If you are thinking of launching a membership site, relax while taking a cup of coffee. (or beer). I have done the hard work for you and found the Best WordPress membership plugins in 2025.

It is not a secret that membership sites are the most profitable…

The number of membership plugins is increasing dramatically and the competition is optimum.

Most businesses would like to start a membership site but do not know how to do it.

If you are looking to create a course, these are the Best Online Course platforms that you should consider.

Before choosing any of these plugins, I have divided them to make the process of choosing the best one for your needs very easy.

You will be able to choose which one will cater to all your needs.

The eLearning market is projected to grow globally to $240 billion in 2022.

That number has grown dramatically since it was $46 Billion in 2018 alone. It’s time to jump in!

Before choosing any plug-in, Measure Your Ideas.

All plugins are different and do not do the same functions.

If you ask me what is best for you I cannot give you a straight answer. Does the plug-in meet your needs?

I know most people would like to go for the cheapest plugin or even a FREE plugin if there was one to launch their product.

Is your business not worth the price?

If a plugin does not carry out your goal, there is no point in purchasing it.

I better go for the most expensive but of the best quality.

We have made it simple for you to choose because the process can be overwhelming when you do not know where to start searching.

At times you may even end up having the wrong option that you NEVER intended.

How to Choose a Membership Plugin the Perfect Way

In my list below, I have included the most common features that you need to look into before purchasing any plugin.

Each plugin may be different and may not have the features that you want for your membership site business.

Below are the things that you will have to consider:

1. Membership Levels

At first, you may think that your idea is not working. Some may start with 1 or 2 memberships at most. My heroic Site has only two.

As time goes by, you may think to develop and have more levels as your website grows. Don`t tell me that you will buy another membership plugin. Always think of the long-term potential of your site.

2. Restrict Downloadable Content

We are very clever.

If your site does not restrict downloadable content, then you are a loser.

People will pay you, join your program, download all the content and leave you.

Some may even ask for a refund if you have one. What a mess!

3. Content Protection

Do not confuse this with restricting downloadable content.

For example, if you have 2 memberships, one may be free while the other may be paid.

You need to distinguish these two groups; they should get different content. 

Freedom Breakthrough and wealthy affiliates do that.

You have content for all members and content for premium members. (paying)

4. Affiliate Program Support

Although there are third-party plugins that may do this for you, why not find an all-inclusive for your membership site?

If you do not have an affiliate program then you are leaving a lot of money on the table.

The affiliate program will be a way to get new customers to your site.

5. Premium Support

How do you feel when you try to fix something for the day with no discovery?

It is both tiresome and annoying. It is always not easy to set something that you are unfamiliar with.

A community of experts may be needed beside you.

That is where support comes in.

If you have support through forums, email, or support tickets, life will be easy.

6. Content Drip

Aren`t you tired of talking about content Tony?
You may ask.
Content is always the king of a successful website.

No matter how beautiful your site is, people need information, not your beauty.

I found a site called Wealthy Affiliate. That site does not give all the content during the first month.

That is a brilliant idea.

Do not give everything on the first day. Give them a reason to stay.

7. E-Commerce Features

Apart from selling membership, you may also sell digital products like e-books, courses or even physical products. Most plugins only allow digital products.
Systeme.io is one of the most affordable solutions if you are a non-WordPress user.

The Best WordPress Membership Plugins

We have now covered the most important features that you will need to consider for your site.

I will also give you a breakdown of which options are available for which plugin.

Your main goal is to get the best out of your membership site.

 

 

Systeme.io is a free option available to you that will help you sell your online course without any technical skill or having to hire a designer or developer.

 

Sell your knowledge without spending a dime on creation and marketing.

 

What is included inside systeme.io?

 

• Free website builder
• Free email marketing
• Give timed access to your course via the drip feature
• Free online course builder
• Create, market, and sell your course all in the same place
• The free sales funnel builder
• Integrate your course access with payments from your sales funnels and websites

MemberPress

 

MemberPress is an easy-to-use membership plugin.

You can sell memberships as well as digital products.

One can also protect content and manage membership levels with this plugin.

What I like most is the ability of a customer to do what they like with their membership.

A customer can edit, update or even cancel their membership with only one click.

There is also a new feature that sends automatic reminders to customers.

For example, when a credit card is about to expire, the customer will be notified.

MemberPress Summary.
Price: $99/$199/Year/developer
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Restrict Downloads: YES
Content Protection: YES
Content Drip: YES
Affiliate Program: YES
Premium Support: 12 Months
eCommerce Features: NO

MemberMouse

Membermouse may be different from most.

It not only has more advanced features but also a recurring monthly payment.

The price is also affordable to starters.

The training and support are also plentiful as there are hundreds of articles and 20+ videos.

One also has the ability to sell trial memberships and accept international currencies.

Membermouse Summary
Price: $89 / $129 / $199
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Content Protection: YES
Restrict Downloads: YES
Content Drip: YES
Affiliate Program: YES
Premium Support: 12 months
eCommerce Features: YES

Magic Members

With magic members, there is a pay-per-post/ view.

You can easily limit the # of times someone can view your post or page.

You can sell reports which may force people to become members and eventually customers.

Just like many other plugins, you do not need to worry about people downloading your content at once.

Beyond the mentioned feature here are other unique features:

• Support for Coupons.
• Support for RSS Feed protection.
• Support for custom fields during registration.
• Support for reminder emails before expiration.
• Auto-responder integration.

Magic Members Summary

Price: $97, $197, $207
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Content Protection: YES
Restrict Downloads: YES
Content Drip: YES
Affiliate Program: YES
Premium Support: 12 months
eCommerce Features: YES

Zaxaa Member

Zaxaa Members is a WordPress Membership Plugin that is Free.

Stop worrying about where you will sell your product or course.

You can launch your product in mere minutes.

Here is a little breakdown.

• Drip-feed lessons and content however you want.
• Secure your content (pages and files) from unauthorized access.
• Tease users inside your membership site and upsell them to a higher-level membership or product.

Download Zaxaa Members here(Free)

38 Questions Smart Marketers Ask Themselves To 10x Their Profits(PDF)

GetResponse

GetResponse is an all-in-one online marketing platform that offers powerful tools to create, manage, and sell online courses effectively.

Known for its easy-to-use interface and robust course creation tools, GetResponse provides everything needed to build engaging educational experiences.

The platform’s pricing plan starts at $48/month for up to 500 students, including access to advanced email marketing and sales funnel tools, making it ideal for educators seeking to expand their reach and monetize their knowledge.

With a 30-day free trial, GetResponse allows users to explore all features before committing, offering flexibility and assurance.

Key features of GetResponse for online courses include:

• Drag-and-drop course builder: Quickly create interactive courses with intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
• Marketing automation: Utilize email marketing, automation workflows, and webinars to engage students effectively.
• Sales funnel integration: Build tailored sales funnels to convert prospects into paying students seamlessly.
• Advanced analytics: Track engagement, conversions, and student progress with comprehensive analytics tools.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned educator, GetResponse simplifies the process of building, promoting, and profiting from online courses.

Post Affiliate Pro

Post affiliate pro will help you manage multiple affiliate programs, track affiliate partner performance, assign commissions and issue payouts on one platform.

It comes with a 14-day risk-free trial.

Price starts at $129/month while affiliates get paid 20% monthly or yearly recurring commissions.

Official website:postaffiliatepro.com

Starting price: $129/month

Affiliate Sign-up URL: Post Affiliate Pro  affiliate program

Free Trial: Yes

Commission rate: 20% recurring lifetime commissions

 

 Restrict Content Pro

Restrict Content Pro was released back in 2013 by Pippins Plugins to make things simpler.

Additional features are discounts, promotional codes, member management and full reporting on the happenings of your membership site.

It has also the ability to show content in the excerpt.

This makes part of the content visible(including search engines) which is a teaser to attract more paying members.
Restrict Content Pro Summary
Price: $42
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Content Protection: YES
Restrict Downloads: NO
Content Drip: NO
Affiliate Program: NO
# of Payment Gateways: 3
Premium Support: YES
eCommerce Features: NO

Paid Memberships Pro

There is a Free version of this plugin but if it does not meet your needs, you may consider the pro version at a later time.

Paid Memberships Pro has almost everything that a membership site needs.

Let`s have a look at other features that you will find with this plugin.

• Auto-responder integration. Eg MailChimp, infusion soft, and likes.
• Custom content for each membership level.
• Easy to use.
• Custom menus per membership.

A lot of care was taken to develop this plugin. Jason(the creator) knew the needs of developers.
Paid Memberships Pro Summary
Price: $42
Membership Levels: 4
Content Protection: Yes
Restrict Downloads: NO
Content Drip: Yes
Affiliate Program: Yes
# of Payment Gateways: 4
Premium Support: YES
eCommerce Features: Yes

Related: The Best Email Marketing Tools

iThemes Exchange

 

iThemes Exchange was mainly meant for an eCommerce site.

The basic plugin is also FREE just like paid memberships Pro while the paid plugin is $97.

There is one thing that I like about this plug-in…

It is light meaning that it will not affect the speed of your website.

Website speed determines the ranking of your site which directly affects the number of sales that you will make.

iThemes Exchange has also many payment gate-aways like PayPal, stripe, cyber source, and authorize.net.

It has also a MailChimp add-on and a Membership add-on.

Price: $97
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Content Protection: YES
Restrict Downloads: YES
Content Drip: YES
Affiliate Program: NO
Premium Support: 1 Month
eCommerce Features: YES

 Cart66

Cart66 has all WooCommerce features.

Cart66 has a trial offer for 14 days then $95/year afterwards.

Cart66 has other amazing features…

Shipping support. If you are thinking about having a website where there will be the shipping of physical products, Cart66 will work for you.

The charge is based on the weight of your goods. (Doing it yourself can be expensive)

Buying of links. Do not try to overthink how this works.

You only send emails to your potential and current customers when they buy through your link.

Price: Free, $95
Unlimited Membership Levels: YES
Content Protection: YES
Restrict Downloads: YES
Content Drip: YES
Affiliate Program: NO
Premium Support: Yes
eCommerce Features: YES

One has also the ability to create coupon codes.

This is a way to attract customers as well as retain them.

(You can make the trial Free or cheaper than the real price) For example, The Price of a Wealthy Affiliate premium is $49 while the first month is Only $19. 

Best WordPress Membership Plugins 2025 FAQ

What Is A WordPress Membership Plugin?

A WordPress Membership Plugin Helps You Create Subscription-Based Websites By Restricting Content To Specific Users, Managing Memberships, And Offering Access Tiers.

What Features Should I Look For In A Membership Plugin?

Key Features Include Content Restriction, Payment Gateways, User Management, Integration With Email Marketing Tools, And Reporting Tools.

Which Plugin Is The Best For Beginners?

Memberpress Is Often Recommended For Beginners Due To Its Intuitive Setup And Robust Features.

Can I Use A Free Membership Plugin?

Yes, Plugins Like Paid Memberships Pro And Wp-Members Offer Free Plans, But They May Lack Advanced Features Like Automation And Detailed Analytics.

Are These Plugins Suitable For E-Learning Websites?

Yes, Plugins Like Memberpress And Learndash Are Great For Selling Courses And Managing Students On E-Learning Platforms.

What Is The Cost Of These Plugins?

Prices Vary; Some Plugins Offer Free Versions, While Premium Plans Can Range From $99 To $300+ Annually, Depending On Features.

Can I Integrate Email Marketing Tools With Membership Plugins?

Absolutely! Plugins Like Getresponse And Memberpress Provide Seamless Integration With Email Tools To Manage Communication And Automate Campaigns.

Which Plugin Is Best For Recurring Subscriptions?

Memberpress And Membermouse Are Ideal For Handling Recurring Payments With Multiple Payment Gateway Options.

Do These Plugins Support Woocommerce?

Yes, Many Plugins, Including Memberpress And Restrict Content Pro, Integrate With Woocommerce To Enhance E-Commerce Functionality.

What’s The Easiest Way To Start With A Membership Site?

Choose A Plugin That Fits Your Needs, Such As Memberpress For All-In-One Solutions Or Getresponse For Combining Membership With Email Marketing.

Install It, Configure Settings, And Start Adding Content Tiers.

ClickFunnles Vs WordPress

WordPress is Popular!

Congrats on reaching this section to get yourself a secret tool that no one wants you to hear about.

As you may probably have noticed, this website runs on WordPress and I have used Elementor Pro to Build my Home Page.

These plugins may cost you $200+ a month if you get them separately.

What if you could get all the tools in one place for one price?

This includes:

• Your Membership site
• Check out pages
• Landing pages
• Sales pages
• Autoresponder of up to 10,000 subscribers
• Website Builder

Sounds sweet? You can get all the tools here for Only $97/month.

Interesting Reading: Best Landing Page Builder Software

My Closing Comments: The Best WordPress Membership Plugins

WordPress is still growing.

As it grows, the number of developers also grows.

This makes competition high.

The number of membership plugins increases after every sunset.

Is competition good or bad?

MemberMouse, member wing-X, MembersPress, and Magic Members are receiving high ratings amongst users despite the competition.

To me,  competition is a good thing as it ensures ONLY the best products are marketed.

The best thing about competition is that every plugin is different from the others and adds new features as the market demands.

But the big question remains…

Which is the best Membership plugin for my membership site? Let me be sincere with you. 

There is no best plug-in. 

It is like asking me, “Which is the best car for me?“. 

To cut the story short, It depends on the features, complexity, and needs of your membership site

My Final Opinion & Recommendation for Best WordPress Membership Plugins

Most of you don’t want to leave WordPress.

It is one of the best platforms to create and manage content.

That is why I’m also using it to write great content for you guys.

If you want an all-in-one solution to all of your needs from Salesfunnels, membership site, affiliate program, payment processor, autoresponder, and more try out ClickFunnels.

Yes, Give Me FREE Access to ClickFunnels Now!

If you are on a tight budget get systeme.io which is Free to start.

Do you have a membership site or want to start one?

Which features are more important to you?

You can also share the plugin that you use with us.

I believe you found this article on the Best WordPress Membership Plugins 2025 helpful.

If you have also any questions about the membership plugins that we discussed, feel free to drop them in the comment thread.