buy.