15 Best WordPress Membership Plugins for Subscription Sites (2023)

Do you want a login-based, exclusive website? It’s time to start searching for WordPress membership plugins!

A feature-rich membership plugin can help you improve lead generation and increase revenue.

In this post, we share 15 of the best WordPress membership plugins.

Let’s briefly discuss membership plugins before diving into our list.

What Is a WordPress Membership Plugin?

A WordPress membership plugin helps create login access to content. This kind of plugin makes it easy to:

• Create email lists to send customers coupons or updates
• Share free content to create a following
• Charge for content

WordPress membership plugins differ from gated content marketing. This is because gated content often only asks for email opt-ins. Meanwhile, membership plugins for WordPress usually want more information and payments.

What Can a Membership Plugin Do?

A membership plugin (or a subscription plan) can help you convert your website into a membership platform. This allows you to create subscription content or courses for your community.

You can offer different levels of membership, ranging from free to paid.

A subscription plugin also allows you to sell recurring or one-time access to digital content. This digital content could be in the form of specific posts, courses, newsletters, or an exclusive membership area.

How to Choose Between WordPress Membership Plugins

With all the WordPress membership plugins out there, how do you choose the right one?

There are 3 key areas to consider:

• Features: Determine how much you need from a login-based plugin. Do you only need the basics, or do you want to offer a full-fledged interactive experience? Of course, cost is a factor in this!
• Compatibility: Your plugin must work with your WordPress theme and other plugins. You can check if your plugin is compatible using a staging site.
• Ease of Use: Be sure it’s easy for your team and customers to use.

Bearing these in mind, here are 15 of our favorite WordPress membership plugins.

1. MemberPress
2. Thrive Apprentice
3. OptinMonster
4. MemberMouse
5. Wishlist Member
6. WooCommerce Memberships
7. Restrict Content Pro
8. aMember Pro
9. S2Member
10. Paid Memberships Pro
11. WP-Members
12. ARMember
13. MagicMembers
14. LearnDash
15. bbPress

1. MemberPress

MemberPress is an all-in-one WP login-based plugin. It streamlines building fully-featured WordPress membership sites.

You can create an unlimited number of customizable memberships.

It pairs with plugins like bbPress to encourage users to interact in forums. This could help you create a thriving community.

You can put members in groups and control upgrade paths. The plugin also lets you create dynamic pricing pages.

MemberPress also gives you control over coupons and payments. It supports payment processing options like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.

MemberPress Features

• Integrates with Mailchimp, Constant Contact, GetResponse, Easy Affiliate, and more
• Includes content dripping
• Content restriction rules, including access end dates
• Powerful learning management system (LMS) features for online courses
• Customizable checkout

MemberPress Pricing

• Basic: $179.50 per year
• Plus: $299.50 per year
• Pro: $399.50 per year

Get started with MemberPress today!

2. Thrive Apprentice

Thrive Apprentice is a powerful plugin for WordPress that allows you to easily create and manage online courses, training programs, and membership sites.

With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can create professional-looking content without any technical skills.

Thrive Apprentice Features

• Allows you to easily manage and track the progress of your students
• Create interactive quizzes to test your students’ knowledge
• Reward your students with customizable certificates upon completion of their course
• Accept payments for your courses and membership sites directly on your site

Thrive Apprentice Pricing

Thrive Apprentice is available for $149/year. You can also buy Thrive Apprentice as part of the Thrive Suite for $299/year for use on up to 5 sites. Thrive Suite includes 9 WordPress plugins you can use to build your online business.

3. OptinMonster

OptinMonster is a premium WordPress plugin and the world’s #1 conversion toolkit.

Using a WordPress membership plugin or a WordPress subscription plugin is excellent, but only if you have members. That’s where OptinMonster comes in.

While OptinMonster isn’t a login plugin, it can help get more users to your membership site.

For example, check out how Expat.com grows by 30,000 members monthly using OptinMonster.

You can use OptinMonster to create conversion campaigns. With so many campaign types, you aren’t limited to 1 approach. It lets you add Exit-Intent® popups, Slide-In boxes, Content Lockers, and other campaigns. Each increases conversions.

We also have tons of templates and a drag-and-drop visual builder. You can make your membership site your own in a matter of minutes.

Segmentation and targeting control when, where, and to whom your ads appear.

It’s no wonder over 1,000,000 websites use OptinMonster!

OptinMonster Features

• Many campaign types to get you more members
• Over 50 pre-made templates that work across desktop, tablet, and mobile devices
• Most powerful targeting and trigger options than any other software on the market
• Native integrations with dozens of email providers
• Detailed analytics reporting

OptinMonster Pricing

• Basic: $9 per month
• Plus: $19 per month
• Pro: $29 per month
• Growth: $49 per month

Get Started With OptinMonster Today!

4. MemberMouse

MemberMouse is one of the most powerful, customizable, and scalable WordPress membership plugins on the market today. Its advanced features are designed to help you maximize profits and grow your business.

You can use MemberMouse to protect content, collect payments, and manage members. Plus, their SmartTag™ features make it easy to create personalized experiences for your members.

MemberMouse has key integrations with many of the other tools you might want to use for your membership, like bbPress, ActiveCampaign, Clickbank, and more.

You can sell memberships, subscriptions, and even standalone products with MemberMouse. Plus, with their robust content protection features, you have full control over how, when, and where your customers can access the content they’ve paid for.

Speaking of payments, MemberMouse supports most of the major payment processors in use today: Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, Braintree, Sticky.io, and ClickBank.

MemberMouse Features:

• Dynamic Content Protection with SmartTags™
• Advanced Reporting Suite
• 1-Click Purchase Links
• Create Free & Paid Trials
• Automatic Overdue Payment Handling
• Integrates with MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Drip, AWeber, GerResponse, iDevAffiliate, SegMetrics, Zapier, and more!
• Drip Content Scheduling

MemberMouse Pricing:

• Basic: $199.50 per year
• Plus: $299.50 per year
• Pro: $399.50 per year

Click here to get started with MemberMouse today.

5. Wishlist Member

WishList Member is all about customization. This plugin should work with most WP plugins, themes, and page builders. It also lets you set up trigger actions to increase efficiency.

If you want an LMS, exclusive community, or private site, WishList Member can help.

If there’s a problem with this platform, it’s that there are too many options! You can do a lot of things with WishList Member, to the point where it may get overwhelming.

WishList Features

• Tons of integrations with email marketing providers, payment gateways, and other tools
• Drip content
• Developer tools like REST API and WP template tags
• Membership statistics at a glance
• Unlimited membership levels with flexible options

WishList Pricing

• WishList Starter: Starts at only $149.50. Then it’s $299 per year after that.
• WishList Advanced: Starts at only $249.50 per year. $499 per year after that.

Click here to get started with WishList Member.

6. WooCommerce Memberships

WooCommerce Memberships lets you limit content and set up recurring or one-time payments. This program lets you have a purchasing club. This means visitors have to sign up and log in before buying.

WooCommerce Memberships Features

• Integrates with Constant Contact
• Member areas requiring invitations
• Content dripping
• Offer different membership levels
• Easy communication with members

WooCommerce Memberships Pricing

$199 per year

Click here to get started with WooCommerce Memberships.

7. Restrict Content Pro

Restrict Content Pro promises a simple setup. Then, you get robust content restrictions, premium content capabilities, and more. Restrict Content Pro offers plenty of payment options. These include Stripe, Authorize.net, and PayPal.

If you’re looking for a WordPress membership plugin for free, Restrict Content can be a good option. They also offer three paid plans, which start from $99 per year and go all the way to $249 per year.

Restrict Content Pro Features

• Unlimited number of membership levels
• Customer dashboard
• WooCommerce integration
• Membership emails
• Integrates with most payment methods

Restrict Content Pro Pricing

• Basic: Free
• 1 Site: $99 per year
• 5 Sites: $149 per year
• Unlimited: $249 per year

Get started with Restrict Content Pro right here.

8. aMember Pro

aMember is a comprehensive yet simple membership plugin for WordPress. It uses PHP, but it lets you connect with WordPress anyway.

PHP is great for many things, especially if you’ve updated to the current version. But, it may cause compatibility issues with some plugins. The code is customizable, so aMember may be best for more experienced designers.

aMember has unlimited membership levels, 200+ payment options, and more.

aMember Pro Features

• Unlimited membership levels
• Robust membership management
• Several payment integrations
• Built-in affiliate program
• Works with most WordPress themes

aMember Pro Pricing

$399/ one-time

Click here to get started with aMember.

9. S2Member

S2Member is one of the best free membership plugins for WordPress and also offers in-depth paid versions.

The pro version grants access to a comprehensive membership plugin. These features only scratch the surface:

S2Member Features

• Security features
• Compatible with several affiliate programs and caching plugins
• Subscription levels for free memberships or paid plans
• Monitoring for simultaneous logins
• Customizable pro-form templates

S2Member Pricing

• Framework: Free
• Pro Single-Site: $89 one-time fee
• Pro Unlimited-Site: $189 one-time fee

Get started with S2Member today.

10. Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro has over 100,000 sites and has been around for over 10 years.

With Paid Memberships Pro, you can have unlimited WordPress membership levels with flexible pricing. It lets you offer coupons and discount codes, drip content, and more.

You can have thousands of members, create communities, and more.

Paid Memberships Pro Features

• Can show “sneak peeks” of content
• Pay per post or view
• Personalized member homepages
• Thorough admin dashboard
• Many payment methods and gateways

Paid Memberships Pro Pricing

• Free: $0
• Standard: $247 per year
• Plus: $397 per year
• Builder: $697 per year

Click here to get started with Paid Memberships Pro.

11. WP-Members

WP-Members is a free WordPress membership plugin. You don’t need to change your current WP setup for it to work.

They have a video and user guide to walk you through installation. It has a good number of features, but since it’s free, it’s a bit lighter than some others.

WP-Members Features

• No modifications to your WordPress theme
• Custom registration and user profile fields
• Automatic post excerpt teaser content
• WooCommerce membership options
• Customizations with 120+ action and filter hooks

Wp-Members Pricing

• WP-Members: $0
• WP-Members Priority Support: $59 per year
• WP-Members Pro Bundle: $125 per year

Click here to get started with WP-Members.

12. ARMember

ARMember is a free WordPress members plugin with a range of features.

You can create unlimited membership levels, 1-click content restrictions, and more. It also has a form and signup page builder.

ARMember Features

• Create free and trial memberships
• Ability to upgrade, cancel, renew, or downgrade memberships
• Form builder
• Badges and achievements
• Pay per post option

ARMember Pricing

The base is free, but there are many add-ons. To get all add-ons at once, it’s $249, which can become expensive for many membership websites.

Click here to get started with ARMember.

13. MagicMembers

Almost 90,000 sites use MagicMembers. It’s also existed and kept maintained for over 10 years, showing its developers believe in the plugin. You can see this faith even more by its reasonable pricing; this means they want lots of people to be able to use it. The plugin has been active for 10 years and is regarded as a reliable tool by the developers. MagicMembers is also reasonably priced, encouraging more people to use it.

This membership WordPress plugin is great for selling courses and products as pay-per-views. It offers some features, too:

MagicMembers Features

• Payment gateway and autoresponder integrations
• Custom widgets
• Scheduled content delivery
• Controlled and partial content display
• Pay-per-view or post access

MagicMembers Pricing

• Single: $97 one-time payment
• 3-Site: $197 one-time payment
• Unlimited: $207 one-time payment

Click here to get started with MagicMembers.

14. LearnDash

LearnDash is the #1 LMS (learning management system). It isn’t a run-of-the-mill plugin. It lets you build a WordPress membership site for learners. Learners can be of all ages and backgrounds.

This login-based plugin is considered one of the best in the LMS industry. For instance, lets you create a distraction-free online environment. This is hard to do and essential for many learners. You also control who can access courses and for how long.

You can also set up permissions for videos, study materials, assignments, and more. Additionally, LearnDash lets you award certificates and badges, which can boost user engagement.

LearnDash Features

• One-time payment or subscription courses
• Integrates with popular payment gateways and marketing apps
• Course and group management
• Detailed reporting on enrollment, performance, and progress
• Robust LMS capacity

LearnDash Pricing

• 1 Site: $199 per year
• 10 Sites: $399 per year
• Unlimited: $799 per year

Click here to get started with LearnDash.

15. bbPress

bbPress is a free WordPress membership plugin. It is a forum software by the same team that made WordPress. This plugin requires WP users to log in. Then, you can redirect users to a custom URL.

You can add members to forums that you moderate. This allows them to have a community that shares ideas while you keep an eye out for things like hate speech.

bbPress Features

• Simple setup and installation
• Easy to moderate and clean forums
• Integrated admin area
• Create multisite forms to divide the audience
• Translated into 54 locales’ languages

bbPress Pricing

• Free

Click here to get started with bbPress.

Which Is the Best WordPress Membership Plugin?

We determined MemberPress is the best WordPress membership plugin.

MemberPress is the most comprehensive option. It has tons of features and excellent documentation and support.

That said, our favorite may not be the right one for you. That’s okay! You know your business best.

Do you want more resources? Check out these other posts:

• How to Cloak Affiliate Links in WordPress for More Sales
• 13 Benefits of Email Marketing: Why (and How) to Grow Your List
• 9 Best Push Notification Tools for WordPress (Compared)

Those articles have extra information on expanding and monetizing your WordPress site.

If you want to start with OptinMonster, check out our affordable pricing plans.

Published by Farjad Taheer

Farjad Taheer is a professional content marketer, a foodie, and a football (read Liverpool) fan. When off-screen, you will likely find Farjad in the gym, spending time with family, or hanging out with his friends.