How to get access to Clubhouse, the new invite-only audio app

The latest app to get everyone’s attention is Clubhouse, but if you’re wondering how to actually gain access, you’re not alone: it’s invite-only.

Although it’s only been out less than a year, Clubhouse is a highly-exclusive app that everyone is talking about, and what separates it from the rest is that it’s audio-only. It’s grown from having just 1,500 users in May 2020 to garnering more than 600,000 at the end of 2020; members include Oprah, Ashton Kutcher, Drake, and Jared Leto.

It’s been described as a platform full of ‘virtual panels’ where members can listen to live audio of celebrities, creatives or professionals, and “raise your hand” to indicate that you’d like to participate.  Discussions can be about almost anything: debates, movements, pep-talks, lectures, book clubs, comedy shows… you name it. The one rule is that you cannot record anything.

But while it’s blowing up in popularity, it’s not as easy to get into as simply downloading the app and creating an account. There are two major things you need: an iPhone and an invite.

How to get access

At the moment, the only way to be invited to Clubhouse is by a current user. But once you’re in, you will be given one invitation for yourself to give out. If you’re too impatient to wait for an invite to come your way, you can put a call out on Instagram or Twitter using the #Clubhouse hashtag in case someone is feeling generous.

Each new user is given one invite they can dole out to one lucky soul, and after some time on the app, you get another three invites. So, with this in mind, some people could have invites to spare.

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However, if you don’t get an invite using this method either, don’t worry; the app is still in beta testing mode, and the website says “we are working hard to open things up soon!”

Clubhouse has said that “it’s not intended to be exclusive,” and that it is working hard to give everyone full access. Right now, the intentions behind the invite-only model are to “build community slowly” and “prepare features that will help it handle larger numbers of people.”