Do you need Growth? Stay on Free until you hit a limit (or want live chat). You can list on Explore and sell with Stripe on Free. Upgrade means capacity and support—not permission to sell.
Primary action: See pricing · upgrade in /billing.
Short answer
Free is enough for many creators. Growth unlocks higher hub/upload/file limits and live chat. The marketplace take rate stays 5% on Free and Growth.
When Free is enough
- ≤3 hubs
- ≤10 counted uploads per hub
- Files within about 5 MB
- Monetizing with Stripe Connect
- Unlimited collaborators
- Listing on Explore
Upgrade triggers
| You’re trying to… | Free blocks you? | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Create a 4th hub | Yes | Unlimited hubs |
| Add an 11th counted upload in a hub | Yes | Unlimited uploads |
| Upload a large file (>~5 MB) | Yes | Much larger files (marketed up to 5 GB) |
| Get live chat support | — | Included |
| Sell hubs / keep 5% take rate | Already allowed | Same 5% |
Price snapshot
- Growth: $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr
- Full table + Enterprise → Pricing (or /pricing#when-to-upgrade)
Fees stay the same. Kahana’s 5% marketplace fee applies on Free and Growth. Growth does not remove it. Stripe processing fees are separate. Selling walkthrough: Turn on paid access.
How to upgrade
- In-app: open /billing, or follow the prompt when you hit a limit.
- Complete checkout.
- Confirm your plan after purchase.
Myths
- “I need Growth to monetize” → False
- “Growth removes the 5% fee” → False
- “Free can’t list on Explore” → False
Quick facts
- Free: 3 hubs · ~10 uploads/hub · ~5 MB files
- Growth price: $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr
- Take rate: 5% Free and Growth
- Plan roles (product): free · paid (Growth) · enterprise
What’s next
- Pricing — full comparison
- Get started (creators)
- Turn on paid access
Related Documentation
Adult content & age verification
How Kahana handles 18+ hubs: creator flagging, Explore defaults, login + date-of-birth verification, SEO, and how that differs from the verified seller badge.
Buying & access
Unlock a paid Kahana hub: find it, complete Stripe checkout, reopen it later, and understand one-time vs monthly—plus adult gates and why Aura isn’t payment.
Collaborators & roles
Invite people into a Kahana hub, choose OWNER · ADMIN · WRITE · COMMENT · READ, and accept an invite—without confusing collaborators with paywall buyers.
About the Author
I'm the CEO of Kahana, bringing a unique perspective from my management consulting experience at Clarkston Consulting and biomedical engineering background from Duke University. I'm focused on making the future of work more elegant through innovative technology solutions that prioritize user well-being and productivity.