Premium Memberships are paid subscriptions that allow you, our forum members, to enhance your accounts while also supporting SimplyDiscus. These memberships include enhanced features that are not available on our free accounts. The features we offer are subject change, and we will add additional ones as we can. Simplydiscus reserves the right to modify all aspects of this program. Premium memberships are processed through PayPal using an automated system built into the forum here at SimplyDiscus. These paid memberships are active for one calendar year (12 months). If you choose not to renew the premium membership at the end of your subscription period, your account simply reverts back to its original, basic membership. There are four levels of premium memberships, as follows:
FREE | SILVER | GOLD | HOMESTEADER | PLATINUM | |
Profile Icon | None | ||||
Private Message Storage | 100 messages | 300 messages | 500 messages | 500 messages | 2,000 messages |
Profile Picture | 100x100 pixels | 200x200 pixels | 200x200 pixels | 200x200 pixels | 400x400 pixels |
Avatar | 100x100 pixels | 120x120 pixels | 120x120 pixels | 120x120 pixels | 150 pixels |
Signatures | Text No images |
Text 1 image |
Text 2 images |
Text 2 images |
Text 3 images |
Profile Customization | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Picture Gallery Albums | 50 images (600x600 pixels) |
200 images (800x800 pixels) |
300 images (850x850 pixels) |
300 images (850x850 pixels) |
500 images (1024x1024 pixels) |
Personal Blog | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Personal Sub-Forum | No | No | No | Yes | Optional |
Discounts from Sponsors* | No | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* |
Advertisement Free threads | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Price (Per Year) | $0.00 USD...FREE | $25.00 USD | $50.00 USD | $50.00 USD | $100.00 USD |
* Participating Sponsors only. Please see below or contact a Sponsor directly to find out if they offer a discount to Premium Members.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How do I sign up for a Premium Membership?
A: Premium memberships are known as Paid Subscriptions within the forum software. These can be accessed by clicking here, or you may navigate there by clicking on Settings in the upper right corner of the forum, then selecting Paid Subscriptions on the list at the left. You will be presented with each of the available membership options. Click the drop-down box next to the membership you'd like to purchase, select the dollar amount, and press the Order button. You will be taken to a confirmation screen; ensure that you've selected the correct membership option, then press the Order Using PayPal button. You will be redirected to PayPal where you may log in to your PayPal account and complete the purchase.
Q: I signed up through PayPal. How do I know if it worked?
A: When you return to the forum, your username should be highlighted in the color that corresponds to the membership you purchased (see the chart above). You may also return to the Paid Subscriptions section as described in the previous answer where you will be shown a summary of your membership, its start date, and its expiration date. If you do not see this, or if your username has not changed color, please contact an Administrator by Private Message or by creating a thread in the Site Feedback section. We will look into the issue for you. Please note that if you pay by Online Check via PayPal, the transaction will not be completed until the check clears. This is PayPal's policy. If this is the case, your Premium Membership should activate in 7 - 10 days when we receive notice from PayPal that the transaction is complete.
Q: I do not see any Paid Subscription options or a link to access Paid Subscriptions. Why is that?
A: Certain users cannot upgrade to a paid subscription because it will interfere with their current account status. If you do not see any paid subscriptions, feel free to contact us and we will look into the issue further. In special circumstances we can manually add the subscription to your account.
Q: How do I find out when my Premium Membership expires?
A: You may click here to access the Paid Subscriptions area of the forum, or you may navigate there by clicking Settings in the upper right corner of the forum, then clicking Paid Subscriptions on the menu at the left. On the Paid Subscriptions page you will see a summary of your current membership including the date it started and the date it is set to expire. If you do not see this information listed, you do not have an active Premium Membership. This could mean your membership has already expired or, if you just attempted to purchase the membership, that PayPal has not yet confirmed the purchase. If you have any questions, please contact an Administrator.
Q: What is the difference between a Gold Member and a Homesteader?
A: The perks for each of these memberships are essentially the same, though Homesteaders receive their own personal sub-forum within SimplyDiscus to post threads as they'd like. These threads do not have to be discus-related and the forum is for personal use. Think of it as a way to socialize with other SimplyDiscus members and allow people to get better acquainted with you. (These threads must adhere to the SimplyDiscus rules.)
Q: I bought a Homesteader or Platinum membership. Where is my personal sub-forum?
A: Sub-forums have to be created manually by an Administrator. Once you have purchased the membership, please contact an Administrator by Private Message and let us know what you'd like the name of your sub-forum to be (you can see examples of other Homesteader sub-forums by clicking here). We will create the sub-forum for you and notify you when it is complete. These are optional for Platinum members; you are not required to have one, but you may request one if you'd like. Otherwise you can use your Blog in much the same way.
Q: How do I access my Picture Gallery Albums and share them with other members?
A: You may click on the Picture Gallery link at the top of the forum to see your personal albums. Here you can create new albums, upload pictures, delete pictures, and view comments left on your pictures. These do not have to be discus-related but should follow the SimplyDiscus rules (no nudity, pornography, etc.). You can encourage other members to view your photos by telling them to visit your Profile. By clicking on your name they will taken to your profile where they can see a list of all your Albums. Albums are a great alternative to posting pictures in specific threads where they may be overlooked or forgotten. By adding them to your Albums, they will be accessible for everyone to enjoy right from your profile page.
Q: I've purchased a Platinum Membership. How do I access my Blog and what can I post there?
A: Blogs (short for "web log"), much like Picture Gallery Albums, are for your personal use. You can access them by clicking on the Blogs tab at the top of the forum, or by clicking on your profile and selecting the View Blog Entries link. You may use Blogs to show off your discus, chart the progress of a group of fish you're raising, document your discus breeding efforts or fish room construction and DIY projects, share your other hobbies and interests, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Again, as long as the blog contents do not violate forum rules, you may post anything you'd like to share with us. For those who are unfamiliar with blogs, think of them as an online journal. They are easy to create and work just like starting a new forum thread. You can embed pictures and video clips as you would in a normal forum post. Other members will be able to post comments about your blog entries. Blogs give us a chance to learn more about you.
Q: Which Sponsors offer a discount for Premium Members, and how much is the discount?
A: This will vary among Sponsors. Please visit each Sponsors' individual sub-forum and look for a sticky thread at the top regarding Premium Member discounts. If there is no thread related to Premium Member discounts they may not be offering one. You can also Private Message a Sponsor and ask if they offer one.
Q: Does a Premium Membership Subscription remove ads from posts and Threads?
A: Yes, Ads are not shown to Premium Subscription Members, however the banners at the top of the forum and bottom still are visible to all users groups
Q: I have a question that wasn't answered here. What should I do?
A: As always, you may contact an Administrator by Private Message or start a new thread in the Site Feedback forum. Someone will be glad to look into your question and get back to you.