The Smile Channel has four membership tiers: Free, Starter, Pro, and VIP. Each tier builds on the one below it. This article walks through exactly what’s included at every level.
Each tier includes everything from the tiers below it. So Pro includes everything in Starter, which includes everything in Free. Starter doesn’t list “profile photo” again because it’s already in Free.
Free Plan
Get listed on The Smile Channel guest directory and start building your speaker presence — for free. No credit card required.
Includes:
- Profile photo
- Short bio
- Smile Channel episode appearance
- Public profile page
- Website link
- LinkedIn link
- 1 social media link (pick any platform)
Not included on Free: books on your profile, additional social links, video embeds, booking buttons, One-Sheet, verified badge.
Starter Plan
Everything in Free, plus:
- 1 book with Amazon link on your profile
- All 6 social media links (not just one)
- Blue verified badge next to your name
- Free upgrade for one event participation per month
- 10% off your next book published through Perfect Publishing
Starter is for active members building a real presence on the platform — your first book is on display, your full social presence is connected, and you’re a verified member of the community.
Pro Plan
Everything in Free + Starter, plus:
- Full long-form bio (no character limit)
- Unlimited Amazon book links with auto-fetched covers
- YouTube and Vimeo video embeds on your profile
- Booking buttons — Calendly, your own scheduler, or custom links
- “Available for events” badge on your profile
- Share Profile button for easy promotion
- Auto-generated Speaker One-Sheet PDF
Pro is for authors and speakers who actively pitch themselves — to event organizers, podcast hosts, and journalists. The auto-generated One-Sheet alone replaces hours of manual design work, and unlimited book links means your full backlist is on display.
VIP Plan
Everything in Free + Starter + Pro, plus:
- Gold verified badge (instead of blue)
- ★ Featured badge on the guest grid and your profile
- Priority placement in the guest grid
- 🎥 Intro video card on your profile
- 🌐 Custom domain — your own branded link-in-bio
- 📄 Full One-Sheet with testimonials, books, and QR code
- PR & promotion perks
- PR placement in the Smile Book on Amazon
- Spotlight on The Smile Channel website
- 4 sponsored social posts every month
- Priority selection of the 9-minute speaking slot at our virtual events
VIP is the full positioning package — for working professionals where The Smile Channel is a primary visibility channel for their work.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Free | Starter | Pro | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public profile | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Profile photo + short bio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Website + LinkedIn link | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Social media links | 1 only | All 6 | All 6 | All 6 |
| Books on profile | — | 1 with Amazon link | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Long-form bio | Short only | Short only | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Video embeds (YouTube / Vimeo) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Booking buttons | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-Sheet PDF | — | — | Auto-generated | Full version |
| Verified badge | — | Blue | Blue | Gold |
| Featured badge | — | — | — | ★ |
| Priority grid placement | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Custom domain | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Smile Book PR placement | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Sponsored social posts | — | — | — | 4 / month |
| Speaking slot priority | — | 1 event / month | 1 event / month | Priority pick of 9-min slot |
| Perfect Publishing book discount | — | 10% off | 10% off | 10% off |
Pricing
For current pricing, visit thesmilechannel.com/pricing. All paid plans bill in USD.
The biggest unlock is Free → Pro because that’s where the One-Sheet PDF, video embeds, booking buttons, and unlimited books all kick in together. Many members skip Starter entirely and go straight to Pro after a brief evaluation on Free.