The Top 6 WordPress Membership Plugins (Plus an Alternative)

Based on some reports around one-third of the world's websites are built using WordPress-so it's easy to see why there's a plugin for just about anything, including memberships and subscriptions.

Membership plugins provide you with the ability to decide the people who view your content and in what way-

However, not each of the WordPress subscription-based plugins were in the same way. It's important to understand the pros and cons of every one of them, in order in order to select a plugin that has the functionality you require straight out of the box.

Here are the top six WordPress Membership plugins with both free and paid options - and everything you should be aware of to make the best selection.

The best WordPress membership plugins currently available

The challenge of plugins is that they're more like a sidebar than a full-fledged solution, so there are even better alternative plugins to run your membership-based website. It's a site aren't going to be difficult to get rid of, particularly if you're operating in the area of eLearning or planning to offer access to a community.

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1. MemberPress

An all-purpose solution that is ideal for instructors who are just trying to find their way around, MemberPress is easy to install and manage it offers basic integrations to payment services and email marketing tools and other services. With unlimited membership levels it offers a wide range of possibilities to customize students' experiences. Additionally, you can create automatic email reminders, keeping participants informed when it comes to particular events, something that other plugins aren't able to give.

Price: From $129/year

  The Best Features  

• Unlimited membership levels, with different trial durations and payment options
• "Membership Groups" let you plot users' journeys in accordance with various upgrade routes
• Flexible content sharing permits the user to block access at various levels, from a single page to entire post categories
• This MemberPress Reminders feature sends out automated emails to remind you of important dates such as due dates for renewing subscriptions

2. Restrict Content Pro

A lot more than just a second choice in comparison to MemberPass, Restrict Content Pro offers a different option for course creators who need more control and flexibility. At each price level, you'll receive a set amount of additional features for a specific amount of websites. This means you are able to select only the features you need. Like MemberPress, Restrict Content Pro is short on integrations compared to competitors, but if those integrations aren't important for your course, its smaller price tag makes this plugin appealing.

Price: From $99/month (12 features, one website)

  The Best Features  

• Pick-and-choose add-ons are available with personalized redirects, drip-content and restrictions on previous content as well as expiration dates and more
• more integrations than its closest competitor, MemberPass
• Users report excellent experiences dealing with customer service reps
• It integrates with forum plugins , such as bbPress and bbPress providing you with more possibilities for building community
• Ability to export data to CSV files

3. OptinMonster

If you're struggling to get settled in to your new role of instructor, but do not have your full course running, OptinMonster can help you create leads and simple drip campaigns that draw in your first students. It allows you to create customized pop-ups inviting website visitors to sign up to your newsletter or even a free course. If you've got a course on running with lots number of learners, OptinMonster can help you start a totally free email course and capture new customers.

Pricing Beginning at $9/month to be paid each year

  Top Features  

• Runs in the cloud
• It is customizable, meaning that different pop-ups are displayed to various subsets of visitors to your website (eg. users who have never been to your website will see one display, whereas users who have visited your site once twice, or three times get different pop-ups)
• integrates with a large variety of email subscription services
• Pop-ups of a variety of kinds, such as lightbox and full-page
• Multi-pop-up triggers for you to select from

Access 's powerful tools and functions are the cost of  
 Each of the tools and features you need to sell online education products. There is no risk.

4. WooCommerce Memberships

WooCommerce Memberships is a natural solution for running an online course. You can offer course registrations as a standalone store item or tied-ins to other purchase. (For an example: a pupil purchasing a set guitar tablature could then be enrolled in an online program in which they learn to play the songs.) However, an overall lack of options makes this plug-in a good pick only if you're already using WooCommerce, and if eCommerce--rather than online classes--is your primary source of revenue.

Pricing $199/year to enable recurring payments

  The Best Features  

• It allows you to limit certain eCommerce products (eg. textbooks) on specific levels of membership
• Features eCommerce functions like coupons, discounts, and suggested items
• Allows users to upgrade, degrade and stop their accounts

5. Paid Memberships Pro

For a while, in terms of features, Paid Memberships Pro was lagging behind competitors. But recent improvements have brought it up to par, and it now boasts an array of functions that allow it to compete other WordPress members' plugins. However, while it provides certain unique features, Paid Memberships Pro lacks certain essential features that are part of its core package.

Pricing: A free version is available. Prices for paid plans start at $297.

  Best Features  

• "Add On" system gives users access to a vast range of features that you are able to use to activate or deactivate them as required
• It is compatible with bbPress, tracker platforms for affiliates, WooCommerce, Mailchimp, Slack and a variety of payment methods
• Also available Developer's Toolkit

6. S2 Member

If you're searching for an inexpensive WordPress membership plugin, then S2 Member is your ideal alternative. The fundamental features available as part of the free version can be sufficient to help you get your online class in place and let you experiment with various choices. If you're ready to get serious, S2 Member Pro offers competitive pricing for single or more websites.

Pricing: Free version. For Pro, $89/year per site, or $189/year for unlimited sites.

  The Best Features  

• Personalize your login and signup process
• Full access to code source
• There are many options to allow or delaying access to content
• compatible with WordPress Multisite

What to Look for in an WordPress Member Plugin

When shopping for WordPress subscriber plugins bear these things to your heart.

• Ease of use. How much technical knowledge do you need to set up your plugin and up and
• Interface and user experience. From the standpoint of the user, is it easy to sign-up and navigate the membership website?
• The content you choose to share is suitable. What kinds of information are you sharing with students? What are the ways it should be distributed? Certain plugins have more options than others.
• Community features.
• Drip release. Do you need to slowly release data to each student according to a predetermined schedule? Certain plugins allow this, others don't.
• Integrations. What other systems or tools do you use (eg. videos, social media)? Do they need to integrate into your membership feature?
• Coupons and payment. Does your plugin function with your provider of payment? Are you able to offer coupon codes?
• Tracking affiliates. Will your plugin monitor affiliate referrals?
• Analytics. What insights can you gather about user behaviour and interaction? Will you be able to keep track of payment status?
• Learn management system (LMS).

Probleme with the use of WordPress plugins to manage your membership site

When you are first starting out in your career as an online class creator, WordPress membership plugins give users the means to be functioning. But they come with drawbacks which could make a subscription service more appealing to those who are.

In the first place, no single plugin is likely provide all the functions you need in one place. As an example None is any of the WordPress membership plugins currently available provide the features you need to set up and manage an online student community. What they are able to do is to integrate with bbPress, a distinct tool you'll have to install and manage.

A second point is that "memberships" can be a broad class. Although your online course could count as"a "membership," so do web-based stock photography websites as well as online magazines. At the end of the morning, WordPress membership plugins aren't designed specifically for teaching and therefore don't offer the detailed features required by teachers.

Finally, WordPress suffers from security loopholes. If you don't make sure that you keep your plugins current You could make your website vulnerable to hacking, as well as your members open to having their information stolen.

The most effective WordPress Membership plugin option

If you're in the market for more customization, 's open API gives you the opportunity to further customize it according to your requirements. It's designed specifically to be used by course creators, membership site owners, as well as online community creators. Because it is constantly updated it doesn't have the same security issues that old WordPress plugins suffer from.

It takes more than just tools to create an effective company. With , you'll get access to educational resources, and an online community of digital entrepreneurs who face similar challenges to you.

Are you ready to start your online course and your community without hesitation? Join today for the perpetually-free, forever-free login today.

  This article was created in february 2021. It was updated in March 2023.