How to block members from deleting or editing a Trello card

Question

I have a business using Trello with my team. I would like to allow them to add content, upload, comment but prevent them from deleting or changing what I have written.

I use the free version but would buy an upgrade (which one do I need?) if the option is available.

Answer 1

In the free version there are only two types of roles - Members and Admins - both of which are allowed to change/delete content from cards, so this will not work for you.

The Observer role in the Business Class (paid) version might work for you. Trello help documentation describes the Observer role as:

Observers - An observer is a member with read-only access to a board.

However, if you couple this up with configuring the Commenting Permissions such that Observers are allowed to comment in cards, then you've got yourself a role that is essentially read-only but with the ability to add comments to cards (keep in mind that a comment can be text, link to another card, or attachments)

Commenting permissions

Members and Observers - Allow admins, normal members, and observers to comment

So in short, an Observer role configured correctly in Business Class gives you a user role that cannot change/delete what you have written but allows them to add text and attachments through comments on the card. They also will not be able to add new cards.

Answer 2

The other person who replied here is certainly incorrect. That information is not accurate. Trello requires that if a user can comment on a card then he must also be able to delete or archive Trello cards. There is no work around to this. I have the highest level of Trello membership and have written Trello Support about this several times. Trello just said in an email that there is no user type which can comment but not delete or archive. I am about to switch from Trello to Jira because of this terrible lack of features.