Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress: Which Is Higher? (2022)

Planning to start out a paid membership program in your WordPress website? Struggling to decide on between Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress? You’ve come to the precise place.

Paid Memberships Pro is a freemium membership plugin that offers you all the pieces it is advisable arrange a easy membership program, reminiscent of limitless membership tiers and straightforward content material restriction. It additionally has add-ons for extra advanced choices reminiscent of creating programs and affiliate applications.

MemberPress is a premium membership plugin that makes it remarkably simple to create membership ranges, limit content material, and even construct programs on your members. All MemberPress licenses include entry to Straightforward Affiliate too.

I’ve spent the previous couple of weeks testing each of those plugins. On this information to Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress, I’ll share what I’ve discovered so you possibly can select one of the best membership plugin to suit your wants.

Let’s dive in!

Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress: Professionals and Cons

Let’s begin our comparability with the benefits and downsides of those two common WordPress membership plugins.

Paid Memberships Pro

MemberPress

Similarities and Variations

Right here’s what the professionals and cons appear like once we examine Paid Memberships Pro and MemberPress aspect by aspect:

Similarities

• Each plugins help you limit posts and pages.
• There are course-building add-ons obtainable for each plugins, with full potential to limit content material within the programs created.
• Content material dripping is feasible with each plugins.
• Each plugins may be related to both PayPal or Stripe to obtain funds.

Variations

• Paid Memberships Pro affords a free model.
• MemberPress’ settings, the membership stage editor, and particularly the course builder are simpler to make use of.
• Paid Memberships Pro is appropriate with extra cost processors, together with Authorize.internet and Braintree.
• MemberPress affords extra integrations with common advertising and marketing and enterprise growth instruments.

	Paid Memberships Pro	MemberPress
Free model	✅	❌
Ease of use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customizable member homepage	✅	✅
Content material locking for posts and pages	✅	✅
Content material locking for customized put up varieties	✅	✅
Content material locking for particular person blocks	✅	✅
Content material dripping	✅	✅
Course constructing	✅	✅
Associates program creation	✅ (solely with the paid model)	✅ (by way of Straightforward Affiliate)
Fee processors	PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.internet, Braintree, and extra	PayPal and Stripe on most plans; the Pro plan affords compatibility with Authorize.internet
Integrations	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Price	Begins at $247/yr	Begins at $179.50 for the primary yr; renews at $359/yr

Function Comparability

Now that you simply’ve obtained a common understanding of the plugins at hand, let’s check out how every plugin truly works. I’ve damaged this down into 5 sections:

I’ll offer you a primary thought of how every course of works, then decide what plugin affords one of the best built-in options.

Ease of Use/Person Interface

On this part, we’ll look into the admin interfaces of the 2 plugins. A extra intuitive person interface (UI) typically has a flatter studying curve and is simpler to navigate, particularly for much less technical customers.

Paid Memberships Pro

The 2 most vital areas of Paid Memberships Pro’s UI are the Dashboard and the Settings space.

The Dashboard supplies hyperlinks to areas the place you possibly can arrange core elements of your membership program, such because the membership ranges space and e-mail customization. You’ll additionally discover a useful set of charts exhibiting key statistics on your membership program, for instance, gross sales and signup numbers.

The Settings space is the place the work truly occurs. From right here, you possibly can modify membership ranges, create reductions, join a cost gateway, modify emails, and configure extra superior options.

You may transfer between these areas by clicking the tabs on the prime of the display screen or utilizing the related hyperlinks within the sidebar menu.

All in all, I discovered this interface considerably cumbersome to make use of. There’s no hyperlink to the membership ranges within the sidebar, all the pieces is crowded into the Settings space, and as we’ll focus on in the remainder of this text, it didn’t get a lot better after I began exploring the options.

MemberPress

MemberPress doesn’t have a central dashboard like Paid Memberships Pro. As a substitute, if you click on on MemberPress in your sidebar, you’re taken on to the web page the place you possibly can view and edit membership ranges.

MemberPress additionally has an in depth dropdown menu that may be accessed within the sidebar of your WordPress admin space. This will take you on to Memberships, Guidelines, Coupons, Programs, and different vital areas of the plugin. I like this as a result of it’s simple to entry with out having the cluttered feeling of the highest space of Paid Memberships Pro.

The Settings space can be properly streamlined, with tabs throughout the highest to navigate to varied areas. Once more, the shortage of a secondary prime menu makes the entire thing extra nice on the attention.

Total, I discovered MemberPress fairly nice to work with regardless of the shortage of a centralized dashboard. Every thing is straightforward to search out and, as we’ll see later, simple to make use of.

Creating Membership Ranges

Membership ranges are one of the crucial vital options of a membership plugin. They allow you to create member teams with totally different subscription varieties and assign totally different permissions to every stage.

Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro enables you to create limitless membership ranges with quite a lot of cost buildings, reminiscent of month-to-month and annual charges.

You may as well use the membership stage creator to arrange free trials and even perma-free memberships. Word you can’t change the cost construction of a membership stage when you’ve chosen it.

The membership editor itself is fairly easy. The primary part enables you to create a title and outline for the extent. You may as well customise the affirmation message customers obtain after they join.

The following space is the Billing Particulars space, the place you’ll see the billing choices for the cost construction chosen originally, with clear directions telling you what to enter in every info subject.

You may as well set a membership expiration date if you wish to provide limited-time memberships.

Subsequent is the Content material Settings space. Paid Memberships Pro affords full management of membership permissions from the membership stage editor. You may limit entry to complete content material classes or choose particular person posts and pages to guard.

One disappointing factor about Paid Memberships Pro is that if you wish to shield different varieties of content material, you’ll want to put in the suitable add-ons. The documentation isn’t very clear on this both, solely providing directions for the customized put up varieties add-on. I figured it out rapidly, however this might be a significant stumbling block for much less tech-savvy customers.

The opposite factor I discovered a bit unusual was the place you discover the database of membership ranges. There is no such thing as a hyperlink to it within the sidebar of the WordPress admin space. As a substitute, you need to go to Memberships > Settings > Ranges.

Regardless of this preliminary confusion, when you’ve discovered the membership stage editor, you possibly can finalize the main points of your membership ranges in simply a few minutes — perhaps a bit of longer if it is advisable work with one of many add-ons.

MemberPress

Old skool WordPress customers will discover immediately that the MemberPress membership stage editor seems to be lots just like the basic WordPress editor.

On one aspect, you’ve areas for the membership title and outline, and on the opposite aspect, you’ve the power to arrange the cost construction and publish your membership.

Additional down the web page is the Membership Choices space, the place you possibly can customise quite a lot of settings, together with how registration works, who should buy the membership, and what the value field seems to be like on the signup web page.

You may as well use this space to customise the thanks web page and welcome e-mail your prospects obtain after they join a membership.

This space is sort of simple to make use of, and I used to be significantly impressed by the choices for the value field, which make it simple to create a extremely engaging pitch on your membership stage.

The one downside of MemberPress’s system is you can’t truly edit what content material your members will achieve entry to on this space. As I’ll focus on within the subsequent part, this have to be finished by way of the Guidelines space of MemberPress.

Proscribing Content material

Now let’s see how one can create members-only content material with Paid Memberships Pro versus MemberPress.

Paid Memberships Pro

There are two methods to limit content material in Paid Memberships Pro.

The primary, as we’ve already mentioned, is to listing protected content material within the membership ranges editor. It is a nice option to shield content material that existed earlier than you arrange your membership ranges.

The opposite option to limit content material is finished instantly within the WordPress block editor if you’re creating content material. You’ll discover a Require Membership possibility throughout the sidebar, which lists all your membership ranges. You can also make the content material obtainable to as many alternative membership ranges as you want.

Any content material restricted on this manner will routinely be added to the Content material Settings for the suitable membership stage. This makes it simple to view and edit the content material your members can see at any time from the membership stage editor.

MemberPress

MemberPress permits customers to limit content material by utilizing Guidelines which are accessed by going to MemberPress > Guidelines within the WordPress dashboard.

This space lets you choose a sort of content material to guard and the circumstances individuals want to satisfy to see it. You may as well arrange a content material dripping schedule right here.

There are just a few notable issues in regards to the guidelines system. First, you’ll discover you can limit extra varieties of content material, together with product classes and particular person merchandise. MemberPress additionally enables you to limit content material to particular membership ranges, particular person members, or WordPress person roles. Plus you possibly can arrange content material dripping immediately, no add-ons required.

One other beauty of the MemberPress guidelines system is that you simply don’t need to individually toggle the content material permissions for every membership stage. You may create one rule and apply it to all membership ranges, making the content material obtainable to all members without delay.

Sadly, MemberPress doesn’t provide a option to shield content material throughout the block editor — all the pieces have to be finished by way of the Guidelines menu.

Course Constructing

Each Paid Memberships Pro and MemberPress help you construct programs and embody them in your membership plans.

Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro affords a free Programs for Membership add-on that can be utilized to create programs instantly in WordPress. The course editor makes use of the WordPress block editor as its base, with a further Classes space for organizing classes.

Sadly, the Classes space is considerably clunky to make use of, with no drag-and-drop options for straightforward reordering.

Programs for Membership can be used to combine Paid Memberships Pro with LearnDash, LifterLMS, Sensei LMS, and Tutor LMS.

For extra details about these common studying administration system (LMS) plugins, take a look at our detailed LearnDash Evaluation, LearnDash vs LifterLMS comparability, or Tutor LMS Evaluation too.

MemberPress

MemberPress affords a MemberPress Programs add-on to all customers. It makes use of a visible builder with drag-and-drop expertise to make it simple so that you can construct and manage course curriculum.

You may as well use the MemberPress Course Builder to create quizzes and arrange progress monitoring for college students to see how a lot of a course they’ve accomplished.

All in all, the MemberPress Course Builder affords a sturdy set of options to match different Studying Administration Techniques. I additionally discovered it fairly simple to make use of.

Connecting a Fee Gateway

Amassing funds from members is an important characteristic of a membership plugin, so let’s see what cost choices Paid Memberships Pro and MemberPress provide.

Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro may be related to quite a lot of cost gateways, present in Memberships > Settings > Fee Gateways & SSL. The primary cost gateways are PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.internet, and Cybersource. You may as well settle for funds by test.

Whatever the cost system you select, the setup is fairly easy, requiring just some primary account info and forex/tax fee info.

Word you can solely have one cost gateway related to Paid Memberships Pro.

MemberPress

MemberPress is appropriate with PayPal, Stripe, and offline cost, with the power to have all three cost choices obtainable on the similar time. Stripe is the simplest to arrange, solely requiring you to log into Stripe to attach it.

The one factor I dislike about establishing cost gateways by way of MemberPress is you can’t edit tax settings on this display screen. As a substitute, you need to go to Settings > Taxes to arrange tax calculations.

Function Comparability – Winner: MemberPress

On the floor, the options of those two plugins appear evenly matched. Nevertheless, digging deep into the controversy of Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress revealed that MemberPress is the superior plugin right here.

MemberPress affords extra built-in options, so that you don’t want to put in many add-ons. The plugin is mostly simpler to make use of, together with the course builder add-on.

Add-ons and Integrations

Add-ons and integrations allow you to improve your website with further options and join it with third-party instruments, so they could be a deciding issue when selecting a membership plugin.

Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro affords 31 free add-ons, plus tons of premium add-ons for paid customers (see all add-ons).

Nevertheless, many of those add-ons are for issues which are built-in options of different membership plugins, reminiscent of content material dripping and WooCommerce integration.

Different add-ons provide extra superior options and integrations, reminiscent of members-only occasions and Discord integration. The add-ons turn out to be extra vital in the event you put money into a paid plan, with issues reminiscent of a developer’s toolkit, member badges, and present memberships.

MemberPress

MemberPress affords a sturdy assortment of add-ons for issues reminiscent of course constructing, creating an associates program, and establishing present memberships. There are additionally a number of add-ons for integrating MemberPress with quite a lot of common instruments, together with Elementor, AWeber, and MonsterInsights.

The integrations obtainable fluctuate based mostly on the plan you select, with extra superior plans providing issues reminiscent of further cost gateways and developer instruments.

Add-ons and Integrations – Winner: MemberPress

MemberPress wins this class because of its potential to combine with extra common instruments for web page constructing, advertising and marketing, and buyer relationship administration.

Help and Documentation

Documentation and buyer help are each vital elements of person expertise, particularly in case you are new to membership plugins.

Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro affords a information base to everybody who creates an account on their web site, together with free customers. The articles are organized by matter and canopy quite a few elements of establishing the plugin and its varied add-ons.

Sadly, this documentation isn’t at all times simple to navigate. A number of the articles are complicated, there’s no search operate, and documentation for add-ons is saved in a separate space.

Should you don’t discover what you want within the documentation, your subsequent transfer depends upon the plan you’re utilizing. Free customers can entry restricted help by way of WordPress.org, whereas paid customers can get one-on-one on-line help by way of the Members Help Space.

MemberPress

MemberPress affords an in depth on-line MemberPress Person Handbook with dozens of articles that can assist you arrange key elements of the plugin and its many add-ons. The articles are organized by matter and written in an accessible model. There’s additionally a search operate you should use you probably have a particular query.

In case your drawback can’t be solved with the documentation, you possibly can submit a help ticket by way of MemberPress’s Help space. Tickets submitted on weekdays will sometimes obtain a response inside a few hours, with tickets submitted on weekends/holidays receiving a response on the following enterprise day.

Help and Documentation – Winner: MemberPress

MemberPress wins this class of the controversy between Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress as a result of the documentation is extra complete and simpler to make use of. It additionally guarantees to reply weekday queries inside a few hours, whereas Paid Memberships Pro doesn’t listing an anticipated response time.

Pricing

Lastly, let’s see how the pricing plans of the 2 membership plugins stack up to one another.

Paid Memberships Pro

You will get the core Paid Memberships Pro plugin without spending a dime from WordPress.org, together with entry to 31 add-ons.

There are additionally three premium Paid Memberships Pro plans that grant you entry to automated updates, premium help, and extra add-ons. Probably the most inexpensive one is the Normal plan at $247 per yr, which provides you one website license, the core plugin and add-ons, and 20 premium add-ons.

MemberPress

There are three MemberPress pricing plans. Probably the most inexpensive one is the Primary plan, which prices $179.50 within the first yr and renews at $359 per yr. This plan consists of the core plugin with one website license and add-ons for course constructing, working an associates program, and quite a few integrations.

Pricing – Winner: Paid Memberships Pro

That is one class the place Paid Memberships Pro is the clear winner. The core plugin is free, and the free add-ons offer you appreciable flexibility on your membership program. The paid model does price extra within the first yr, nevertheless it’s a full $112 per yr extra inexpensive than renewing a MemberPress Primary plan.

Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress: The Verdict

The time has come to decide on your membership plugin. However first, let’s do a recap of one of the best elements of every plugin:

• Paid Memberships Pro makes it attainable to launch your membership program, together with programs, without spending a dime. You may even limit content material as you create it. You may as well join it to quite a lot of cost gateways, together with Authorize.internet and Braintree.
• MemberPress affords streamlined, easy-to-understand processes for creating a sturdy membership program, together with a visible course builder. There are additionally dozens of integrations and add-ons, together with the Straightforward Affiliate plugin.

You also needs to contemplate the winner in every of the classes we checked out right now:

• Options: MemberPress
• Add-ons and integrations: MemberPress
• Help and documentation: MemberPress
• Pricing: Paid Memberships Pro

All in all, MemberPress wins the competitors, with easy-to-use options, quite a few add-ons and integrations, and glorious help and documentation. Nevertheless, Paid Memberships Pro is an effective alternative in the event you can’t use PayPal or Stripe or in the event you don’t have a lot of a price range to launch your membership program with.

Seize your copy of MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro right now!