I Just Became Friend of Medium — Here’s Why You Should too
The New Friend of Medium program allows writers to contribute 4X more to writers they read and interact with
∘ What you should know about this program: ∘ Why did I join? ∘ Why you should join the Friend of Medium tier as well ∘ Final Thoughts · Buy me a Ko-fi ∘ Get more stories like this!
Medium just rolled out a new program called “Friend of Medium”.
The program is a membership tier that allows readers to better support writers.
Medium said that “Friends of Medium” will be able to contribute as much as 4X more to writers they read and interact with.
What you should know about this program:
Enhanced Writer Compensation: Members who join the “Friends of Medium” tier pay $15 per month or $150 per year.
When these members read paywalled stories on Medium, the writer of the story receives four times the base pay rate.
Generating ‘Friend of Medium’ Links: Members at this tier can create special links for any paywalled story on Medium.
If a non-member views the story through this link, the writer will be compensated for these external views.
This feature is unique to the “Friends of Medium” tier and is not available to members at the $5 tier.
Supporting Writers More Directly: The overarching goal of this tier is to provide more direct support to writers.
Medium has reported that the most common reason for new members signing up is to support writers, and this tier enhances that support through increased compensation and the ability for external view compensation.
Maintaining the $5 Tier: It’s important to note that the existing $5 membership tier remains available, allowing readers to continue enjoying Medium content at a lower price if they choose.
The “Friends of Medium” tier is an additional option for those who can afford and wish to provide more support to writers.
Why did I join?
I think it’s important for writers/readers here to join in order to support one another.
Most readers are here to support writers they like.
The tier is a great pathway to do so — because it allows writers to contribute up to 4X more to writers than before.
Medium has its problems — that’s for sure!
However, I think it’s still a good place for writers to put their ideas out there.
So, if this Membership tier allows Medium to thrive and continue to exist, I want to do my part.
Why you should join the Friend of Medium tier as well
The “Friends of Medium” tier adds an important layer of community engagement and responsibility.
Members not only increase the financial incentives for writers but also demonstrate a commitment to the ecosystem of content creation and consumption on Medium.
Online content creation is saturated — and I think you’d want the writers that you appreciate to actually succeed.
It’s a way of acknowledging that quality writing deserves more than just passive consumption; it deserves active and tangible support.
This tier also potentially empowers writers to focus more on their craft, knowing that their work has a heightened chance of financial reward.
This can lead to a richer, more diverse range of content, which benefits all users of the platform.
It’s also a symbiotic relationship: as writers flourish, readers gain access to a wider array of high-quality, engaging content.
Final Thoughts
Yes, Medium has its issues, and no platform is perfect.
But this membership tier allows us to take part in a future where thoughtful, creative expression is valued and rewarded.
We’re contributing to a space that encourages meaningful dialogue and diverse perspectives.
Be a friend! Be a community builder!
Buy me a Ko-fi
