WordPress Membership Plugin Pricing Comparison 2026

A WordPress membership plugin is a tool that restricts access to content and manages paid subscribers on your site; this article compares the main pricing models in 2026.

• MemberPress's Basic plan was priced at $399 per year for a single-site license as of August 2026.
• Paid Memberships Pro's Plus plan was priced at about $347 per year for one site as of August 2026.
• Restrict Content Pro's Starter plan was priced at about $99 per year for one site as of August 2026.
• MemberPress does not charge transaction fees on top of standard payment processor fees.

Before you upgrade to a pricier tier, make sure the checkout you already have isn't quietly losing sales, and our WooCommerce product page conversion guide walks through the changes that usually pay for the upgrade on their own.

Why Comparing License Price Alone Is Misleading

The real cost of a WordPress membership plugin includes payment processor fees, add-ons, and maintenance time, not just the annual license.

A license price is only the beginning. A membership plugin connects to Stripe or PayPal, and those processors keep a small percentage of every payment. Some plugins add their own transaction fees on top, while others stay neutral.

Add-ons, email integrations, and design templates can quickly raise the total. You should also budget for setup hours and future plugin renewals. A free plugin can still cost you money if you need a developer to customize it. Compare the entire package, not just the checkout price.

When you review WordPress membership plugin pricing comparison articles, look for details about tier limits, site counts, and upgrade paths. These factors matter more than the sticker price.

MemberPress: Mid-Range Pricing with Strong Features

MemberPress starts at $399 per year for a single site and offers unlimited memberships, course building, and no transaction fees.

MemberPress is one of the most established membership plugins. At the time of writing in August 2026, its Basic plan costs $399 per year for one site. The Plus plan costs $599 per year for two sites, and the Pro plan costs $799 per year for five sites.

These plans include payment gateway integrations, access rules, content dripping, coupons, and a built-in course builder. MemberPress does not add its own transaction fee on top of your payment processor, so your profit margin stays readable.

If you plan to sell courses and memberships together, MemberPress is a strong fit. You can also extend it with WooCommerce for physical products. See our WooCommerce product page conversion guide to improve revenue once your store is live.

Paid Memberships Pro: Free Core, Paid Extensions

Paid Memberships Pro offers a genuinely free core plugin, and paid plans begin at about $347 per year for official add-ons and support.

Paid Memberships Pro, often called PMPro, has a free core plugin that supports unlimited member levels, multiple payment gateways, and content restriction. Many small sites never need more than this free version.

To access official add-ons for email marketing, coupons, advanced reporting, or subscription delays, you need a paid plan. Plus is listed at $347 per year for one site. Professional is $694 per year for three sites, while All Access is $1,094 per year for unlimited sites.

PMPro works well with WordPress multisite, and its extensive documentation helps reduce setup costs. If you manage several subsites, review our WordPress multisite setup and management guide before you buy licensing.

Restrict Content Pro: Lowest Entry Price

Restrict Content Pro is the most affordable paid choice for a single site, with plans starting near $99 per year.

Restrict Content Pro, also called RCP, uses a simple annual license model. The Starter plan is $99 per year for one site, the Plus plan is $199 per year for three sites, the Professional plan is $399 per year for five sites, and All Access is $799 per year for unlimited sites.

RCP keeps things lightweight and gives developers a clean codebase. It connects to Stripe and PayPal and includes an onboarding wizard for quick setup. There is no free tier, but the low entry price makes it attractive for simple membership sites.

Before choosing RCP, check that the payment gateway you need is supported, because some gateway integrations require specific add-ons.

Free Membership Plugins and Hidden Costs

Free membership plugins can handle basic content restriction, but paid extensions and support costs often make them more expensive over time.

Paid Memberships Pro and Ultimate Member both offer free versions. The free product can handle memberships, restricted posts, and simple payments. However, advanced features like drip content, email automation, and custom registration fields are often sold as extensions.

A bundle of extensions can cost more than an all-in-one paid plugin. In addition, free plugins may not include priority support. When a payment flow breaks, you might wait days for a forum reply or pay a developer to find a workaround.

Calculate your setup time as part of the equation. If you need a multi-vendor directory with paid membership levels, our Dokan marketplace tutorial shows a practical route that combines membership logic with an ecommerce platform.

How to Compare Membership Plugin Pricing in 2026

Compare plugins by looking at site limits, payment gateway support, add-on costs, and total cost over three years.

Start with the number of sites you control. A one-site license is fine for a hobby blog, but a small agency needs a license that covers client work. Then look at payment gateways: Stripe and PayPal are common, but Apple Pay, Google Pay, or regional gateways may require a higher tier or paid add-on.

Next, add up the price of every extension you need. Email platform integrations are a frequent hidden cost. Automator plugins, CRM connectors, and PDF invoice tools can also change the total.

A quick comparison table for US buyers in 2026 looks like this:

Plugin	Starting price	Free version	Best for
MemberPress	$399/year	No	Courses and memberships
Paid Memberships Pro	$347/year	Yes	Flexible add-ons
Restrict Content Pro	$99/year	No	Developers and simple sites
Ultimate Member	Free	Yes	User profiles and communities

Finally, calculate the cost over three years, including renewals and expected upgrades. A $399 annual plugin costs about $1,197 before taxes, which is often cheaper than a $99 plugin plus several paid extensions.

If the setup feels overwhelming, you can ask the WpAsis WordPress team for help. Their hands-on expertise can reduce development time and avoid costly mistakes.

The WpAsis WordPress team also publishes feature breakdowns that rarely make it onto a plugin's pricing page, which is often where the real cost differences hide.