This article compares the top 10 WordPress membership plugins that offer auto-renewal capabilities for creating membership sites where users pay a recurring fee to access exclusive content, courses, or communities.
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Quick Comparison
| Plugin | Auto-Renewal | Pricing | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| MemberPress | ✓ | Paid: $249 – $549/year | Unlimited membership levels, payment gateway integrations, reporting |
| MemberMouse | ✓ | Paid: $29 – $199/month | Membership levels & bundles, drip content, upsells/downsells, reporting |
| Thrive Apprentice | ✓ | Paid: $97 – $299/year | Create & sell online courses, membership levels, payment integrations |
| WishList Member | ✓ | Paid: $149.50 – $1,199.50/year | Unlimited membership levels, payment gateway integrations, reporting |
| Easy Digital Downloads | ✓ | Paid: Affordable pricing | Sell downloadable content, payment gateway integrations, reporting |
| LearnDash | ✓ | Paid: $199 – $799/year | Create & sell online courses, subscription levels, payment integrations |
| WPForms | ✓ | Paid: $39.50 – $199.50/year | Create custom forms & surveys, payment gateway integrations |
| SureMembers | ✓ | Paid: $69 – $149/year | Membership levels, payment gateway integrations, reporting |
| AccessAlly | ✓ | Paid: $99 – $129/month | Membership levels, payment gateway integrations, reporting |
| WooCommerce Memberships | ✓ | Paid: $199/year | Create membership tiers, payment gateway integrations |
The plugins offer various features like unlimited membership levels, payment gateway integrations, drip content, reporting, and the ability to create and sell online courses. Choose the one that best fits your specific needs, budget, and the level of customization required for your membership site.
1. MemberPress
MemberPress is a widely-used WordPress membership plugin with many features and add-ons. It’s considered one of the most complete membership plugins available.
Auto-Renewal Setup
MemberPress allows you to create unlimited membership levels with trial periods and payment options. You can group different levels into "Membership Groups" to define upgrade paths, which is a unique feature.
Payment Gateway Integration
The plugin integrates with major email marketing services and payment gateways like PayPal, Authorize.Net, and Stripe. It also includes a built-in Learning Management System (LMS) with all plans.
User Subscription Management
MemberPress provides detailed reports to track your membership site’s performance. It also has a "Reminders" feature to send emails for events like upcoming subscription renewals.
Reporting and Analytics
You can view membership statistics, revenue reports, and more to make informed decisions about your site.
Pricing
MemberPress offers three pricing plans:
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Basic | $249/year |
| Plus | $399/year |
| Pro | $549/year |
The Basic plan is suitable for small membership sites, while the Plus and Pro plans offer more features and support for larger sites.
Overall, MemberPress is a powerful membership plugin with auto-renewal capabilities. Its features, customization options, and integrations make it a popular choice for creating membership sites on WordPress.
2. MemberMouse
MemberMouse is a feature-rich WordPress membership plugin that allows you to create membership levels and bundles. It restricts content by posts, pages, custom post types, and categories. Additionally, it includes a widget that shows subscribers what content they have access to and what restricted content is still to come.
Auto-Renewal Setup
With MemberMouse, you can create both membership levels and bundles, giving you flexibility in managing your membership site. You can drip out your restricted content and test upsells and downsells.
Payment Gateway Integration
The plugin integrates with multiple payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. It also has an API for custom integrations.
User Subscription Management
MemberMouse provides a detailed reporting suite, displaying membership information, sales data, customer value, and more. You can view these values by day, week, month, or year, and select the start and end dates.
Pricing
MemberMouse offers three pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Builder | $29/month | For up to 5,000 members |
| Advanced | $79/month | Adds advanced reporting features |
| Premium | $199/month | For up to 100,000 members, includes integration support and telephone support |
Overall, MemberMouse is a powerful membership plugin with auto-renewal capabilities, offering a range of features and customization options for your membership site.
3. Thrive Apprentice
Thrive Apprentice is a WordPress plugin that lets you create and sell online courses and membership sites. It offers auto-renewal features to help manage your membership site.
Auto-Renewal Setup
Setting up auto-renewals with Thrive Apprentice is straightforward. You can create products and connect them to one of three external checkout systems: SendOwl, ThriveCart, or WooCommerce. This allows you to restrict access to certain content based on the purchase of a product.
Payment Gateway Integration
Thrive Apprentice integrates with multiple payment gateways:
- SendOwl
- ThriveCart
- WooCommerce
You can choose the payment gateway that suits your needs.
User Subscription Management
Thrive Apprentice provides features to manage user subscriptions:
- Create membership levels and bundles
- Drip out restricted content
- Test upsells and downsells
- Reporting engine for insights into course enrollment, completion rates, student engagement, and more
Pricing
Thrive Apprentice offers two pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone Plugin | $97/year | For 1 site |
| Thrive Suite Membership | $299/year | Includes access to all Thrive Themes plugins |
Overall, Thrive Apprentice is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create and sell online courses and membership sites. It offers auto-renewal capabilities, payment gateway integrations, and user subscription management features.
4. WishList Member
Auto-Renewal Setup
WishList Member makes it easy to set up auto-renewals for your membership site. You can create unlimited membership levels and configure automatic recurring payments. The plugin integrates with various payment gateways, simplifying the auto-renewal setup process.
Payment Gateway Integration
WishList Member supports a wide range of payment gateways, including:
| Payment Gateway | Supported |
|---|---|
| Stripe | ✓ |
| PayPal | ✓ |
| Authorize.net | ✓ |
| eWay | ✓ |
| JVZoo | ✓ |
| SamCart | ✓ |
| ThriveCart | ✓ |
| UltraCart | ✓ |
| 2Checkout | ✓ |
| ClickBank | ✓ |
| Cydec | ✓ |
This extensive list ensures you can choose the payment gateway that best suits your business needs.
User Subscription Management
WishList Member provides a comprehensive system for managing user subscriptions, allowing you to:
- Create membership levels and bundles
- Drip out restricted content
- Test upsells and downsells
- Track user engagement and progress
The plugin’s reporting engine offers insights into course enrollment, completion rates, student engagement, and more.
Pricing
WishList Member offers four pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Elite | $1,199.50/year | For 5 sites, includes all features |
| Pro | $349.50/year | For 5 sites, includes advanced features |
| Plus | $249.50/year | For 2 sites, includes standard features |
| Basic | $149.50/year | For 1 site, includes basic features |
Each plan caters to different business needs, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your requirements.
Overall, WishList Member is a powerful WordPress plugin that offers auto-renewal capabilities, payment gateway integrations, and user subscription management features, making it a suitable choice for creating and managing membership sites.
5. Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin that lets you manage downloadable content. It allows you to control access to content and enable members to download documents or learning materials based on their subscription.
Auto-Renewal Setup
The plugin supports automatic recurring payments, making it easy to set up auto-renewals for your membership site. It integrates with various payment gateways to simplify the auto-renewal process.
Payment Gateway Integration
Easy Digital Downloads supports secure payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net. This range of options allows you to choose the payment gateway that suits your business needs.
User Subscription Management
The plugin provides a system for managing user subscriptions, allowing you to:
- Create membership levels and bundles
- Drip out restricted content
- Test upsells and downsells
- Track user engagement and progress
The reporting engine offers insights into course enrollment, completion rates, student engagement, and more.
Pricing
Easy Digital Downloads offers a flexible pricing plan that caters to different business needs. The plugin is known for being affordable and competitively priced compared to other membership plugins.
Overall, Easy Digital Downloads is a reliable WordPress plugin that offers auto-renewal capabilities, payment gateway integrations, and user subscription management features, making it a suitable choice for creating and managing membership sites.
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6. LearnDash
LearnDash is a WordPress plugin designed for creating and selling online courses. While not primarily a membership plugin, it can work with plugins like MemberPress to offer course-based membership programs.
Auto-Renewal Setup
LearnDash supports auto-renewals through its subscription feature. Learners can pay a recurring fee to access course content. You can set up:
- Monthly or annual subscriptions
- Tiered subscriptions
- Free trial subscriptions
- Group subscriptions
Payment Gateway Integration
LearnDash integrates with popular payment gateways like:
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Authorize.net
This makes it easy to set up auto-renewals for your membership site.
User Subscription Management
LearnDash provides a system for managing user subscriptions, allowing you to:
- Create different subscription levels
- Track learner progress
- Offer course assessments, tests, and exams
Pricing
LearnDash offers three annual pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Single Site | $199/year | For 1 site |
| 10-Site | $399/year | For 10 sites |
| Unlimited Sites | $799/year | For unlimited sites |
All plans come with a 15-day money-back guarantee.
Overall, LearnDash is a powerful plugin for creating and selling online courses. When used with a membership plugin like MemberPress, it can offer a comprehensive membership program with auto-renewal capabilities.
7. WPForms
WPForms is a popular WordPress plugin that allows you to create custom forms and surveys. While not primarily a membership plugin, it can integrate with membership plugins like MemberPress and WishList Member to offer advanced form-building capabilities for your membership site.
Auto-Renewal Setup
WPForms doesn’t have built-in auto-renewal features. However, it can integrate with membership plugins that support auto-renewals. For example, the MemberPress WPForms integration lets you create multi-page forms and surveys with conditional logic, file uploads, calculations, and more.
Payment Gateway Integration
WPForms integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net, making it easy to set up payment forms for your membership site.
User Subscription Management
When integrated with a membership plugin, WPForms can help manage user subscriptions by creating different subscription levels, tracking user progress, and offering assessments, tests, and exams.
Pricing
WPForms offers several pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39.50/year | For 1 site |
| Plus | $99.50/year | For 5 sites |
| Pro | $199.50/year | For unlimited sites |
All plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Overall, WPForms is a powerful plugin for creating custom forms and surveys. When integrated with a membership plugin, it can offer advanced form-building capabilities for your membership program with auto-renewal support.
8. SureMembers
Auto-Renewal Setup
SureMembers simplifies the auto-renewal process for your membership site. Its user-friendly interface allows you to easily configure recurring payments, eliminating manual intervention.
Payment Gateway Integration
SureMembers integrates with popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. This integration enables flexible payment options for your members, enhancing their overall experience.
User Subscription Management
SureMembers offers comprehensive subscription management features:
- Create different subscription levels
- Track user progress
- Offer assessments, tests, and exams
Its intuitive interface streamlines managing your members’ subscriptions and content access.
Reporting and Analytics
SureMembers provides in-depth reporting and analytics, offering valuable insights into your membership site’s performance. Track:
- Sales
- Subscriptions
- Order bumps
- Cross-sells
These insights help you make informed decisions to grow your business.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $69/yr | For 1 site |
| Business | $99/yr | For 5 sites |
| Agency | $149/yr | For 10 sites |
All plans come with a 100% money-back guarantee, allowing you to try SureMembers risk-free.
SureMembers is a powerful membership plugin that simplifies building and managing a successful membership site. Its auto-renewal setup, payment gateway integration, user subscription management, and reporting and analytics capabilities make it an excellent choice for creating a membership program with ease.
9. AccessAlly
AccessAlly is a WordPress membership plugin that offers a complete solution for creating and managing membership sites.
Auto-Renewal Setup
Setting up auto-renewals with AccessAlly is straightforward. You can easily configure recurring payments, eliminating manual intervention. This ensures your membership site runs smoothly, and members’ subscriptions stay current.
Payment Gateway Integration
AccessAlly integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net. This provides flexible payment options for your members, simplifying payment, subscription, and membership level management.
User Subscription Management
AccessAlly offers comprehensive subscription management features:
- Create different subscription levels
- Track user progress
- Offer assessments, tests, and exams
- Manage member profiles and directories
The user-friendly interface streamlines managing members’ subscriptions and content access.
Reporting and Analytics
AccessAlly provides detailed reporting and analytics, offering insights into your membership site’s performance. Track sales, subscriptions, order bumps, and cross-sells to make informed decisions and grow your business.
Pricing
AccessAlly offers two pricing plans:
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $99/month | For small businesses and solopreneurs |
| Pro | $129/month | For online educators and marketers |
Both plans come with a 60-day money-back guarantee, allowing you to try AccessAlly risk-free.
AccessAlly is an excellent choice for creating a membership program with ease, thanks to its auto-renewal setup, payment gateway integration, user subscription management, and reporting and analytics capabilities.
10. WooCommerce Memberships
WooCommerce Memberships is a plugin that integrates with WooCommerce, allowing you to create membership tiers and restrict content. With this plugin, you can offer exclusive discounts, early access to products, and other perks to encourage membership and enhance customer loyalty.
Auto-Renewal Setup
Setting up auto-renewals with WooCommerce Memberships is straightforward. You can easily configure recurring payments, eliminating manual intervention. This ensures your membership site runs smoothly, and members’ subscriptions stay current.
Payment Gateway Integration
WooCommerce Memberships integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe, Authorize.net, and PayPal. This provides flexible payment options for your members, simplifying payment, subscription, and membership level management.
Pricing
WooCommerce Memberships has one plan available for $199 per year. There is no free version; it comes with only one purchase model. However, this is only for the membership features. To enhance other features like billing by subscriptions or free trials via subscriptions, you will need WooCommerce Subscriptions along with WooCommerce Memberships. Together, it will cost $398/year.
WooCommerce Memberships is a suitable choice for creating a membership program, thanks to its auto-renewal setup, payment gateway integration, and user subscription management capabilities.
Advantages and Drawbacks
When choosing a WordPress membership plugin for auto-renewals, it’s crucial to evaluate the pros and cons of each option. Here’s a summary:
MemberPress
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Limited customization |
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | No free version |
| Flexible pricing options |
MemberMouse
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Robust features | Steeper learning curve |
| Scalable | Limited free support |
| Integrates with multiple payment gateways |
Thrive Apprentice
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| User-friendly | Limited customization |
| Integrates with popular page builders | No built-in payment gateway integration |
| Free trial available |
WishList Member
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Limited customization |
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | No free version |
| Flexible pricing options |
Easy Digital Downloads
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | Limited membership features |
| Flexible pricing options | Not ideal for complex membership sites |
| Free version available |
LearnDash
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | Limited customization |
| Flexible pricing options | Not ideal for non-LMS membership sites |
| Free version available |
WPForms
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | Limited membership features |
| Flexible pricing options | Not ideal for complex membership sites |
| Free version available |
SureMembers
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Limited customization |
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | No free version |
| Flexible pricing options |
AccessAlly
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | Limited customization |
| Flexible pricing options | Not ideal for non-LMS membership sites |
| Free version available |
WooCommerce Memberships
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Integrates with popular payment gateways | Limited customization |
| Flexible pricing options | Requires WooCommerce installation |
| Free version available |
When selecting a plugin, consider your specific needs, the complexity of your membership site, and the level of customization required. Weigh the pros and cons of each plugin to make an informed decision that suits your business goals.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right WordPress membership plugin with auto-renewal features is crucial for your online business. Each plugin offers unique capabilities, so it’s important to consider your specific needs, the complexity of your membership site, and the level of customization required.
User-Friendly Options
If you’re looking for a user-friendly plugin with robust features, MemberPress or MemberMouse could be the ideal choice. These plugins are easy to set up and offer a range of options for managing your membership site.
Online Course Platforms
For online course platforms, LearnDash or Thrive Apprentice are excellent options. These plugins are designed specifically for creating and selling online courses, with features like assessments, tests, and progress tracking.
E-Commerce Focused
If you’re running an e-commerce focused membership site, WooCommerce Memberships is a great option. This plugin integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, allowing you to offer exclusive discounts, early access to products, and other perks to your members.
Evaluating Pros and Cons
When selecting a plugin, it’s essential to evaluate the pros and cons of each option. Consider factors such as pricing, customization options, and integrations with popular payment gateways. This will help ensure that the plugin meets your business needs and helps you achieve your goals.
| Plugin | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| MemberPress | Easy to use, integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options | Limited customization, no free version |
| MemberMouse | Robust features, scalable, integrates with multiple payment gateways | Steeper learning curve, limited free support |
| Thrive Apprentice | User-friendly, integrates with popular page builders, free trial available | Limited customization, no built-in payment gateway integration |
| WishList Member | Easy to use, integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options | Limited customization, no free version |
| Easy Digital Downloads | Integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options, free version available | Limited membership features, not ideal for complex membership sites |
| LearnDash | Integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options, free version available | Limited customization, not ideal for non-LMS membership sites |
| WPForms | Integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options, free version available | Limited membership features, not ideal for complex membership sites |
| SureMembers | Easy to use, integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options | Limited customization, no free version |
| AccessAlly | Integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options, free version available | Limited customization, not ideal for non-LMS membership sites |
| WooCommerce Memberships | Integrates with popular payment gateways, flexible pricing options, free version available | Limited customization, requires WooCommerce installation |
FAQs
What is the best subscription plugin for WordPress?
There are several great subscription plugins for WordPress, each with its own strengths. Some popular options include:
- MemberPress: Easy to use, with flexible pricing and integrations with major payment gateways.
- MemberMouse: Robust features, scalable, and integrates with multiple payment gateways.
- LearnDash: Ideal for creating and selling online courses, with payment gateway integrations.
The best choice depends on your specific needs, such as the complexity of your membership site and the level of customization required.
Can I use multiple membership plugins on my website?
It’s not recommended to use multiple membership plugins on the same website, as they may conflict with each other and cause functional issues. It’s better to choose one plugin that meets your requirements.
Are there free WordPress membership plugins available?
Yes, some plugins offer free versions with basic features, such as:
- Easy Digital Downloads
- Restrict Content
However, for advanced functionality, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a premium version.
How do I choose the best WordPress membership plugin for my website?
To choose the best membership plugin, consider the following factors:
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Website Needs | Evaluate your specific requirements, such as content restriction, user management, and payment processing. |
| Features | Compare the features offered by different plugins to ensure they meet your needs. |
| Pricing Plans | Review the pricing plans and choose one that fits your budget and provides the necessary features. |
| User Reviews | Read reviews from other users to understand the plugin’s performance and reliability. |
| Theme Compatibility | Ensure the plugin is compatible with your WordPress theme to avoid any conflicts or issues. |