When setting up and managing your community in Member Splash, two of the most important classifications you’ll work with are Account Types and Member Types. While they may sound similar, they serve different purposes in organizing your members. Understanding the difference will help you set up your membership structure correctly and manage your database more efficiently.
Looking for membership types? You want Account Types. Account Types are how you set up your club's membership types or levels, like Family, Couple, Individual, or Senior. Member Types are something different: the roles of the people within an account, like Adult or Child.
What are Account Types?
Account Types define the membership plan or categorization of an entire account. Think of this as the “bucket” that determines how a household, family, or individual is categorized in your system. In other words, your Account Types are your club's membership types.
For example, Account Types might include:
Bonded Family – Families who have purchased a bond with the club.
Offered Membership – Families who have been invited to join but have not yet completed registration.
Waitlist – Prospective members waiting for availability.
Family Membership – A standard membership that includes two adults and their dependent children living in the same household.
August Membership – Members joining for the month of August without bond or long-term commitment.
To create, edit, or delete Account Types, see Settings: Account Types.
What are Member Types?
While Account Types define the membership plan, Member Types define the roles of individuals within that account.
For example, within a Bonded Family account, you may have multiple people listed, each with a different Member Type:
Adult – Primary account holders or guardians.
Child – Dependents under the membership.
Houseguest – Temporary members staying with the family for a portion of the season.
Caregiver – Nannies, babysitters, or other caretakers allowed to access the facilities with the family.
Setting Up a Membership: Account Types and Products Together
An Account Type on its own doesn't charge anything. A membership comes together when you pair an Account Type with a membership product that accounts pay for.
Create the Account Type. Add an Account Type for each membership your club offers, like Family or Individual. See Settings: Account Types.
Build the membership product. Choose the pricing method that fits your club:
Connect the product to the right Account Types. Use Show/Hide/Require Rules for Products to control which Account Types see each membership product, and whether it's optional or required. To let accounts choose between memberships, see How to Offer or Show a Membership Product.