Is ONEHOPE an MLM? Here's What You Actually Need to Know

You’ve probably seen the Instagram posts: wine, sunsets, a laptop on a patio table, and a caption that screams girlboss energy. ONEHOPE positions itself as a wine company that makes a difference, but is it a legit opportunity or just another multi-level marketing (MLM) trap in a cute outfit?

Let’s unpack it.

Wait… Is ONEHOPE an MLM?

Yep. It is.

It might be a little harder to spot compared to the usual MLM suspects, but ONEHOPE’s business model fits the bill: pay to join, get a “sponsor,” buy a starter kit, and recruit others to grow your “team.” Just like your standard MLM, the real money isn’t from selling wine — it’s from building a downline.

Need a refresher on how MLMs work (or why so many people side-eye them)? Here’s my full blog post breaking it down.

What Makes ONEHOPE Different?

Honestly? The wine isn’t “clean-crafted” or wrapped in wellness jargon, which is already a point in its favor. Plus, ONEHOPE donates a portion of each sale to nonprofits around the world. They’ve helped fund schools, end hunger, and protect the environment. The good vibes are strong, and it almost makes you forget this is still an MLM.

But don’t worry. I’m not done yet.

The Sign-Up Process: Red Flags & Rosé

Click “Enroll Now” and you’ll be greeted with a photo of a wine glass and laptop, captioned with the ultimate millennial bait: “Be your own boss.” Click “Learn More” and you’ll get a pop-up that says “Start building your own business.”

Classic MLM talk.

Let’s be clear: you are not starting your own business. You are becoming a salesperson for ONEHOPE without any of the perks of traditional employment. No healthcare, no 401K. Just vibes and wine.

Starter Kits & Membership Fees

ONEHOPE offers three starter kits:

$29: Virtual Kit with a “welcome gift”
$149: Welcome gift, business bundle, and 6 bottles of wine
$199: Welcome gift, business bundle, and 12 bottles of wine

This is likely a clever workaround to alcohol sales laws. You can’t just sell wine without a liquor license. So instead, they sell it to you, and you “market” it.

Then comes the membership plan. You’ll need to pay either:

$99/year or
$12/month

This covers your personal ONEHOPE website, digital and print materials, wine education, and mentorship. Which all sounds a lot like paying to work for them.

The Fine Print: Welcome to the CEO Program (No, Really)

Yes, they actually call it the “CEO Program,” which feels… optimistic.

Here’s the kicker from their own terms and conditions:

“Acceptance into the Program does not qualify you as a ONEHOPE salesperson or grant you any license to sell alcohol. Your participation allows you to be a marketing and brand ambassador… Any commissions earned through the Program are paid relative to your success with your marketing efforts and not as sales commissions.”

Translation: you’re not technically selling wine, you’re just shouting about it online and hoping someone buys.

It gets worse.

“All ideas, improvements, inventions and works of authorship… shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company… This section shall survive termination of this Agreement for any reason.”

Yup. If you create content related to ONEHOPE, they own it. Forever. Even if you leave. Even if it’s a blog post dragging them (hi!).

The Compensation Plan: Pyramids, Titles, and Question Marks

ONEHOPE’s compensation structure is the usual MLM math headache. Your commission starts at 20%, and once you sell $1,500 worth of wine, it bumps up to 25%. After that, you can start earning off your downline’s sales.

They also have fancy titles like:

Cause Entrepreneur
Director
National Executive Director

Because nothing screams empowerment like needing to hit targets just to level up from pretend CEO to Executive Director of selling Pinot for charity.

So… Is It Worth It?

If you genuinely love ONEHOPE wine and want to support causes through your purchases, cool! But if you’re looking for a career or side hustle, just know this isn’t true entrepreneurship. It’s a commission-based gig with zero security and a lot of fine print.

That said, the wine is drinkable and the causes are real, so it’s not the worst MLM. But it’s still an MLM.

2025 Update Disclaimer

This post was rewritten in 2025, and things might have changed since then. Maybe they ditched the “CEO” branding. Maybe you can finally sell wine legally in-person. Maybe ONEHOPE now has coffee too (looking at you Scout & Cellar). Either way, it’s worth checking their current policies.

But if they’re still claiming your memes as company property… run.