AccessAlly vs Paid Memberships Pro (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Paid Memberships Pro grades higher than AccessAlly: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Paid Memberships Pro grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Paid Memberships Pro
Open-source WordPress membership plugin with managed hosting
Which one is for you
Pick AccessAlly if
- Fits if you already run a WordPress site and want courses and members on it
- Works for coaches who want their sales and CRM tool to share one list
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to host WordPress yourself, because it only runs there
- Watch out: the pricing page's figures conflict with other text on it, so check the price before you buy
- Not for you if you want a free start: the only safety net is a 14-day refund
- Tight if you want a community: it is a separate, dearer plan
Pick Paid Memberships Pro if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want paid membership with free software
- Works for developers who will add the add-ons they need
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want WordPress, because it only runs there
- Tight if you stay free: no license key, no support and no premium add-ons
- Pricey if you want managed hosting: that starts on Max at $99 a month
- Watch out: Max plans are billed per server, and Standard covers one site with no hosting
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAAccessAllyWeak | 2.4GPAPaid Memberships ProFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe pricing page lists Essentials, Pro and Community at yearly prices, but the figures conflict with other text on the page, so the cost can't be checked and sits in the middle by default. | CThe core is free but needs your own WordPress hosting, so it counts as a middle price. Standard is $49 a month and Max $99. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free. There is a 14-day money-back guarantee, which is not a trial. | BSelf-host the core plugin with 25 free add-ons and payment gateways at no cost. There is no support and no premium add-ons. |
| Features | BCourses, memberships, payments, CRM connections, a community plan, gamification and affiliates. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. | BRestricting content, payment gateways and many add-ons, with managed hosting on Max. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | DIt runs only inside a self-managed WordPress site, so you host, update and connect it yourself. | DIt runs only on WordPress, which you host, unless you pay for Max managed hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but it connects to ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Keap, Ontraport, Stripe and PayPal. | BWeb only, with Stripe, PayPal, Paystack and CCBill gateways. |
| Best for | courses and memberships on your own WordPress site | a free membership plugin for WordPress |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AccessAlly and Paid Memberships Pro. How we grade
Where they differ
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- AccessAlly also covers marketing automation, online courses and affiliate tracking.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers paid newsletters.
At a glance
| AccessAlly | Paid Memberships Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core |
| Free plan | None | Self-host the open-source PMPro platform with the core plugin, 25 free add-ons and payment gateways; no support or premium add-ons. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | AccessAlly, Inc. | Paid Memberships Pro |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | paidmembershipspro.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
AccessAlly
- It runs only inside a self-managed WordPress site.
- The pricing page lists Essentials, Pro and Community at yearly prices, but the figures conflict with other text on the page, so pricing is unverified.
- The page offers a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Paid Memberships Pro
- It runs only on WordPress; Free has no license key or support.
- Standard covers one site and does not include hosting.
- Max plans are billed per server, with the vendor saying a 100-day money-back guarantee applies.
Key features
AccessAlly
- Courses and memberships
- Build courses, memberships, downloads and coaching programs, with progress tracking on member dashboards.
- Built-in payments
- Takes payments through Stripe or PayPal, so buyers get a login right after purchase; other carts work if they tag the CRM.
- CRM connections
- Version 4.0 connects directly to ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Keap and Ontraport, or manages contacts without a CRM.
- Community plan
- The Community plan lists unlimited community groups and discussion threads, with email or web notifications.
- Gamification and affiliates
- Pages list LMS gamification, quizzes, and affiliate management among the features.
- Translations
- Ships in English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Hebrew, Portuguese and Bulgarian.
Paid Memberships Pro
- Restrict content
- Limit pages and posts to members by level, with registration, subscriptions and member emails built in.
- Payment gateways
- Gateways listed include Stripe, PayPal, Paystack, CCBill and manual payment.
- Add-ons
- 25 free add-ons come with the free plugin and 54 premium add-ons come with paid plans.
- Managed hosting on Max
- Max plans run on a dedicated server with caching, daily backups, a CDN and free migration from other platforms.
- Do It For Me credits
- Max includes 25 credits every month for custom code, add-on setup and design changes, which the vendor quotes per request.
- Use cases
- Pages cover courses, paid newsletters, private video, podcasts, member directories and communities.
Plans
AccessAlly
Pricing could not be confirmed. See accessally.com.
Paid Memberships Pro
Free$0
Open-source core plugin and 25 free add-ons that you host yourself, without support.
Standard$49
per month, billed monthly ($499 billed yearly)
1-site license with all 54 premium add-ons and support; you host the site.
Max$99
per month, billed monthly ($999 billed yearly)
Managed hosting, free migration and 25 credits a month; the page crosses out a normal price of $149.
Max 2x$299
per month, billed monthly ($2,999 billed yearly)
Twice the server and 50 credits a month, for busier sites.
Ways to pay less
AccessAlly
No public discounts listed.
Paid Memberships Pro
- Annual discount
Pay annually, save about 2 months
The pricing page lists yearly totals of $499 for Standard, $999 for Max and $2,999 for Max 2x against monthly plans of $49, $99 and $299.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, AccessAlly or Paid Memberships Pro?
As of Nov 12, 2026, AccessAlly has no price we could confirm, and Paid Memberships Pro starts at $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core.
Which has a free plan, AccessAlly or Paid Memberships Pro?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. AccessAlly does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.