If you want to make money online, WordPress is the best solution. But you’ll need a membership plugin to make it happen. 

Membership plugins give your website full membership functionality so you can start and grow your business. Ideally, you’ll gain a reliable stream of income, increased industry authority, and a slew of other benefits. However, not all membership plugins are created equal. 

Depending on your goals and needs, a membership plugin can either make it easier or harder to support your business. Choosing the right one from the start is also important to avoid complications with switching platforms. 

Let’s explore how to choose the best membership plugin for your business. 

Things to consider first

Before choosing a membership plugin, start by asking yourself some questions to figure out what features you should be looking for:

• Budget. Think about your revenue goals and what price you plan to charge for your membership. Then, consider how much you want to spend on a membership plugin. Pricing typically ranges from $149-$249 a year, but be sure to consider any other hidden fees or costs. 
• Payment provider. Do you have a preferred payment provider you wish to use, such as Stripe or PayPal? Make sure that the plugin you choose is compatible. 
• Goals. Besides revenue, what other goals do you have? Do you want to build a stronger community? Perhaps you’d like to use your membership site to upsell your other products and services. 

Key features to look for in a membership plugin 

Every membership plugin has unique features. Let’s take a look at some you should consider when choosing the best plugin for you. 

Content restriction 

The goal of any membership plugin is to control access and restrict some or all of your content. Be sure your plugin can do that easily. 

You can also look at the flexibility offered for tiers. Are the tiers easy to make? Can you decide which tiers can see what content? Remember your goals and make sure they align with the plugin’s content restriction capabilities. 

Membership experience 

Many users join memberships for the valuable experience they’ll receive, so live up to their expectations with a plugin that provides a unique experience. 

For example, one specific feature could be a member dashboard. A dashboard provides a place where members can do things on their own, such as view and pay invoices and upgrade or downgrade their membership. 

User experience 

In addition to membership experience, it’s important for site owners to have a good experience, too. 

Membership plugins should not be complicated to use. Here are some specific things to look for to ensure a good user experience:

• Easy to start and set up 
• Customizable yet straightforward settings 
• Native reporting 
• Easy to restrict what you want 

Support 

Look for plugins that offer some sort of support for their product. Typically, this feature is only available in paid or premium plugins. There may also be different types of support, such as community or priority. 

Not all support functions are the same, either. Check reviews and testimonials on the WordPress Plugins page to see what others say about the support.

Billing and payments

As mentioned, if you have a preferred payment gateway, check and see what payment options the plugin offers. Stripe and PayPal are typical options. 

You may want to provide discounts or other payment arrangements as well. Look for a plugin that can offer things such as:

• Prorating 
• Coupons and discounts 
• Free trials 

Integrations 

Integrations can help your workflow, membership experience, and more. You may not need any integrations, but if you do, make sure the membership plugin can do it. Here are some common integrations to look for:

• Email marketing platforms 
• Community platforms 
• Other WordPress plugins for online courses and more 

Scalability 

The best membership plugin will help you grow and scale your business. Some ways to make sure a membership plugin can do this is by considering:

• How many members the plugin can handle without sacrificing performance 
• How much content can the plugin hold in a content library, and how does that library look and perform 
• How the pricing would change based on your future needs 

MemberDash can be the plugin for you 

Choosing the best membership plugin is crucial for the growth and success of your online business. To find the one for you, make some considerations first and take note of the key features to look for. 

If you need a flexible membership plugin, check out MemberDash. It has all the features you need to monetize your content and build a community. Try it out for yourself in the free demo!