Do you need a subscription-based website that offers members-only content? With a WordPress membership plugin, you can easily create a website that provides exclusive access to your members and subscribers.

These plugins are suitable for both beginners and pros, helping to enhance lead generation and boost revenue.

In this WordPress Wednesday, I’ll share 5 of the best WordPress membership plugins based on our thorough testing.

What Is a WordPress Membership Plugin?

A WordPress membership plugin is a tool that enables login access to members-only content. By installing a feature-rich subscription plugin, you can offer your website visitors:

• Registration and login forms
• Exclusive content
• Recurring payments
• Free trials
• Tiered membership options

Unlike gated content marketing, which typically just requires users to sign up for an email newsletter, membership plugins allow you to charge membership fees and collect more detailed subscriber information.

What Can a Membership Plugin Do?

Membership plugins transform your website into a membership platform, unlocking significant potential for increasing revenue and subscriber numbers. They offer precise control over your users’ customer journey, making them invaluable for eCommerce businesses, publishers, blogs, and online schools.

Here are some examples of how you can use WordPress subscription plugins:

• Share free content, such as blog posts, to build a following, then charge a fee for access to members-only content, like in-depth courses.
• Restrict access to digital downloads.
• Offer member subscriptions at multiple price points, including a free option or a free trial period.
• Create email lists to send customers exclusive coupon codes, updates, and upselling offers, encouraging subscribers to upgrade their membership.

In short, a subscription plugin allows you to sell recurring or one-time access to digital content, which can include specific posts, courses, newsletters, downloadable items, or an exclusive membership area.

How to Choose the Best WordPress Membership Plugin

With so many WordPress membership plugins available, how do you choose the right one? Consider these three key areas:

1. Features: Determine the level of functionality you need from a login-based plugin. Do you need basic features or a full-fledged interactive experience? Also, consider the cost.
2. Compatibility: Ensure the plugin works with your WordPress theme and other plugins. You can verify this by testing on a staging site.
3. Ease of Use: Make sure the plugin is easy for both your team and your customers to use. User-friendly plugins are especially important for beginners.

By considering these factors, you can choose a WordPress membership plugin that best suits your needs and enhances your website’s functionality.

1. MemberPress

MemberPress stands out as a leading WordPress membership plugin, renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust functionality in managing membership sites. Through MemberPress, site owners can effortlessly control content access, sell memberships, and oversee member accounts and payments directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how MemberPress operates: it enables site owners to establish various membership levels, each with its own specific rules and limitations. These include content accessibility, membership costs, and duration. Additionally, MemberPress supports drip content scheduling, allowing gradual release of content, and provides options for offering member discounts and coupons.

Key advantages of MemberPress include its intuitive interface, which simplifies the creation and administration of membership sites without requiring technical expertise. Integration with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe facilitates seamless payment collection and subscription management.

Furthermore, MemberPress offers flexibility by accommodating diverse membership site types such as content-based sites, educational platforms, and community forums. It also integrates smoothly with other WordPress plugins such as email marketing tools and forum software, enhancing its functionality.

In terms of pricing, MemberPress offers three subscription plans: Basic, Plus, and Pro. The Basic plan starts at $359 annually and includes essential features like unlimited members and content, basic payment gateway support, coupons, and member management. The Plus plan, priced at $599 per year, adds features such as affiliate program integration and multi-site support. The Pro plan, priced at $799 per year, extends these capabilities with advanced features like corporate membership sales and customizable fields. All plans include a 14-day money-back guarantee to ensure customer satisfaction.

2. Ultimate Member

Ultimate Member is a versatile WordPress plugin designed for creating and managing membership sites effortlessly. It empowers website owners to control content access, manage user profiles, registrations, and create custom user roles directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how Ultimate Member operates: It allows website owners to define custom user roles and profiles, enabling precise control over content accessibility and site features based on these roles. Users can register through customized forms, manage their profiles, and navigate site sections tailored to their permissions. Additionally, Ultimate Member integrates social media login options for streamlined user registration and login processes.

Key benefits of Ultimate Member include its adaptability across various membership site types, such as community forums, online courses, and e-commerce platforms. The plugin offers extensive customization capabilities, allowing site owners to personalize user profiles and registration forms to match their brand and design preferences.

Ultimate Member is appreciated for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible for site owners to manage membership functionalities without requiring technical skills. Integration with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe further enhances its utility by facilitating seamless payment processing and subscription management.

In terms of pricing, Ultimate Member provides a free version with basic features and several premium plans:

• The Personal plan at $249 per year supports one site.
• The Business plan at $399 per year supports up to 5 sites.
• The Ultimate plan at $599 per year offers support for an unlimited number of sites. Each plan includes access to all add-ons and comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee to ensure customer satisfaction.

3. MemberMouse

MemberMouse is a robust WordPress plugin tailored for creating and managing membership sites, subscription plans, and digital products with ease. It empowers website owners to establish versatile membership options, handle recurring payments, and monitor member interaction effectively.

Here’s how MemberMouse operates: it allows website owners to set up distinct membership levels and subscription plans. Users can enroll in memberships to access exclusive content, courses, and digital products. The plugin incorporates advanced features like drip content release, upsells, and downsells to enhance user engagement and maximize revenue potential.

MemberMouse excels in managing recurring payments and subscription plans. It supports popular payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe for seamless payment processing and subscription management. Additionally, the plugin offers comprehensive reporting and analytics tools to track member engagement and revenue metrics.

The benefits of MemberMouse are manifold. Firstly, it offers exceptional flexibility by enabling website owners to create diverse membership options, including free trials, paid memberships, and hybrid models. Features like one-click upsells and downsells further optimize revenue generation and user engagement.

Secondly, MemberMouse integrates seamlessly with various third-party tools such as email marketing platforms, affiliate management systems, and additional payment gateways. This integration enhances workflow efficiency and facilitates a cohesive user experience for members.

In terms of pricing, MemberMouse offers three subscription plans:

• The Starter plan is priced at $199.50 per month, supporting core features and accommodating up to 1,000 members.
• The Advanced plan costs $299 per month, providing access to all core features and supporting up to 50,000 members.
• The Premium plan is priced at $399 per month, offering unlimited member support, priority customer support, and full access to all core features.

Each plan includes robust features tailored to meet varying business needs, ensuring scalability and performance for membership sites.

4. Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro is a robust WordPress plugin designed to facilitate the creation and management of membership sites with ease. It empowers website owners to offer various membership levels, control content access, and manage payments and subscriptions directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how Paid Memberships Pro functions: it allows website owners to establish multiple membership levels, each with customizable rules and restrictions. These include content accessibility, membership pricing, duration, and more. The plugin supports recurring payments and enables the provision of discounts and coupons to enhance membership engagement.

The benefits of Paid Memberships Pro are substantial. Firstly, it offers remarkable flexibility, accommodating different types of membership sites such as content-focused platforms, educational portals, and community forums. Seamless integration with leading payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe facilitates effortless payment collection and subscription management.

Secondly, Paid Memberships Pro stands out for its comprehensive support ecosystem. The plugin provides extensive documentation and tutorials to assist website owners in setting up and optimizing their membership sites. Additionally, an active community forum allows users to seek advice and support from fellow users, enhancing the overall user experience.

In terms of pricing, Paid Memberships Pro offers both free and premium plans:

• The Plus plan costs $397 per year, providing access to all add-ons and support for one site.
• The Builder plan is priced at $697 per year, offering access to all add-ons and support for an unlimited number of sites.

Both premium plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring confidence in the investment. Paid Memberships Pro’s feature-rich offerings and robust support make it a valuable tool for website owners looking to monetize content and build thriving membership communities.

5. Restrict Content Pro

Restrict Content Pro is a WordPress membership plugin designed to empower website owners with the tools to manage membership sites effectively. It enables users to restrict access to content, sell memberships, and handle payments and subscriptions directly from the WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how Restrict Content Pro operates: it allows website owners to create multiple membership levels, each with its own specific rules and restrictions. These can include content accessibility, membership pricing, duration, and more. The plugin supports recurring payments and facilitates the distribution of coupons and discounts to enhance member retention.

The benefits of Restrict Content Pro are compelling. Firstly, it boasts an intuitive interface that simplifies the process of setting up and managing membership sites, requiring no technical expertise or coding skills. Seamless integration with popular payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe ensures smooth payment processing and subscription management.

Secondly, Restrict Content Pro offers notable flexibility. It accommodates various types of membership sites, such as content-focused platforms, educational portals, and online communities. The plugin also supports integration with other WordPress plugins, enabling enhanced functionality with tools like email marketing platforms and forum software.

In terms of pricing, Restrict Content Pro provides several subscription plans:

• The Pro plan costs $99 per year and includes essential features like payment gateways, coupons, and member management for one site.
• The 5 Sites plan is priced at $199 per year, extending features to include content dripping and support for multiple sites.
• The Ultimate plan, priced at $249 per year, encompasses all features of the 5 Sites plan, along with priority support and access to all add-ons.

All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, ensuring customer satisfaction. Restrict Content Pro’s user-friendly interface, flexibility in membership site creation, and robust integration capabilities make it a preferred choice for website owners seeking to monetize content and manage memberships efficiently.