Membership sites have exploded in 2021, with business owners creating custom member content for their customers in virtually any industry and any topic. Membership sites are poised to continue growing – the learning management system industry is expected to pass $28 billion by 2025.
If you’re looking for a way to increase your revenue and digital footprint, a membership course is a simple and effective way to do it. Although various plug-and-play platforms are on the market, some owners opt to stick with their website to host memberships through WordPress membership plugins.
Within a membership site, plugins can give users the ability to sell subscriptions, bill members, create drip content, hide content, and much more.
WordPress membership plugins provide several benefits compared to other member programs:
● You can build your membership site within your website.
● You can keep branding consistent.
● You can save money by using your hosting and website platform.
Because this is a popular, cost-effective way to manage memberships, developers have launched dozens of WordPress Membership plugin options with various price points and features. Here are the top five membership plugins for WordPress in 2021.
As one of the most popular WordPress plugins, MemberPress is a favorite among our team. Not only is it the easiest, but it also comes with surprisingly sophisticated features, including:
● Simple setup: When you install the plugin, it automatically sets up customizable pricing, login, account, and thank-you pages.
● Content Control: Provide custom access to content for content groups, and restrict access for non-paying members.
● Drip Learning Options: Open access to new content for your members over some time to keep engagement high.
● Popular Integrations: PayPal, Stripe, AWeber, MailChimp, and Amazon Web Services integrations come standard.
Pricing for MemberPress starts at $129 yearly.
This Learning Management System plugin includes advanced membership levels and helpful integrations for automation, onboarding, and payments. The best benefit of LearnDash is its simplicity– it’s easy to install, and adding new content is a breeze. Some of our favorite LearnDash features are:
● Easy Organization: Users can organize membership content into different levels or groups effortlessly. Adding restrictions for member levels is very intuitive.
● Drip Content Features: LearnDash keeps your learners engaged by dropping new content regularly–with no extra effort for you.
● Community Features Built-In: Quizzes, badges, certificates, and user profiles help learners become more involved with our members for enhanced learning.
LearnDash is best for those trying to sell online courses. Pricing starts at $159 for a single-site license.
Although not as well-known, Restrict Content Pro could easily take the crown as the best membership plugin for WordPress in 2021. Some of the best features include:
● Seamless Installation: The plugin integrates very well with the WordPress interface, making it simple to learn and build memberships for those familiar with WordPress.
● Standard Premium Integrations: Unlike other plugins that charge premium integrations, Stripe, PayPal, MailChimp, and CVS export are all built into the Restrict Content Pro.
● Top-Notch Support: With free documentation for all users and fast email support from the Restrict Content Pro team, you’ll never be left with unanswered issues.
Restrict Content Pro is affordable at $99 for a single site license with ease of use.
This plugin has been around for many years and has a large, enthusiastic user base. Although it has some incredible features, the best is that it’s free. This is an excellent option for individuals who aren’t ready to commit to a paid plan but want to test the membership site waters. Some benefits are:
● Free Base, But Pro Available: If you try this plugin and like how it functions, a pro version can level up your membership site.
● Simple Integrations: S2Member supports several of the most popular integrations, including MailChimp, bbPress, and BuddyPress.
● Free Documentation: S2Member’s site has an extensive and constantly updated knowledge base for all members, free and Pro.
Base membership is free, and the Pro version is $89 for a single site license.
Another free WordPress membership plugin, Paid Memberships Pro, includes high-level features at the base level. Some of the benefits of Paid Memberships Pro include:
● Unlimited Access Levels: Create different levels and payments for each to customize your membership.
● Discounts: Set coupon codes or deals to offer students or affiliates for your membership site.
● Payment Structures: Allow for recurring payments and payment gateways through PayPal, Stripe, and 2CheckOut.
The base plugin is free, but the premium plans that include more robust features run $297.
As WordPress experts, the Bright Vessel team can help you start and grow your membership site with WordPress Membership Plugins. Contact us today to begin sharing your knowledge with the world.
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