The Paid Memberships Pro Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Paid Memberships Pro in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Paid Memberships Pro
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source WordPress membership plugin with managed hosting
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among course and community platforms, read from Paid Memberships Pro’s own pages.
Made by Paid Memberships Pro · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Paid Memberships Pro’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Paid Memberships Pro’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 26 of the 41 other course and community platforms we grade
Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) is a WordPress plugin for restricting content, registering members and taking recurring payments. The core platform is free and open-source. Paid tiers add premium add-ons and support, or hosting, migration and development credits on the vendor's Max plans.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Paid Memberships Pro, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The free version has no license key or support, Standard covers one site and no hosting, and it only runs on WordPress.
- 1
Best for a free membership plugin for WordPress
Paid Memberships Pro is an open-source WordPress membership plugin with paid support tiers and managed hosting.
- 2
Paid plans start at $49 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core.
- 3
There is a free plan
Self-host the open-source PMPro platform with the core plugin, 25 free add-ons and payment gateways; no support or premium add-ons.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Restrict content
Limit pages and posts to members by level, with registration, subscriptions and member emails built in.
- 6
Payment gateways
Gateways listed include Stripe, PayPal, Paystack, CCBill and manual payment.
- 7
Add-ons
25 free add-ons come with the free plugin and 54 premium add-ons come with paid plans.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 26 of 41
That is against the other course and community platforms we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
You could make the core of Paid Memberships Pro for yourself: paid newsletters and templates.
Paid Memberships Pro at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Paid Memberships Pro
- Category
- Courses & Communities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for a free membership plugin for WordPress
Paid Memberships Pro is an open-source WordPress membership plugin with paid support tiers and managed hosting. The free version has no license key or support, Standard covers one site and no hosting, and it only runs on WordPress.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | The 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 | B | Self-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 | B | Restricting content, payment gateways and many add-ons, with managed hosting on Max. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | D | It runs only on WordPress, which you host, unless you pay for Max managed hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with Stripe, PayPal, Paystack and CCBill gateways. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Paid Memberships Pro is for
- Fits if you run WordPress and want paid membership with free software
- Works for developers who will add the add-ons they need
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- WordPress site owners who want an open-source membership base
- Teams who would rather pay the vendor to host and build
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$49
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. Paid plans start at $49 per month for Standard (self-hosted), or a free self-hosted core.
The core is free but needs your own WordPress hosting, so it counts as a middle price.
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.
The free plan
Self-host the open-source PMPro platform with the core plugin, 25 free add-ons and payment gateways; no support or premium add-ons.
Read from paidmembershipspro.com on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on paidmembershipspro.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Open-source WordPress membership plugin with managed hosting. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, templates, paid newsletters, community.
Restricting content, payment gateways and many add-ons, with managed hosting on Max.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Paystack
- CCBill
Paid Memberships Pro is made by Paid Memberships Pro.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
26/41
Other course and community platforms it is graded above
Paid Memberships Pro's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 26 of the 41 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 35 of 41) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $49 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 17 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 7 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 42 course and community platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Paid Memberships Pro’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 9 of 41
- BFree plan and trialAbove 35 of 41
- BFeaturesAbove 27 of 41
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 41
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 6 of 41
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 39 course and community platforms. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Paid Memberships Pro is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Your call
You could make the core of Paid Memberships Pro for yourself: paid newsletters and templates.
What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $588 a year. Paid Memberships Pro is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Paid newsletters and templates: an app builder makes these well.
- It runs in a browser, which is where something home-made would run too.
What you could not
- A members' space with posts, chat and events that people keep coming back to.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Paid Memberships Pro’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
MemberPress, AccessAlly, LifterLMS, MemberSpace and Outseta
The 5 tools Paid Memberships Pro is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 1.8GPA
MemberPress
From $399/yr
WordPress plugin for paid memberships, courses and communities.
- Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. MemberPress does not.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers templates and paid newsletters.
- 1.8GPA
AccessAlly
Paid
WordPress plugin for courses, memberships and communities.
- Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. AccessAlly does not.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers paid newsletters.
- 2.2GPA
LifterLMS
Free plan · from $398/yr
WordPress LMS plugin with a free core and paid bundles.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers paid newsletters.
- LifterLMS also covers marketing automation, reports and online courses.
- 2.0GPA
MemberSpace
Free trial · from $39/mo
Add memberships and gated content to a site you already have.
- Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. MemberSpace does not, though it has a free trial.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers templates.
- 2.2GPA
Outseta
Free trial · from $37/mo
Memberships, billing, CRM, email and help desk in one platform.
- Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. Outseta does not, though it has a free trial.
- Paid Memberships Pro is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Paid Memberships Pro also covers templates and paid newsletters.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Paid Memberships Pro free?
Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan. Self-host the open-source PMPro platform with the core plugin, 25 free add-ons and payment gateways; no support or premium add-ons.
How much does Paid Memberships Pro cost?
Paid Memberships Pro lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Paid Memberships Pro work on?
Paid Memberships Pro is available on Web.
Does Paid Memberships Pro offer any discounts?
Paid Memberships Pro publicly lists the following: Pay annually, save about 2 months.
Does Paid Memberships Pro have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Paid Memberships Pro is listed for Web.
Does Paid Memberships Pro have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Paid Memberships Pro is listed for Web.
Is Paid Memberships Pro open source?
Yes. Paid Memberships Pro is open source, according to its own site.
What does Paid Memberships Pro integrate with?
Paid Memberships Pro's listing names Stripe, PayPal, Paystack and CCBill.
Who makes Paid Memberships Pro?
Paid Memberships Pro is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Paid Memberships Pro?
The closest alternatives to Paid Memberships Pro in our directory are MemberPress, AccessAlly, LifterLMS, MemberSpace and Outseta.
How does Paid Memberships Pro compare with other course and community platforms?
Paid Memberships Pro's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 26 of the 41 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 8.
Is Paid Memberships Pro good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Paid Memberships Pro C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $49 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 17 of the 36 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Paid Memberships Pro?
You could make the core of Paid Memberships Pro for yourself: paid newsletters and templates.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Paid Memberships Pro’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Paid Memberships Pro's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Paid Memberships Pro. Prices change, so check paidmembershipspro.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Paid Memberships Pro, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/paid-memberships-pro
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Paid Memberships Pro: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/paid-memberships-pro
Know someone choosing between course and community platforms?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/paid-memberships-pro/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded course and community platforms after Paid Memberships Pro, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Courses & Communities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 42 course and community platforms we grade, compared
- Circle Insider's GuideCommunity platform with courses, events, payments and branded apps2.8 GPA
- Fourthwall Insider's GuideCreator shop with merch, digital products and memberships2.8 GPA
- Simplero Insider's GuideAll-in-one platform for courses, community, email and coaching2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Paid Memberships Pro’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Paid Memberships Pro is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Paid Memberships Pro. Prices and plans change: check paidmembershipspro.com before you buy.