Flexibility is one of the reasons why WordPress is very popular. A lot of websites use WordPress as their core CMS platform because there are so many things you can do with this platform. You can create anything from a personal blog to a complex website for business using the right combination of plugins and themes.
WordPress is also great for creating membership websites, especially since there are a lot of great plugins for the job. In this article, we are going to take a look at the top 5 WordPress membership plugins and how they are used in different websites. Let’s get started, shall we?
MemberPress
MemberPress is the most popular plugin that allows you to create a membership site using WordPress. The plugin is currently being used by top sites from around the world, including Member Site Academy, a site that specializes in training businesses that want to develop their own membership sites.
MemberPress offers a lot of features that make running a membership site as easy as it gets. It is compatible with any theme you want to use, including custom themes developed specifically for your site. It also works with BBPress, so you can create a members-only community forum with premium sections.
Restrict Content Pro
As the name suggests, Restrict Content Pro or RCP is a plugin whose main function is creating members-only content sections within your site. That said, RCP can also handle membership management and offers a wide range of other features.
RCP lets you develop a complex membership site without the usual hassle of setting up parts of the site. The plugin uses a simple tag to mark premium contents, which means you don’t have to go through complicated setup to add premium posts to your site.
Similar to MemberPress, Restrict Content Pro is used by many popular sites, including Process Masterclass and Graphicfy. A popular music repository Music for Makers also use Restrict Content Pro to manage its site.
MemberMouse
MemberMouse’s main strength is its comprehensive membership layering capability. You can set different groups, levels, and layers of membership plans for a truly complex site. In fact, the features offered by this plugin let you go really deep with the way you structure your membership site for users.
Aside from membership management, MemberMouse also offers ways to lock content and sections of your site for members only. The plugin even supports upselling membership plans and better digital marketing efforts to promote your site. Easy Will Power by Rena Greenberg is one of the many websites that use MemberMouse to manage its membership site.
Magic Members
Magic Members may not be as popular as MemberPress, but the plugin is very reliable and offers all the right features for those who want to start a WordPress membership website. Blogging Wizard tested this plugin not too long ago and ended up using it as part of the site.
With a built-in download manager and easy integration with payment gateways, Magic Members is the perfect plugin for those who want to share digital assets and downloads with members. The plugin also supports multiple membership plans and works really well with a wide range of WordPress themes.
The only downside to using Magic Members is its slightly outdated user interface. If you are the kind of site owner that favors functionalities over looks, this is definitely a plugin to consider.
Paid Membership Pro
We can’t talk about top WordPress membership plugins without talking about Paid Membership Pro. This plugin is often dubbed the most popular WordPress membership plugin on the market. It offers more than just basic membership management features.
Paid Membership Pro often set the bar for membership plugins. The ability to display excerpts to non-members was one of the features that this plugin introduced first; the feature has since become a standard in many other membership plugins.
You also have plenty of advertising options. You can choose to display ads to non-members or members of a certain plan (i.e. free members), so you can really customize the user experience of different member groups with this plugin.
These features are just some of the reasons why you see top websites such as the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States using Paid Membership Pro.
Which plugin is right for your membership site? The answer to that question depends on what you’re trying to achieve and any specific requirement you may have. However, you can’t go wrong with any of these top 5 plugins powering your WordPress-based membership website.
