12 Best Wordpress Membership Plugins: Pros & Cons

By Kate Gross 23 days ago, Apps and Software

There is a variety of membership plugins on the market that are suitable for creating and managing your website. However, many options are too complicated, have limited functionality, and do not support WordPress integration, therefore more and more users are starting to look for the best WordPress membership plugin. Such plugins allow transforming your WordPress website into an online store.

Top 12 WordPress Membership Plugins

  1. MemberPress - Fully-featured membership tool
  2. OptinMonster - Cutting-edge ready-made templates
  3. WoCommerce Memberships - The best eCommerce option
  4. POWR - Integration with over 70 platforms
  5. Restrict Content - Ideal for online classes
  6. aMember - Membership management program
  7. ARMember - Provides partial access to content
  8. S2Member - A high level of flexibility
  9. MemberMouse - Best for physical products
  10. Wishlist Member - Many years on the market
  11. WP-Members - Adds automatic features to membership websites
  12. Magic Members - Adjustable elements

Now, it’s easier to create a full-featured WordPress membership website. Though effective management can be a real stumbling block, many users decide to handle all the aspects of their membership without external help. Fortunately, there are many effective WordPress plugins for building websites from scratch. You can use them to add automatic features, such as payments, emails, membership approvals, account setup, etc.

1. MemberPress – Our Choice

Full-featured membership tool
  • Allows posting content regularly
  • Protects your content
  • Effective LMS functions
  • Customizable checkout
  • Doesn’t allow selling physical goods

Verdict: MemberPress is the WordPress membership plugin for charging your users for access to content and digital products, handling membership subscriptions, etc. With it, you can quickly build a highly-functional membership website with unique features. The plugin is user-friendly and intuitive.

MemberPress stands out among the others and has an array of features that allow managing access rights. For instance, you can restrict access to some tags, posts, or pages. So, you can sell virtually any digital product or info using your full-fledged membership website.

memberpress wordpress membership plugin interface

2. OptinMonster

Cutting-edge ready-made templates
  • Several campaign types
  • More than 50 ready-made templates
  • Advanced targeting and trigger instruments
  • Integrates with email services
  • High-priced

Verdict: eCommerce platforms, marketing agencies, bloggers, as well as small and medium enterprises will benefit from using OptinMonster. It is a top-notch lead generation and conversion optimization plugin for increasing your email subscribers, generating eye-catching pop-up ads, scroll boxes, welcome mats, and other triggers to turn the visitors into loyal subscribers. You can connect OptinMonster to more than 500 marketing tools like MailChimp, Klaviyo, Infusionsoft, HubSpot, and more.

Lead generation and email list expansion are not the only advantages of this tool as it can generate personalized messages taking into account customers’ behavior. Such an approach works well for boosting engagement, conversions, and sales. Moreover, all these operations can be performed by inexperienced users who are not good at code writing. Novices will appreciate 65+ high-converting templates for designing pop-ups, welcome mats, floating announcement bars, slide-in scroll boxes, etc.

optinmonster wordpress membership plugin interface

3. WooCommerce Memberships

The best choice for eCommerce platforms
  • Constant Contact integration
  • Invite-only member areas
  • Content dripping
  • Various types of membership
  • No embedded option for adding members

Verdict: WooCommerce Membership is a top-notch WordPress subscription plugin with a myriad of useful features. Content restriction and one-time payment configuration are one of those handy options. The ability to organize a purchasing club is another advantage. It does not only turbocharge your online shop by offering membership goods but also provides numerous options for those who want to start photography business with WooCommerce.

All membership plans created using Woo Memberships plugin include content limitation and dripping as well as the possibility to restrict access to some products making them only available for subscribers. Besides, it would be a great idea to offer some products to the member at a discount price.

woocommerce wordpress membership plugin interface

4. POWR

Integration with over 70 platforms
  • Access to over 60 website applications
  • Ability to fully customize the plugin
  • Intuitive dashboard
  • Packages for all needs and budgets
  • Navigating through the layout is a bit tiresome
  • The number of ways for customizing Instagram feed is limited
powr wordpress membership plugin logo
POWR

Verdict: POWR provides access to over 60 plugins, all with no code. With their help, you can add forms and popups to the site to capture user data, chat, and job board.

What's more, each plugin is easy to customize for your task - set up dropdowns, multiple-choice, star ratings, file uploads, emoji feedback, picture choice, and more.

Integration with virtually any platform is another considerable plus. It means that you won’t have trouble embedding it on any website like Wix, Weebly, Shopify, WordPress, Squarespace, and others.

The price depends on the plugin type and starts from $5/mo. Furthermore, there is an unlimited free plan for each plugin.

powr wordpress membership plugin interface

5. Restrict Content Pro

Ideal for online classes
  • Client dashboard
  • Client dashboard
  • Integrates with WooCommerce
  • Membership emails
  • Free version with limitations
restrict content pro wordpress membership plugin logo
Restrict Content Pro

Verdict: Restrict Content Pro is a full-featured WordPress membership plugin for building a membership website or web class. Some people even use it for creating a content area for staff. It is used on many WordPress platforms, and its customer support team deserves the utmost praise.

The plugin assigns you admin rights, which allow you to configure various types of subscriptions. Whether it is a premium package with numerous top-notch features, a trial plan that lets users try your service, or a free account – all these options are at your disposal. By taking a look at a membership page, you can check the status of your subscribers: active, pending, expired, and canceled. Besides, the plugin shows what emails have been sent to clients and reveals their content.

restrict content pro wordpress membership plugin interface

6. aMember Pro

Membership management program
  • Works with existing websites
  • Embeds a WordPress page into a website
  • Optimized for e-commerce use
  • Integrated client service
  • No tools for event management
amember pro wordpress membership plugin logo
aMember Pro

Verdict: aMember Pro is probably the best WordPress membership plugin for various types of blogs, forums, or online stores as it is optimized for the eCommerce field. However, this option is not a solution for local associations and non-business entities. In other cases, aMember Pro can assist various types of businesses by offering effective basic member management and an excellent e-commerce platform.

This plugin adds handy membership functions to your existing content management system. In such a way, the content published on your WordPress website receives a range of features like sign-up and membership pages, an e-commerce shop component to sell goods, different membership levels, and sponsorships.

amember pro wordpress membership plugin interface

7. ARMember

Provides partial access to content
  • Free updates
  • Different billing cycles
  • Charge per post
  • Offers a lifetime subscription
  • No live chat
  • Doesn’t have many active users
armember wordpress membership plugin logo
ARMember

Verdict: ARMember is a useful WordPress membership plugin that will come in handy to beginners and professionals alike. With it, you can quickly create and set up a membership website offering all sorts of services. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t require any coding experience. Its interface is quite intuitive, which is why you will easily figure out how to build a membership website.

You can offer different signup methods to your clients and provide them with a choice of payment options. This plugin allows you to set up different access levels depending on the type of membership your clients have paid for. By customizing the available templates, you can create a powerful membership site with an easy-to-navigate dashboard.

armember wordpress membership plugin interface

8. S2Member

A high level of flexibility
  • The most flexible solution
  • Allows using PayPal even in a free version
  • Comprehensive tutorials
  • Most beneficial for complex websites
  • Complicated installation
s2member wordpress membership plugin logo
S2Member

Verdict: S2Member has been available for many years, being one of the most reliable membership plugins on the market. The strong side of this plugin is its flexibility. If you need to impose some restrictions on your website and restrict the access to content for subscribers, S2Member is the best solution.

With this plugin, the creation of a membership and subscription site is a breeze. The array of options it has is truly stunning. These are a generation of membership tiers, subscription packages, a feature for charging payments, and more. The plugin is based on short codes, so it is possible to try various combinations to create complex setups.

s2member wordpress membership plugin interface

9. MemberMouse

Best for physical products
  • A checkout page with dynamic elements
  • Options for selling subscriptions and physical products
  • An array of safety features
  • Allows signing up via social media
  • Occasional lags
membermouse wordpress membership plugin logo
MemberMouse

Verdict: Nowadays, membership websites allow users to sell various types of goods and services. The plugin provides several options for your members. They can pay once and get lifetime access to a platform or purchase a subscription. Subscribers can watch restricted content and access the blocked products without trouble.

I also appreciate that MemberMouse fully integrates with any WordPress website. Of course, there are many membership applications, but WordPress is probably the best solution for building such kinds of sites. The reason for this is that the platform provides access to many stunning themes, including WordPress photography themes and plugins. These components play a significant role in building your website and extending its functionality greatly. They also simplify the styling of your page and the process of posting content.

membermouse wordpress membership plugin interface

10. Wishlist Member

Many years on the market
  • Multiple membership levels
  • Links to various shopping carts
  • Uncomplicated installation
  • Charges fees for access to posts
  • Partial WP integration
wishlist member wordpress membership plugin logo
Wishlist Member

Verdict: Many users consider Wishlist Member the best WordPress membership plugin, as it has all the necessary features for building fully-featured membership online platforms. Limitless membership levels and unrestricted members are the most appealing features. Besides, it is possible to create free, trial, or paid packages without problems. The ability to assign many membership levels at once is what brings this plugin to the top.

With Wishlist Member, configuring what type of content is blocked or free is easy. You can set restrictions on visiting some pages, viewing posts, or browsing a specific category if the overall page protection is not required. Another handy option is a secure RSS feed that will let your members view the content on your website using an RSS reader.

wishlist member wordpress membership plugin interface

11. WP-Members

Adds automatic features to membership websites
  • Custom subscription plans
  • Content dripping
  • Installation and configuration are trouble-free
  • Secure digital downloads
  • The free version has limited functionality
wp-members wordpress membership plugin logo
WP-Members

Verdict: With WP-Member, even novices can create fully-featured membership sites. Private blogs, forums, and websites with exclusive content – you can build all these sites using one plugin. With an array of automatic options for charging payments, sending emails, and configuring an account, the management of your page won’t cause any difficulties.

Another argument in favor of this plugin is a user-friendly and clear installation procedure that does not take much time. The management of your WordPress membership webpage is further simplified with a special interactive dashboard. Besides, WP-Member automatizes all the processes keeping you from performing routine tasks and allowing you to focus on more important aspects.

wp-members wordpress membership plugin interface

12. Magic Members

Adjustable elements
  • Personalized widgets
  • Publishes content on a schedule
  • Allows managing content display
  • Pay per view or post access
  • Only one-time payment option
magic members wordpress membership plugin logo
Magic Members

Verdict: Magic Members is a user-friendly but powerful plugin with straightforward performance. Since the time of its creation in 2009, the plugin extended its functionality greatly. It features an intuitive dashboard that allows controlling every component of your membership website. Besides, you do need to be an expert in coding as these skills are not required.

Extensive and seamless integration with third-party services is another strong point of the plugin. Magic Members has an abundance of user-friendly and cutting-edge features, which are available at a moderate price. All these functions will simplify the creation, launch, and management of your membership website.

magic members wordpress membership plugin interface
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