A subscription plugin is a must-have if you’re running a WordPress website and looking to monetize your content or sell products regularly. Subscription plugins allow you to easily manage and process recurring payments and offer different subscription plans and options to your customers. A previous article discussed the best WordPress migration plugins. This article will review multiple WordPress subscription plugins and list the best subscription plugin for WordPress in 2023. We will discuss their features, pricing, and overall performance to help you choose the right plugin.

What Can a WordPress Membership Plugin Do?

A WordPress membership plugin allows you to create a membership system on your WordPress website, where users can sign up and pay a fee to access exclusive content or services. These plugins can create membership websites, such as online courses, community forums, and subscription-based magazines.

Here are some key features that a WordPress membership plugin might offer:

• Restrict access to certain pages, posts, or other content on your website to only paying members
• Offer different membership levels or subscription plans with different access rights and fees.
• Accept and process recurring payments from members.
• Integrate with payment gateways to accept credit cards or other types of payments
• Provide an easy-to-use dashboard for managing memberships, including adding and removing members, viewing member information, and generating reports
• Allow members to update their profile and payment information and manage their subscriptions.
• Provide integrations with email marketing tools to send newsletters or other communication to members
• Offer customizable registration and login forms to fit the design and branding of your website.

Overall, the best subscription plugin for WordPress can help you monetize your website and build a loyal community of paying members.

How To Choose The Best Subscription Plugin For WordPress?

Many subscription/membership plugins are available for WordPress, so it can be challenging to choose the best one for your needs. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a membership plugin:

• Compatibility with your theme and other plugins: Ensure the plugin is compatible with the theme and other plugins you use on your website. Some plugins may not work well with certain themes or may cause conflicts with other plugins.
• Features: Consider the features that are important to you and look for a plugin that offers them. For example, if you need integration with a specific payment gateway or email marketing tool, ensure the plugin supports it.
• Ease of use: Look for a plugin that is easy to use and set up. You want a plugin requiring little time or technical expertise to configure.
• Pricing: Compare the pricing of different plugins and choose one that fits your budget. Some plugins offer a free version with limited features, while others require a paid subscription.
• Customer support: Choose a plugin that offers good customer support in case you have any issues or questions. Look for a plugin with a strong reputation for providing timely and helpful support.
• User reviews and ratings: Read user reviews and ratings of the plugin to get a sense of how well it works and whether other users have had a good experience with it.

Considering these factors, you can choose the best membership plugin for your WordPress website.

Also Read: The Best WordPress Live Chat Plugins In 2023

Our Picks For The Top 5 Subscription Plugins For WordPress In 2023

Here are our picks for the best subscription plugin for WordPress in 2023:

MemberPress – The Best All-Round

MemberPress is a popular WordPress plugin that allows you to create and manage a membership site. This plugin allows you to easily set up subscription-based access to content, sell digital products, and manage customer accounts. 

One of the standout features of the MemberPress WordPress Plugin is its comprehensive membership management capabilities. This includes creating and managing membership levels, setting up subscription plans, and managing user access to protected content. Other standout features include the ability to create custom registration forms, integration with popular payment gateways, and the ability to track and analyze user activity. Additionally, MemberPress offers a variety of tools for managing user accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, manage user profiles, and track user engagement. 

Notable Features

The plugin offers a wide range of features to help you build and grow your membership site, including:

• Easy setup: MemberPress makes it simple to get your membership site up and running quickly. You can easily create and manage membership levels, set up subscription plans, and customize your registration and login forms.
• Content protection: MemberPress allows you to protect any type of content on your site, whether it’s a blog post, a page, or a custom post type. You can set up different access levels for different types of content, so you can offer different levels of membership to your customers.
• Digital products: In addition to subscription-based access, MemberPress also allows you to sell digital products on your site. You can easily set up your products, manage orders, and process payments through a variety of payment gateways.
• Customer management: MemberPress includes tools to help you manage your customers, including a customer dashboard, email notifications, and detailed reports on customer activity.

Pricing

MemberPress WordPress Plugin offers several pricing plans to choose from, including a free version and three paid plans. All paid plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee and include one year of support and updates.

• Free Version: This version includes basic membership management features such as the ability to create membership levels, protect content, and accept payments via PayPal.
• Basic Plan: This plan costs $149 per year and includes all the features of the free version, as well as additional features such as integration with multiple payment gateways, advanced reporting and analytics, and the ability to create custom registration forms.
• Plus Plan: This plan costs $249 per year and includes all the features of the Basic plan, as well as additional features such as drip content, integration with popular email marketing tools, and the ability to create multi-level membership sites.
• Pro Plan: This plan costs $349 per year and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as additional features such as the ability to create recurring payments, integration with popular affiliate marketing tools, and the ability to create courses and training programs.

Restrict Content Pro – Great For Membership Management

Restrict Content Pro is a powerful WordPress plugin that enables users to easily create and manage a membership site. The plugin offers a range of features designed to help users manage content access and subscriptions, including creating and managing membership levels, setting up subscription plans, and easily protecting content. Restrict Content Pro offers a variety of tools for managing user accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, manage user profiles, and track user engagement.

One of the standout features of Restrict Content Pro is its integration with popular payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. This enables users to accept payments easily and manage subscriptions on their membership site. Restrict Content Pro offers a range of reporting and analytics tools to help users track user activity and engagement on their site.

Notable Features

• Membership management: Allows users to create and manage membership levels, set up subscription plans, and restrict access to content based on membership level.
• Payment gateway integration: Supports a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.
• Custom registration forms: Allows users to create custom registration forms to collect additional information from users.
• Member management: Provides tools for managing member accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, track user activity, and view member profiles.
• Discount code support: Allows users to create and manage discount codes to offer promotions and discounts to members.
• Detailed reporting and analytics: Provides detailed reports and analytics on user activity, membership sales, and other key metrics.
• Drip content: Allows users to set up schedules for releasing content to members over time, rather than all at once.
• Affiliate integration: Integrates with popular affiliate marketing tools, allowing users to set up and manage affiliate programs for their membership site.
• Multi-site support: Supports the ability to create and manage multiple membership sites from a single dashboard.
• Support and updates: Includes one year of support and updates with all paid plans.

Pricing

Restrict Content Pro WordPress Plugin offers three pricing plans to choose from. All paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

• Personal Plan: This plan costs $99 per year and includes all the core features of Restrict Content Pro, including the ability to create membership levels, protect content, and accept payments via multiple payment gateways. It also includes one year of updates and support.
• Plus Plan: This plan costs $149 per year and includes all the features of the Personal plan, as well as additional features such as integration with popular email marketing tools, advanced reporting and analytics, and the ability to create custom registration forms. It also includes one year of updates and support.
• Professional Plan: This plan costs $249 per year and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as additional features such as recurring payments, integration with popular affiliate marketing tools, and the ability to create courses and training programs. It also includes one year of updates and support.

aMember Pro – A Feature-Rich Solution

aMember Pro WordPress Plugin is a comprehensive membership management solution for WordPress websites. Users can easily create and manage membership levels, protect content, and accept payments via multiple gateways. aMember Pro also offers a variety of tools for managing user accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, manage user profiles, and track user engagement.

One of the standout features of aMember Pro is its integration with popular email marketing tools, which allows users to easily send newsletters and email campaigns to their members. It also includes advanced reporting and analytics, which allows users to track and analyze user activity and engagement.

In addition to its membership management capabilities, aMember Pro also offers a range of tools for monetizing content, including creating recurring payments and integrating with popular affiliate marketing tools. It also includes the ability to create courses and training programs, making it a powerful solution for creating and managing online learning platforms.

Notable Features

• Membership management: aMember Pro allows users to create and manage membership levels, set up subscription plans, and control access to protected content.
• Payment processing: aMember Pro integrates with a variety of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.Net, allowing users to accept payments and subscriptions from customers.
• User management: aMember Pro includes tools for managing user accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, manage user profiles, and track user activity.
• Custom registration forms: aMember Pro allows users to create custom registration forms to collect information from new members.
• Affiliate management: aMember Pro includes tools for managing affiliates, including the ability to track affiliate referrals and commissions.
• Reports and analytics: aMember Pro provides detailed reports and analytics on membership activity, including information on new sign-ups, renewals, and cancellations.
• Integrations: aMember Pro integrates with popular email marketing tools, such as MailChimp and Aweber, as well as popular CRM systems like Salesforce.
• Security: aMember Pro includes features to secure user data and protect against fraud, including SSL encryption and fraud detection tools.

Pricing

• Free Version: This version includes basic membership management features such as the ability to create membership levels, protect content, and accept payments via PayPal.
• Standard Plan: This plan costs $179 per year and includes all the features of the free version, as well as additional features such as integration with multiple payment gateways, advanced reporting and analytics, and the ability to create custom registration forms.
• Professional Plan: This plan costs $329 per year and includes all the features of the Standard plan, as well as additional features such as drip content, integration with popular email marketing tools, and the ability to create multi-level membership sites.
• Enterprise Plan: This plan costs $579 per year and includes all the features of the Professional plan, as well as additional features such as recurring payments, integration with popular affiliate marketing tools, and the ability to create courses and training programs.

LearnDash – Best For Building Courses

LearnDash WordPress Plugin is a powerful and feature-rich plugin for creating and managing online courses and learning management systems. It offers a variety of tools and features that make it easy to create and sell courses, track student progress, and manage user accounts. Some of the standout features of LearnDash include the ability to create lessons and quizzes, customize coursework, and set up drip content. It also includes powerful reporting and analytics tools, making tracking student engagement and progress easy. LearnDash also integrates with popular WordPress plugins and themes, making it easy to customize the look and feel of your course site.

Notable Features

• Course creation and management: Allows users to create and manage courses, lessons, and quizzes.
• Learner progress tracking: Tracks and records user progress through courses and quizzes.
• Gamification: Allows users to add gamification elements to courses, such as points, badges, and certificates.
• Integration with payment gateways: Allows users to accept payments for courses and other learning materials.
• User management: Allows users to manage learner accounts, including the ability to assign courses and track progress.
• Customization options: Allows users to customize the appearance and layout of their course pages.
• Integration with popular WordPress plugins: LearnDash integrates with popular WordPress plugins such as Gravity Forms, BuddyPress, and WPForms.
• Reporting and analytics: Provides detailed analytics and reports on user activity, including course completion rates and quiz scores.
• Responsive design: LearnDash is fully responsive, meaning it looks great on all devices.

Pricing

• Personal Plan: This plan costs $159 per year and includes all the core features of LearnDash, including the ability to create courses and quizzes, track student progress, and accept payments via multiple payment gateways. It also includes one year of updates and support.
• Plus Plan: This plan costs $229 per year and includes all the features of the Personal plan, as well as additional features such as integration with popular email marketing tools, advanced reporting and analytics, and the ability to create custom registration forms. It also includes one year of updates and support.
• Pro Plan: This plan costs $369 per year and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as additional features such as recurring payments, integration with popular affiliate marketing tools, and the ability to create courses and training programs. It also includes one year of updates and support.

Paid Memberships Pro – Great For Customizations

Paid Memberships Pro is a comprehensive membership management tool that allows users to create and manage membership levels, set up subscription plans, and protect content behind a paywall. It offers a variety of features designed to make it easy to monetize a membership-based website, including integration with popular payment gateways, the ability to create custom registration forms, and advanced reporting and analytics.

One standout feature of Paid Memberships Pro is its flexibility. Users can create a wide range of membership levels, from free to premium, and customize the content and benefits associated with each level. This makes it easy to create a tailored membership experience for users, whether running a small business or a large organization.

Paid Memberships Pro also offers a variety of tools for managing user accounts, including the ability to send newsletters and email campaigns, manage user profiles, and track user engagement. These features make it easy to keep users engaged and build a loyal community of members.

Notable Features

• Membership levels: Allows users to create different membership levels and assign specific privileges or access to each level.
• Subscription plans: Allows users to create subscription plans with different pricing options and billing periods.
• Payment gateway integration: Integrates with popular payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net to accept payments.
• Custom registration forms: Allows users to create custom registration forms to collect additional information from users.
• Advanced reporting and analytics: Provides detailed reports and analytics on membership activity and revenue.
• Drip content: Allows users to drip content to users over time, allowing them to access new content on a schedule.
• Email marketing integration: Integrates with popular email marketing tools such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact.
• Multi-level membership sites: Allows users to create multi-level membership sites with different membership levels and access to content.
• Recurring payments: Allows users to set up recurring payments for subscription plans.
• Affiliate marketing integration: Integrates with popular affiliate marketing tools such as AffiliateWP.
• Courses and training programs: Allows users to create courses and training programs and track student progress.

Pricing

• Personal Plan: This plan costs $297 per year and includes all the core features of Paid Memberships Pro, including the ability to create membership levels, protect content, and accept payments via multiple payment gateways. 
• Plus Plan: This plan costs $397 per year and includes all the features of the Personal plan, as well as additional features such as integration with popular email marketing tools, advanced reporting and analytics, and the ability to create custom registration forms. 
• Professional Plan: This plan costs $797 per year and includes all the features of the Plus plan, as well as additional features such as recurring payments, integration with popular affiliate marketing tools, and the ability to create courses and training programs. 

Final Verdict – The Best Subscription Plugin For WordPress 

It’s difficult to determine the “best” subscription plugin for WordPress, as the needs of different websites and businesses can vary greatly. However, as listed above, you should consider a few popular subscription plugins for your WordPress website. From our research and observations, MemberPress is the best subscription plugin for WordPress in 2023. Considering the ease of use and features offered, MemberPress is a good all-around choice.

Ultimately, the best subscription plugin for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements. It’s a good idea to carefully research and compares different plugins’ features and pricing to find one that meets your needs.