Inland overlaps with a few categories of tools—Zoom-style webinar platforms, event ticketing platforms, and “community” platforms—but it’s intentionally different from each.
Most webinar tools (Zoom, etc.) are optimized for broadcasting and logistics: they’re great at running a live session, but they don’t give authors and publishers a cohesive home for ongoing, paid programming. Ticketing platforms (Eventbrite and similar) help you sell access, but they’re not built around books, authors, or recurring reader relationships—and the experience often feels transactional rather than curated. Community platforms (Circle, Mighty Networks, and others) can work well, but they usually require ongoing maintenance, upfront subscription costs, and a “feed-based” culture that many authors don’t want to run year-round.
Inland is different because it’s purpose-built for paid, author-led events around books—with a marketplace-style experience that makes discovery and trust easier for readers. You don’t need to build and manage an always-on community or pay a subscription just to stay present. Inland is simple: create a paid event, bring your readers, host something meaningful, and get paid—without turning your life into community management.
What makes Inland uniquely valuable is the combination of:
Books-first design. Inland is built for author Q&As, book discussions, seminars, and cohorts—not generic webinars or content marketing funnels.
A curated, paid-only environment. Paid events create higher-quality attendance and signal seriousness, while also supporting authors directly.
A real “home,” not just a link. Hosts and Teams (publishers/organizations) have dedicated pages that showcase upcoming events and affiliated hosts—so your programming becomes discoverable and cohesive over time, not scattered across one-off links.
Aligned incentives. Inland earns when hosts earn. There’s no pressure to post constantly, chase algorithms, or maintain a community just to justify a monthly fee.
Inland won’t be the best fit for every use case. If you want a free promotional funnel, or need a giant webinar with enterprise features, other tools may be better (though we are always actively working on improving site features). But if your goal is to build high-trust, high-quality reader experiences—and make paid programming a natural extension of your books and brand—Inland is built specifically for that.