What is a Membership Plugin and Why You Need One
A membership plugin is a tool that enables you to create a membership website on WordPress without complex coding. A membership site allows you to generate recurring revenue by selling exclusive content — online courses, video tutorials, member-only articles, or downloadable resources — to paying subscribers.
Problems membership plugins solve: protecting content access, collecting payments through multiple gateways, implementing drip-feed content (releasing content gradually), managing subscribers, setting tiered pricing, and automating subscription renewals. All of this happens within your WordPress dashboard without expensive development costs.
Membership is the fastest-growing revenue model: 2026 statistics show the digital membership market growing over 23% annually, making it a sustainable revenue opportunity for writers, educators, and experts.
The main differences between membership plugins lie in ease of setup, available features, support level, and pricing. This article compares the three most popular: MemberPress, s2Member, and Restrict Content Pro (RCP) to help you choose the best fit for your site.
MemberPress — The Easiest Choice for Beginners
MemberPress is the most popular membership plugin on the market, with an extremely user-friendly interface requiring no coding. Even complete beginners can build a membership site in under 30 minutes using MemberPress.
Key Features of MemberPress
- Drag-and-drop Page Builder: Create membership pages with drag-and-drop, no coding required
- Multiple Payment Gateways: Stripe, PayPal, 2Checkout, Authorize.net — choose your preferred payment method
- Unlimited Membership Levels: Create as many membership tiers as needed — Free, Silver, Gold, Platinum
- Drip Content Support: Release content gradually to keep members engaged
- WooCommerce Integration: Sell physical products alongside memberships seamlessly
- Email Automation: Send welcome, renewal reminder, and cancellation emails automatically
- Content Protection: Hide member-only articles from non-members
- Coupon & Discount Management: Create discount codes for members
MemberPress Pricing & Plans
MemberPress offers three packages: Basic ($99.50/year) for a single site, Plus ($199.50/year) for 3 sites, or Pro ($299.50/year) for unlimited sites with Marketplace Extensions for building online marketplaces.
s2Member — The Flexible and Free-to-Start Option
s2Member provides both a free version (s2Member Free) and paid upgrade option (s2Member Pro) for advanced features. If you have basic coding knowledge, s2Member offers excellent flexibility.
Key Features of s2Member
- Free Version Available: s2Member Free includes core features — test it before upgrading
- Role & Capability Management: Advanced control over member permissions and access levels
- Powerful Shortcodes: Use [s2If] shortcodes to display/hide content conditionally
- Free & Paid Subscriptions: Support both free and paid membership levels simultaneously
- Advanced Drip Content: Set up sophisticated content release schedules
- Front-end Profile Page: Members can edit their own profiles
- Stripe & PayPal Integration: Support for major gateways in Pro Edition
s2Member Pricing & Plans
s2Member Free is permanently free with core functionality. s2Member Pro starts at $99/year with support for Stripe, PayPal, Google Wallet and more. Check s2member.com for current pricing as it may change.
Restrict Content Pro (RCP) — The Stable and Trusted Choice
RCP has a long history and is known for stability and reliability. It offers comprehensive features and gateway support, making it ideal for those who want detailed control and don't want to compromise on quality.
Key Features of RCP
- Flexible Membership Levels: Create unlimited membership tiers with different benefits
- Advanced Restriction: Restrict articles, categories, files, and content with granular control
- Recurring Payments: Support recurring billing for automatic subscription renewals
- Free & Paid Plans: Mix free and paid membership levels
- Email Notifications: Automated welcome, renewal reminder, and cancellation emails
- Referral Program: Build a referral system to let members invite friends
- Expiring Content: Set content to expire and become inaccessible after a period
- Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net: Support for all major payment gateways
RCP Pricing & Plans
RCP starts at $199.50/year for a single site. Higher pricing reflects stable, proven technology and strong support.
Comparison Table: MemberPress vs s2Member vs RCP
| Feature | MemberPress | s2Member | RCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Price | $99.50+ | Free + $99 | $199.50+ |
| Setup Ease | Very Easy | Moderate | Moderate |
| Multiple Payment Gateways | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| WooCommerce Integration | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Drip Content | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email Automation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Content Restriction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Referral Program | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Recurring Billing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Community Support | Good | Good | Good |
| Premium Support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
How to Build a Membership Site on WordPress
Regardless of which plugin you choose, the general steps for building a membership site follow this process:
Step 1: Purchase and Install the Membership Plugin
- Visit the website of MemberPress, s2Member, or RCP and select a package
- Purchase and download the plugin ZIP file
- In WordPress Admin, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Select the ZIP file and click Install Now, then Activate
Step 2: Configure Your Payment Gateway
Connect Stripe, PayPal, or your preferred payment gateway so the plugin can process payments. For example: go to MemberPress → Settings → Payments and connect your Stripe account.
Step 3: Create Membership Levels
Set up membership tiers such as Basic ($10/month), Pro ($25/month), Elite ($50/month). Specify the price, billing period, renewal method, and benefits for each tier.
Step 4: Create Landing and Checkout Pages
Build a landing page describing your content and a checkout page where members complete signup. Use the page builder or shortcodes provided by your plugin.
Step 5: Protect Your Content
Select which articles or categories require membership access. Configure so only members can view protected content using plugin settings or shortcodes.
Tip: Set up drip content to release material gradually. For example: members get Chapter 1 on day 1, Chapter 2 on day 7, Chapter 3 on day 14. This excellent strategy keeps members returning regularly.
Hosting Requirements for Membership Sites
Membership sites can run on standard shared hosting just like WordPress normally does, as long as it supports PHP and MySQL. AsiaGB Hosting with DirectAdmin fully supports all three plugins.
When to Upgrade to VPS
- When membership exceeds 1,000 active members — VPS provides better performance
- When experiencing high concurrent user traffic
- When requiring advanced backup and security measures
- When installing many plugins or custom code
Advanced Features: Content Restriction and Payment Methods
All three plugins — MemberPress, s2Member, and RCP — offer granular content restriction capabilities allowing you to protect:
- Entire Articles: Hide complete posts behind membership
- Partial Articles: Show preview/summary, restrict full content
- Categories: Restrict entire category archives
- Files: Protect downloadable PDFs and eBooks
- Videos: Protect embedded YouTube or Vimeo videos
Supported Payment Methods
All three plugins support Stripe and PayPal — the two most reliable gateways. MemberPress additionally supports 2Checkout, which offers diverse payment method options.
Warning: Check the payment fee structure of each plugin. Some charge additional transaction fees per signup. Verify the official websites for complete pricing details.
Real-World Membership Site Examples
Popular membership site uses include:
Online Courses
Create educational courses divided into chapters. Charge per course, monthly, or yearly subscription.
Newsletter & Guides
Membership site with regularly updated exclusive content. Example: "New course review every week."
B2B Membership
Small businesses sell expertise to other businesses through membership subscriptions.
Start with AsiaGB Hosting — DirectAdmin, One-Click WordPress Install
WordPress Hosting ready to support MemberPress, s2Member, and Restrict Content Pro with DirectAdmin management, 99% uptime, and SSD storage for maximum performance.
View Hosting Plans