Are you looking to make some extra cash from your WordPress website but don’t want to set up an online store? Creating a membership site might be the perfect solution for you, even if you’re not familiar with membership plugins.
Membership plugins allow website owners to restrict access to certain content and offer it exclusively to members who have subscribed to their site. This approach works well for individuals who love producing content and want to monetize their efforts but don’t want to run an eCommerce business.
If you’re interested in creating a membership website using WordPress, but don’t know where to start, don’t worry. We’ve compiled a list of the best WordPress membership plugins for WordPress that cater to all levels of experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, you’re sure to find a plugin that suits your needs.
Why should you consider using Membership Plugins?
Any website that provides members-only access to special content or services requires membership plugins. Without these plugins, operating and keeping up a membership-based website can easily turn into a laborious chore.
By using membership plugins, website owners may automate the subscription and payment processes, track member activity, and manage who has access to their content.
These plugins provide a number of features including member directories, email alerts, and access controls that not only improve user experience but also aid in managing the membership system.
Website owners may provide their members with a safe and easy-to-use environment where they can communicate, exchange ideas, and develop as a community with the correct membership plugin.
What to look for in a Membership Plugin?
When it comes to WordPress membership plugins, there are many options. But what counts is finding the proper plugin. Hence, the following are some essential attributes you should search for in membership plugins:
Easy To Use
When selecting a membership plugin, ease of use must be a decision element. This means that your preferred plugin should feature an easy-to-use dashboard. It must facilitate the integration of necessary add-ons like payment gateways.
Payment Gateways
The most crucial aspect to think about might be your membership payment options. At the moment, PayPal and Stripe are the most widely used payment systems. The flexibility of your payment alternatives, such as one-time payments, recurring payments, and discounted payments for mid-plan plan changes by members, is extremely important.
Next, you should think about the price. Be aware of the prices associated with your gateway for this since there may be additional fees for your company. To avoid being startled by additional transaction costs like statement fees, merchant fees, chargeback fees etc. do your research before incorporating it into your website.
You also need to check whether your membership plugin supports international payment gateways. Due to the widespread usage of online shopping, there are numerous payment methods available. People are more likely to make purchases when you give them more options. You may increase your sales by using a payment gateway that accepts a wide range of payment options because most online buyers will back out of a transaction if they can’t use their preferred payment method.
Inclusion
Supported integrations, site designs, content dripping capability, and system automation are a few of the things you should take into account. These benefits will make your work easier and help you save money on additional system development expenses.
Support
While installing a plugin on your website, some of the more frequent problems you could run across include plugin and server configuration incompatibilities. It’s crucial to pick a membership plugin with dependable customer assistance to ensure easy installation and system maintenance right away.
Always check if the plugin has included customer support because there are many service providers which sell customer support separately as a product. As customer support plays a vital role in the membership it is beneficial to have included customer support.
15 Best WordPress Membership Plugins
WordPress membership plugins are an essential tool for any website owner who wants to offer gated content or a premium experience to their users. Here are some of the best WordPress membership plugins available:
1. MemberPress
The goal of MemberPress is to be a one-stop solution for building membership websites. This plugin enables you to monetize your current website or helps you create a new one while still being user-friendly for beginners.
Downloads: 200,000+ Active Installations
Rating: 4.5/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction, Membership levels, Drip content functionality.
Pros:
- Easy to Use
- Multiple Payment Gateway Options
- Content Dripping
- Integration with Other Tools
- Flexible Membership Levels
Cons:
- Limited Payment Options
- Limited Features
- Limited Customization Options
- Limited Support
Pricing:
| Basic Plan | Pulse Plan | Pro Plan |
|---|---|---|
| $179/year | $299/year | $399/year |
MemberPress has built-in reporting on members and payments.
2. UsersWp
You can add highly customized user profiles, as well as unique forms for user registration, login, password recovery, and account customization, to your WordPress website using WP User Management. The best option for managing your community is WP User Manager. Flexible and strong but simple to put up and utilize.
Downloads: 9,000+ Active Installations
Rating: 4.6/5
Features: Frontend forms, Stripe integration, Custom email notifications, Custom avatars.
Pros
- Customizable User Profiles
- User Registration Management
- Front-End User Dashboard
- Integration with Other Tools
Cons
- Incompatibility with Some Themes
- Limited Payment Options
- Limited Customization Options
Pricing:
| Starter | Plus | Pro | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| $149/year | $199/year | $299/year | $599/year |
| 1 website | 5 websites | 10 websites | 25 websites |
This plugin offers an automated user verification feature.
3. Restrict Content Pro
Another effective WordPress plugin for building membership websites is Limit Content Pro. With your website, you can censor material and grant premium users more access.
Downloads: 10,000+ Active Installations
Rating: 4/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction, Membership levels.
Pros
- Easy to Use
- Flexible Membership Levels
- Payment Gateway Integration
- Content Dripping
- Integration with Other Tools
Cons
- Limited Affiliate Marketing Options
- Limited Features
Pricing:
| Starter | Plus | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| $60/year | $90/year | $150/year |
| 1 website | 5 websites | Unlimited websites |
Restrict Content Pro allows you to create unlimited membership levels with free, paid, or trial memberships.
4. SUMO Membership
A membership plugin created especially for WooCommerce Dropshipping plugins and stores is called SUMO Memberships. Depending on their membership plan, you can use this plugin to permit members to read private pages and posts, purchase particular items, and more.
Downloads: 6,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.4/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction.
Pros
- Membership management
- Payment gateway integration
- Multiple membership options
- Automatic email notifications
Cons
- No refund policy
- Limited customization options
- Compatibility issues
- Technical support
| Pricing |
|---|
| $39/Year |
SUMO Membership allows you to display an excerpt of restricted posts and pages automatically.
5. Members
The MemberPress team’s Members plugin is a top-rated membership and user role editor. This plugin enables you to grant users roles with certain capabilities, so you can impose content restrictions as necessary.
Downloads: 200,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.8/5
Features: A simple user interface for WordPress’s roles and capabilities system, Content restriction.
Pros
- User role management
- Customizable user roles
- Content protection
- Compatible with other plugins
Cons
- No payment gateway integration
- No email notification
- No support for drip content
- Technical support
| Pricing |
|---|
| Free to use |
With this plugin, you can easily integrate many existing plugins.
6. Simple Membership
Another comprehensive free membership plugin for WordPress is Simple Membership. However, because there are numerous action and filter hooks available to configure the plugin instead of extensions, this plugin caters to more experienced users.
Downloads: 50,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.5/5
Features: Content restriction, Membership levels.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Content protection
- Payment gateway integration
- User role management
Cons
- No support for multiple membership levels
| Pricing |
|---|
| Free to use |
Simple Membership allows you to create unlimited membership levels with flexible pricing.
7. ARMember
With the help of the highly rated premium plugin ARMember, anyone without much programming experience may create a membership website. With this plugin, you may create a subscription service, user registration, user profiles, and more. It is a flexible plugin.
Downloads: 2,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.2/5
Features: Membership levels, Advanced member directories, Drip content functionality, Membership set-up wizard.
Pros
- Advanced membership management
- Payment gateway integration
- Drip content feature
- Customizable registration forms
- Email notification feature
Cons
- Complex setup
- Limited customization options
- Technical support
- High Cost
- Compatibility issues
| Pricing |
|---|
| $49/year |
ARMember allows you to drip content based on the membership plan, time of subscription, or a specific date.
8. Ultimate Membership Pro
With good reason, Ultimate Membership Pro is the most popular membership plugin on CodeCanyon. There are 41 add-ons available, and you can monetize any area of your website.
Downloads: 200,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.6/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction, Membership levels, Advanced member directories, Drip content functionality, Brute force login protection.
Pros
- Advanced membership management
- Payment gateway integration
- Drip content feature
- Customizable registration forms
- Email notification feature
Cons
- Complex setup
- Expensive
- Technical support
- Compatibility issues
| Pricing |
|---|
| $49/year |
This plugin is best known for its built-in reporting on members, payments, coupons, and more.
9. Ultimate Members
One of the most well-liked and rated plugins for building online communities and membership sites is Ultimate Member, which is used on more than 200,000 websites.
Downloads: 200,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.4/5
Features: Custom user roles, Content restriction, Advanced member directories.
Pros
- Customizable registration forms
- Front-end user profiles
- User role management
- Community features
- Free version available
Cons
- Limited features
- No payment gateway integration
- Technical support
- Customization limitations
- Compatibility issues
| Pricing |
|---|
| Free to use |
It provides Gutenberg blocks, so it is easy to use in the block editor.
10. Paid Membership Pro
The most complete free membership plugin for WordPress is Paid Memberships Pro. Similar to the Ultimate Member plugin, it offers Gutenberg blocks, editable email templates you can send to members, and a number of extensions to increase the plugin’s usefulness. However, it also offers more built-in features.
Downloads: 100,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.3/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction, Membership levels.
Pros
- Advanced membership management
- Payment gateway integration
- Drip content feature
- Customizable registration forms
- Free version available
Cons
- Complex setup
- Compatibility issue
| Pricing |
|---|
| $297 per year |
It has built-in reports for Sales and Revenue, Signups and Cancellations, and Member Visits, Views, and Logins.
11. WP-Members Membership Plugin
You can build and grow a membership site on WordPress using the free WP-Members Membership Plugin. A library of API calls, over 100 action and filter hooks, and simple installation and configuration make it simple for any WordPress user to utilize.
Downloads: 70,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.6/5
Features: Front-end user registration, login, and profiles, Content restriction, API Function Library.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Customizable registration forms
- Flexible membership options
- Good documentation
- Free version available
Cons
- Limited features in the free version
- Limited technical support
| Pricing |
|---|
| Free to use |
It allows you to display an excerpt of restricted posts and pages automatically.
12. SureMembers
SureMembers is a unique WordPress membership plugin. The limitations and challenges of managing your membership group might be eliminated by the use of contemporary tools. With the straightforward capabilities of this plugin, you have authority over your website, which could assist you to advance your community.
Downloads: 5,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.4/5
Features: Allows you to bulk edit users and their roles, Protect premium content with a paywall.
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Multiple payment options
- Advanced content protection
- Advanced Reporting
- Integration with Zapier
Cons
- Limited user base
- customer support
Pricing:
| Starter | Plus | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| $69/year | $99/year | $149/year |
| 1 website | 5 websites | 10 websites |
It seamlessly integrates with popular WordPress plugins, including Learn Dash, Spectra, and others.
13. Thrive Apprentice
With the help of the effective WordPress Thrive Apprentice, you can quickly and effectively develop and manage online courses, training courses, and membership websites. You don’t need any technical knowledge to generate material with a professional appearance thanks to its user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
Downloads: 10,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.5/5
Features: Integrates with Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Get Response, Easy Affiliate, and more Includes content dripping, Content restriction rules, including access end dates.
Pros
- Easy course creation
- Customizable branding
- Drip content feature
- Integration with other Thrive plugins
- Good documentation
Cons
- Limited features for advanced course creation
- Can be pricey
Pricing:
| Thrive Apprentice | Thrive Apprentice Suite |
|---|---|
| $149/year | $299/year |
| 5 websites | 9 websites |
Not only is the Thrive Apprentice Drip feature flexible, but you can also establish several drip schedules for the same content, which makes it stand out from other drip features.
14. aMember Pro
A comprehensive yet straightforward membership plugin for WordPress is called aMember. While using PHP, it still allows you to connect to WordPress. Unlimited membership levels, 200+ payment methods, and more are available with aMember.
Downloads: 75,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.4/5
Features: Unlimited membership levels, Robust membership management, Several, payment integrations, Built-in affiliate program.
Pros
- Comprehensive membership management
- Good documentation
- Great support
Cons
- Expensive pricing
- Not as user-friendly
| Pricing |
|---|
| $399 one time only |
This plugin has the best management facility to manage recurring bills, refunds, and chargebacks.
15. MemberMouse
You can sell protected content using MemberMouse and regulate who has access to each item. Members have access to extra resources thanks to this plugin. Also, you can sell products.
Downloads: 18,000 + Active Installations
Rating: 4.7/5
Features: Dynamic checkout page, Can sell memberships or physical products, Many security functions, Custom dashboards.
Pros
- Flexible payment gateway integration
- Easy integration with third-party tools
- Drip content feature
Cons
- Compatibility issues
- Integration with other plugins
Pricing:
| Builder | Advanced | Premium | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| $29/month | $79/month | $199/month | Price varies |
MemberMosue has in-built social login options.
Which WordPress Plugin Suits You The Best?
Brand New Website
If you recently started a membership website then you should go with the plugins which are simple to integrate and use. Some plugins which will be the best suited for the brand-new website are:
- ARMember
- Simple Membership
- MemberMouse
Medium Traffic Website
Consider using the following plugins for medium-traffic websites:
- MemberPress
- SureMembers
- Restrict Content Pro
High Traffic Website
If you have the funds available and past expertise in creating or running a high-traffic website, these are the finest membership plugins to buy:
- MemberPress
- Users WP Plugin
- Thrive Apprentice
Also Read: Best WordPress Plugins For Social Media
Conclusion
You’ve seen some top WordPress membership site plugins and learned what to look for when making your selection. To prevent security breaches brought on by SEO plugins for improving your site ranking, you should also make sure the plugin has positive evaluations and is constantly updated.
Having said that, the best method to choose the appropriate plugin is to conduct in-depth research and take your needs and spending power into account.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which WordPress membership plugin should I choose?
There are several WordPress membership plugins available, each with its own set of features, pricing plans, and integrations.
2. What are the benefits of using a WordPress membership plugin?
By using a WordPress membership plugin, you can monetize your website by offering premium content, courses, products, or services to your members. Additionally, you can create a sense of exclusivity and community among your members, and gather valuable insights about their preferences and behaviors.
3. Can I use a WordPress membership plugin with any theme or plugin?
Most WordPress membership plugins are designed to work with any theme or WordPress plugin that follows WordPress coding standards. However, there may be some compatibility issues or conflicts with certain plugins or custom codes. Before installing a membership plugin, make sure to check its documentation and support resources for any known issues or requirements.
