WordPress Membership Plugins Compared: 11 Top Picks for 2026
Last modified: October 18, 2026
Choosing a WordPress membership plugin comes down to what you are building. For a simple paywall, a free plugin is enough. For a paid community, online courses, or a store with recurring billing, a paid plugin earns its cost. This guide compares the plugins worth considering in 2026 and names the right pick for each type of site.
How to pick a WordPress membership plugin
Start with your goal. If you only need to lock a few posts or pages behind a login, a free plugin like Simple Membership, S2Member, or the free tier of Ultimate Member will do the job. If you sell paid memberships, recurring subscriptions, or drip-fed content, look at MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, or ARMember. If your membership is really an online course, LearnDash is built for that. Match the plugin to the job and you avoid paying for features you never use.
Four things separate these plugins in practice:
- Price and whether a free version exists. Some plugins are free at the core and charge for add-ons; others are paid only.
- Content dripping. Releasing lessons or posts on a schedule, which matters for courses and paid newsletters.
- Payment gateways. Stripe and PayPal are standard; some plugins add Authorize.net, Razorpay, Mollie, and more.
- Who it suits. Beginners, course creators, free projects, or WooCommerce stores each have a better fit than “one size fits all”.
WordPress membership plugins compared
The table below sums up price, free version, content dripping, and payment gateways for every plugin in this guide. All pricing was checked in October 2026; vendors change plans often, so confirm the current figure on the vendor page before you buy.
| Plugin | Price (checked Oct 2026) | Free version | Content dripping | Payment gateways | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberPress | From $399/yr (Launch; intro $199.50) | No | Yes (Growth plan) | Stripe, PayPal, Square, Authorize.net | All-round paid memberships and courses |
| Paid Memberships Pro | Free core; Standard $49/mo | Yes | Yes (add-on) | Stripe, PayPal, and more | Flexible, developer-friendly sites |
| Ultimate Member | Free core; Standard $276/yr | Yes | Via extension | Stripe (Pro), PayPal (extension) | User profiles and member directories |
| Simple Membership | Free (paid add-ons) | Yes | Yes | PayPal, Stripe, Braintree | A free, no-fuss paywall |
| ARMember | Free; Standard $99/yr | Yes | Yes (add-on) | 22+ gateways incl. Stripe, PayPal | Many features at a low price |
| SureMembers | From $99/yr | No | Via access groups | SureCart, WooCommerce | Astra and SureCart users |
| ProfilePress | Free; Standard $129/yr | Yes | Yes (Plus plan) | PayPal, Stripe, Razorpay, Mollie, Paystack | Registration forms and digital products |
| LearnDash | Pro $399/yr | No | Yes (lesson scheduling) | Stripe, PayPal | Online courses |
| S2Member | Free; Pro $89 one-time | Yes | Yes | PayPal (free); Stripe, Authorize.net (Pro) | Free, one-time paid option |
| Restrict Content Pro | Now in Kadence bundle, Pro $299/yr | No | Yes | Stripe, PayPal, Braintree | Content restriction inside Kadence |
| MembershipWorks | Free up to 50 accounts; paid from $35/mo | Yes | Event and directory focused | Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net | Associations, events, directories |
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| 1 |
SureMembers
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| 2 |
Profile Press
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MemberPress
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ARMember
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LearnDash
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S2Member
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Restrict Content Pro
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MembershipWorks
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Paid Memberships Pro
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Ultimate Member
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Simple Membership
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Filter between free and paid
SureMembers
SureMembers is a content restriction plugin that adds membership features to a WordPress site you have already built. Setup is quick, so you can create access groups and lock posts, pages, and whole sections without touching code.
You get customizable membership levels, member profile management, and reporting on membership and revenue trends. Automated emails keep members and admins updated, and built-in tools let members interact with each other. For payments it pairs with SureCart and WooCommerce rather than handling checkout on its own.
Best for: site owners already using the Astra and SureCart ecosystem who want simple content restriction.
Price (checked October 2026): from $99 a year, no free version.
Profile Press
ProfilePress is a WordPress membership plugin that lets you create and manage membership sites, sell digital products, and control content access. It can lock pages, posts, custom post types, categories, and even media files based on user roles or membership plans.
With built-in integration for payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, Paystack, and Mollie, ProfilePress supports one-time payments, recurring subscriptions, free trials, and custom payment plans.
It also handles user registration, login forms, user profiles, and a searchable member directory for community sites. Automated email notifications cover membership confirmations, password resets, and subscription updates, and the reporting shows revenue, member activity, and subscription trends.
Best for: sites that need strong registration and login forms alongside memberships and digital products.
Price (checked October 2026): free version available; Standard from $129 a year, content dripping on the Plus plan.
MemberPress
When you are short on time, MemberPress gets a membership site up and running quickly. Members can see pricing options clearly and receive thank-you pages after they sign up. Content access control lets you keep some content behind a paywall, with restrictions on posts, tags, and entire pages.
Content sometimes needs to be released in stages, which is called content dripping. MemberPress lets you hold back material until the right time, which suits sites that sell learning materials and online education. It is the all-round pick when you want memberships, courses, and subscriptions from one plugin.
Best for: a reliable all-in-one choice for paid memberships, courses, and subscriptions.
Price (checked October 2026): no free version; plans from $399 a year (Launch), with content dripping on the Growth plan.
ARMember
ARMember is a WordPress membership plugin built to create and manage professional membership sites without juggling multiple tools. You set up membership plans, restrict content to specific member tiers, and manage your members from a single WordPress dashboard. It suits both beginners and experienced users, with a setup process that covers the core configuration without developer knowledge.
It supports over 22 payment gateways including Stripe and PayPal, along with 62 built-in addons covering drip content, gift memberships, recurring payments, coupon codes, seasonal pricing, and social login. Content restriction is granular, so you control exactly which posts, pages, or custom post types each level can see. Members manage their own subscriptions and profiles from the frontend, and automated emails cover renewals and expirations.
Best for: getting a lot of membership features for a low price.
Price (checked October 2026): free version available; Standard from $99 a year.
LearnDash
LearnDash turns a membership site into a full online course platform. You can offer different levels of access at different price points, with a drag-and-drop course builder, quizzes, and certificates. The setup is quick to start and scales up as your program grows.
Content has to be restricted and organised into sections so each level of member sees the right material, and LearnDash handles that with lesson scheduling and video progression. Forums, certificates, and quizzes give members a sense of progress and community, which is why it is the pick when the membership is really a course.
Best for: membership sites built around online courses and training.
Price (checked October 2026): no free version; Pro from $399 a year, Elite $599 a year.
S2Member
S2Member is one of the free options on this list. There is a free framework and a paid Pro version, so you can try the features before committing. The free plugin covers content dripping, content protection, and integrations, with PayPal as the payment gateway.
The Pro version adds Stripe, PayPal Pro, and Authorize.net, plus one-step registration and checkout, unlimited membership levels, and coupon and gift codes. Support documentation is available to free users, and email support is included with Pro. It is a solid starting point when budget matters.
Best for: a free start, with a one-time payment to unlock Pro.
Price (checked October 2026): free framework; Pro from $89 as a one-time single-site license.
Restrict Content Pro
Restrict Content Pro is a specialised plugin for locking content behind membership levels, now part of the Kadence membership bundle from StellarWP. It is geared towards professional sites and can be set up quickly, with features that other plugins charge for as separate add-ons included in the one package.
Payment support covers Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree, and email support has quick response times so you can keep a paid site running if issues come up. If you already use Kadence themes and blocks, the membership tools sit alongside everything else you are using.
Best for: content restriction for sites already built on Kadence.
Price (checked October 2026): sold as part of the Kadence bundle, Pro from $299 a year.
MembershipWorks
MembershipWorks is an all-in-one membership platform, built among other things for:
- Membership managing
- Directory
- Events
- Donation
MembershipWorks has many third-party integrations to choose from, such as:
- Payment Gateways
- Accounting Software
- Emails/Newsletters
- Forums
Running your membership site with MembershipWorks gives you a large set of options that make day-to-day management straightforward. With unlimited membership levels, ratings, dates, trial periods, and upgrading and downgrading, it is a strong fit for associations and groups that run events and directories.
Best for: associations and non-profits that need events, directories, and donations in one place.
Price (checked October 2026): free for up to 50 accounts; paid plans from $35 a month.
Paid Memberships Pro
Paid Memberships Pro is a free, open-source membership plugin with a large library of add-ons. The core plugin is free and covers membership levels, content restriction, and payment gateways, so you can run a real membership site at no cost and add paid extensions only when you need them.
It works with Stripe, PayPal, and other gateways, supports recurring billing and free trials, and has add-ons for content dripping, member directories, and reporting. Because it is built to be extended, it is a favourite on developer-led projects where you want control over how everything fits together.
Best for: flexible, developer-friendly membership sites that want a free core.
Price (checked October 2026): free core; Standard (all premium add-ons and support) from $49 a month.
Ultimate Member
Ultimate Member is a free plugin focused on user profiles, registration, and member directories. The free core lets you build front-end registration and login, member profiles, and content restriction, which makes it a popular choice for community sites that do not charge at all.
When you want to take payments, the Pro plan adds Stripe and Zapier integration, and a set of extensions covers everything from social login to private messaging. It is less about selling courses and more about running a membership community with rich member profiles.
Best for: membership communities built around user profiles and directories.
Price (checked October 2026): free core; Standard from $276 a year, Pro $348 a year with Stripe.
Simple Membership
Simple Membership is a free plugin that does exactly what the name suggests. You can protect posts and pages behind a login, create unlimited access levels such as free, silver, and gold, and charge a one-time or recurring fee for each level.
Payments go through PayPal, Stripe, or Braintree, and you can offer a free trial before a subscription starts. Member management, after-login redirects, and shortcodes for login and registration forms are all built in, with premium add-ons available if you need more. It is the plugin to reach for when you want a straightforward paywall without paying for a plugin licence.
Best for: a free, no-fuss paywall on a small site.
Price (checked October 2026): free core plugin; optional premium add-ons sold separately.
Final thoughts
WordPress membership plugins cover everything from a single locked page to a full subscription business with tiered access, scheduled content, and several payment methods. Pick by the job in front of you: a free plugin to test the idea, a paid plugin once members are paying. Most of the paid tools here have a free version or a trial, so you can try the fit before you commit, and the paid plans add the gateways, dripping, and reporting a growing membership needs.
WordPress membership plugin FAQs
What is the best free WordPress membership plugin?
For a genuinely free membership plugin, Simple Membership and S2Member both let you protect content and take PayPal payments at no cost. If you want member profiles and directories as well, the free core of Ultimate Member is strong, and Paid Memberships Pro and ARMember both offer a free version you can grow out of later.
What is the best WordPress plugin for a membership site?
There is no single best plugin for every membership site. MemberPress is the safest all-round choice for paid memberships, Paid Memberships Pro suits flexible or developer-led projects, and LearnDash is the pick when your membership is really an online course. Match the plugin to the kind of site you are running rather than to a ranking.
Do I need a paid membership plugin?
Not always. If you only need to lock content behind a login and take the occasional PayPal payment, a free plugin is enough. A paid plugin is worth it once you need recurring billing, content dripping, several payment gateways, or support you can rely on when something breaks.
Which membership plugins support content dripping?
Content dripping releases lessons or posts on a schedule. MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, ARMember, ProfilePress, Simple Membership, S2Member, and LearnDash all support it, though on some plugins it is part of a higher plan or a separate add-on. Check the plan you intend to buy before you rely on it.
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