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WordPress membership plugins are tools that allow you to create a paid membership site with WordPress. You can use them to offer exclusive content, courses, communities, and more to your subscribers.
But how do you know which WordPress membership plugin is right for your site? There are many options available, each with different features, pricing, and integrations.
In this article, we will compare some of the best WordPress membership plugins and help you find the one that suits your needs and budget.
Why Use a WordPress Membership Plugin?
A WordPress membership plugin can help you monetize your website by creating a recurring revenue stream. You can charge your users a fee to access your premium content, products, or services.
A membership plugin can also help you build a loyal fan base and establish your authority in your niche. You can create a community around your content and interact with your members through forums, groups, chats, etc.
Additionally, a membership plugin can help you protect your content from unauthorized access. You can restrict access to certain pages, posts, categories, or files based on the user’s membership level.
What to Look for in a WordPress Membership Plugin?
Before you choose a WordPress membership plugin, you need to consider some factors such as:
- Ease of use: You want a plugin that is easy to set up and manage. You should be able to create membership plans, add payment gateways, configure content protection, and manage subscriptions without any hassle.
- Features: You want a plugin that has all the features you need for your membership site. Some of the common features include multiple membership levels, drip content, coupons, email marketing integration, reports, etc.
- Payment gateways: You want a plugin that supports your preferred payment methods. Some of the popular payment gateways include PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, etc.
- Support: You want a plugin that has reliable and responsive support. You should be able to get help when you encounter any issues or have any questions.
Best WordPress Membership Plugins Compared
Now that you know what to look for in a WordPress membership plugin, let’s take a look at some of the best options available.
1. MemberPress
MemberPress is one of the most popular and powerful WordPress membership plugins. It has a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of features.
With MemberPress, you can create unlimited membership levels with different prices, benefits, and access rules. You can also create group memberships and corporate accounts for multiple users.
MemberPress allows you to protect any type of content on your site, including posts, pages, categories, tags, files, etc. You can also drip content based on a schedule or unlock it after a certain period of time.
MemberPress integrates with many payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp,
AWeber,
ConvertKit,
etc.
MemberPress has a built-in affiliate program that lets you reward your members for promoting your site. It also has an LMS addon that lets you create and sell online courses.
MemberPress is a premium plugin that starts from $249/year for one site license.
2. Paid Memberships Pro
Paid Memberships Pro is another popular WordPress membership plugin that offers a lot of flexibility and customization options.
With Paid Memberships Pro, you can create unlimited membership levels with different prices and billing cycles. You can also offer free trials and discounts to your members.
Paid Memberships Pro lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or PHP functions. You can also drip content based on date or number of days since registration.
Paid Memberships Pro supports many payment gateways such as PayPal,
Stripe,
Braintree,
etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp,
Constant Contact,
etc.
Paid Memberships Pro has an extensive collection of addons that let you add more features to your membership site. Some of the addons include WooCommerce integration,
bbPress integration,
Zapier integration,
etc.
Paid Memberships Pro has a free version that offers basic features. The premium version starts from $297/year for one site license.
3. Paid Member Subscriptions
Paid Member Subscriptions is a simple and lightweight WordPress membership plugin that lets you create subscription-based websites with ease.
With Paid Member Subscriptions, you can create multiple subscription plans with different prices and access rules. You can also offer free or paid trials to your members.
Paid Member Subscriptions let you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or meta boxes. You can also drip content based on a fixed date or number of days since registration.
Paid Member Subscriptions supports PayPal and Stripe as payment gateways. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp and MailPoet.
Paid Member Subscriptions has a free version that offers basic features. The premium version starts from $69/year for one site license.
4. JetEngine
JetEngine is a WordPress plugin that lets you create custom post types, taxonomies, meta fields, and more. It also has a membership module that lets you create a membership site with WordPress.
With JetEngine, you can create multiple membership plans with different prices and access rules. You can also create dynamic pricing tables and registration forms for your members.
JetEngine lets you protect any type of content on your site using dynamic visibility settings. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
JetEngine supports PayPal and Stripe as payment gateways. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign.
JetEngine is a premium plugin that costs $26/year for one site license.
5. Restrict Content Pro
Restrict Content Pro is a WordPress membership plugin that lets you create a full-featured membership site with WordPress.
With Restrict Content Pro, you can create unlimited membership levels with different prices, durations, and access rules. You can also offer free trials and prorated upgrades to your members.
Restrict Content Pro lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or PHP functions. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user role.
Restrict Content Pro supports many payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, Braintree, etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, AWeber, etc.
Restrict Content Pro has a built-in reporting system that lets you track your membership revenue and performance. It also has an addon library that lets you add more features to your membership site.
Restrict Content Pro is a premium plugin that starts from $99/year for one site license.
6. WooCommerce Memberships
WooCommerce Memberships is a WordPress membership plugin that works with WooCommerce, the most popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress.
With WooCommerce Memberships, you can create multiple membership plans with different prices and access rules. You can also sell memberships as standalone products or as part of a product purchase.
WooCommerce Memberships lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or meta boxes. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
WooCommerce Memberships supports all the payment gateways that WooCommerce supports. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp and MailPoet.
WooCommerce Memberships has a built-in integration with WooCommerce Subscriptions that lets you create recurring memberships. It also has an integration with WooCommerce Groups that lets you create member-only groups and forums.
WooCommerce Memberships is a premium plugin that costs $199/year for one site license.
7. LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress LMS plugin that lets you create and sell online courses with WordPress. It also has a membership module that lets you create a membership site with WordPress.
With LearnDash, you can create unlimited courses and lessons with different prices and access rules. You can also create quizzes, assignments, certificates, and badges for your students.
LearnDash lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or meta boxes. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
LearnDash supports PayPal, Stripe, and 2Checkout as payment gateways. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, AWeber, etc.
LearnDash has a built-in gamification system that lets you reward your students for completing courses and lessons. It also has a built-in community system that lets you create groups and forums for your students.
LearnDash is a premium plugin that starts from $159/year for one site license.
8. WishList Member
WishList Member is a WordPress membership plugin that lets you create a membership site with WordPress in minutes.
With WishList Member, you can create unlimited membership levels with different prices and access rules. You can also create free, trial, or paid memberships for your users.
WishList Member lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or meta boxes. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
WishList Member supports many payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, ClickBank, etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, AWeber, etc.
WishList Member has a built-in affiliate system that lets you create and manage your own affiliate program. It also has a built-in import and export system that lets you transfer your membership data to another site.
WishList Member is a premium plugin that costs $147/year for one site license.
9. MemberMouse
MemberMouse is a WordPress membership plugin that lets you create a membership site with WordPress in minutes.
With MemberMouse, you can create unlimited membership levels and bundles with different prices and access rules. You can also create one-time or recurring payments for your users.
MemberMouse lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or PHP functions. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
MemberMouse supports many payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, AWeber, etc.
MemberMouse has a built-in reporting system that lets you track your membership revenue and performance. It also has a built-in split testing system that lets you optimize your sales pages and checkout process.
MemberMouse is a premium plugin that starts from $19.95/month for one site license.
10. Magic Members
Magic Members is a WordPress membership plugin that lets you create a membership site with WordPress in minutes.
With Magic Members, you can create unlimited membership levels with different prices and access rules. You can also create free, trial, or paid memberships for your users.
Magic Members lets you protect any type of content on your site using shortcodes or meta boxes. You can also drip content based on a schedule or user actions.
Magic Members supports many payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, ClickBank, etc. It also integrates with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, AWeber, etc.
Magic Members has a built-in coupon system that lets you create and manage coupons for your members. It also has a built-in download manager that lets you protect and track your file downloads.
Magic Members is a premium plugin that costs $97/year for one site license.
How to Choose the Best WordPress Membership Plugin for Your Site?
As you can see, there are many WordPress membership plugins available, each with its own pros and cons. The best WordPress membership plugin for your site depends on your specific needs and goals.
Here are some questions to ask yourself before choosing a WordPress membership plugin:
- What kind of content do you want to offer to your members?
- How many membership levels do you want to create?
- How do you want to charge your members?
- What payment gateways do you want to use?
- What email marketing services do you want to integrate with?
- What additional features do you need for your membership site?
Based on these questions, you can narrow down your options and compare the features, pricing, and support of the plugins that meet your criteria.
To help you further, here are some general recommendations based on different scenarios:
- If you are looking for an easy-to-use and feature-rich WordPress membership plugin, then MemberPress is a great choice.
- If you are looking for a flexible and customizable WordPress membership plugin, then Paid Memberships Pro is a great choice.
- If you are looking for a simple and lightweight WordPress membership plugin, then Paid Member Subscriptions is a great choice.
- If you are looking for a WordPress membership plugin that works with WooCommerce, then WooCommerce Memberships is a great choice.
- If you are looking for a WordPress membership plugin that works with LearnDash, then LearnDash is a great choice.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped you compare some of the best WordPress membership plugins and find the one that suits your needs and budget.
Creating a membership site with WordPress can be a rewarding and profitable venture if done right. With the right WordPress membership plugin, you can turn your website into a powerful membership platform that offers value to your users and generates revenue for you.
