6 Best MemberPress Alternatives for Course Creators

MemberPress is a WordPress membership and LMS plugin that allows you to control access to specific content through a paywall. It is a WordPress plugin that turns your business or content site into a membership page.

Whether you are a new entrepreneur considering MemberPress or an existing user looking for alternatives, this article will explore different solutions to help you find the perfect online course or membership site adapted to your needs.

What Is MemberPress?

MemberPress is a WordPress plugin designed to create and manage membership subscriptions, content access rules, and digital products. This plugin integrates with WordPress, making it a popular choice for site owners looking to build and maintain a membership-based community.

MemberPress is ideal for entrepreneurs, educators, and creators who want to monetize their content through gated access. MemberPress provides the tools needed to offer premium content, conduct online courses, or create a private membership. It is especially suited for those who prefer a straightforward setup without needing extensive technical knowledge.

It includes

MemberPress offers several pricing tiers, typically structured as annual subscriptions. Each plan varies in cost, number of sites allowed, and access to specific features, such as affiliate programs and premium support. Pricing details can be found directly on the MemberPress website, reflecting current offers and promotions.

MemberPress Pros

• Easy to set up
• Unlimited courses and memberships
• Advanced content protection features
• Integrated payment gateways
• Detailed reporting
• Excellent customer support

MemberPress Cons

• It relies on a large number of add-ons, which can hinder the functionality of the site.
• Complexity increases with advanced features
• It may be pricey for beginner or small membership creators.

MemberPress Features

• Paywall & content dripping
• Customizable checkout
• Subscription billing
• Community and forum-building capabilities
• Members-only dashboard
• Digital downloads
• Corporate memberships

Why Consider a MemberPress Alternative?

While MemberPress is one of the most famous WordPress membership plugins, it may not be perfect for everyone’s needs. We will look at some of the main reasons why people look for alternative solutions.

Lack of Functionality

Because MemberPress focuses primarily on membership management, it excels in this area but may lack other functionalities that some users might require, particularly when it comes to advanced Learning Management System (LMS) features. Users often need to integrate additional plugins to add functionalities such as detailed student progress tracking, advanced quizzing capabilities, and complex content dripping schedules. Each added plugin increases the costs and complexity of your tech stack.

Maintaining a smooth operation with these integrations can turn into a technical nightmare if issues arise. For example, when integrations fail or require troubleshooting for customer-specific issues, it can be challenging to pinpoint which tool is responsible. This can lead to significant downtime and frustration as you sift through multiple systems to diagnose and resolve the problem. Such challenges highlight the potential need for a more comprehensive solution that offers both robust membership management and advanced LMS features in a single platform.

Limited Marketing Automation and CRM Integration

MemberPress integrates with a few marketing automation systems and CRMs, however, you’ll likely need a third-party tool such as Zapier to connect your membership site built on WordPress, to pass information back to your CRM, adding one more piece of complexity to your setup to achieve a seamless user experience.

This type of integration is also a one-way integration so you’re not always able to sync data between both systems, your WordPress site typically passes information to your CRM, but your CRM can’t pass information back to your WordPress site.  If this is important for you, take a look at AccessAlly. 

No Gamification Features

As more and more membership sites and online courses come to market, one thing that can set you apart from your competition is the user experience you create.

MemberPress doesn’t have a built-in gamification system that can be used to keep members engaged and coming back for more. There’s no way to award badges and MemberPress lacks the functionality to create a credits/points system to reward users. 

Clunky E-Commerce Features 

MemberPress integrates with Stripe and PayPal, but the back-end payment and subscription infrastructure aren’t very intuitive or easy to manage.

You’re also not able to customize your order forms or your invoices generated via Stripe.

No Member Directory Feature

Member directories are a great way to showcase and build community within your membership. Unfortunately, this isn’t a native feature of MemberPress so an additional plugin or add-on would be needed. 

Minimal Customization

MemberPress lacks many customization options, so a business with specific or complex branding needs may struggle to make the MemberPress parts of the site look consistent with the rest of the website and brand.

What to Look For When Choosing a MemberPress Alternative?

When you’re looking for a MemberPress alternative, you should keep some key considerations in mind. 

You should ask yourself the following questions in order to know what you need as there is no universal solution when seeking alternatives. It all depends on your individual needs:

6 Best MemberPress Alternatives

Here, we’ll present different types of alternatives (from WordPress plugins to platforms to suit various needs).

If you want to stick with WordPress because you already have your website on it, you can consult this article.

If you don’t want a WordPress Membership plugin, you can consider one of the platforms discussed here.

E-Commerce

Interactive Course Design

Member Dashboard

Automations

Community Engagement Tools

Integrations

Content Release Schedules

Video Hosting

AccessAlly

yes

yes

yes

yes

yes

extensive

yes

no

Paid Memberships Pro

limited

no

no

no

no

moderate

yes

limited

no

yes

no

no

no

moderate

no

no

yes

no

$$$

Mighty Networks

yes

limited

yes

no

no

yes

$$$

BuddyBoss

no

no

yes

yes

moderate

yes

$

Podia

yes

no

no

yes

$

Teachable

no

no

no

moderate

no

yes

$$

Cost

$$

1. AccessAlly

AccessAlly is a robust WordPress LMS plugin offering an all-in-one solution for membership and course creation. It stands out as a versatile platform tailored for coaches, community leaders, and business owners who seek to monetize their expertise and content effectively without requiring programming knowledge. AccessAlly seamlessly integrates with various tools, enhancing its functionality and flexibility.

AccessAlly is an excellent choice for individuals and businesses looking to scale their membership and/or online course business. It is particularly suitable for those whose membership or online course business is their main source of income. AccessAlly is also ideal for users who prioritize full control of their site and want to own their platform entirely. Additionally, it caters to users who value customization, robust customer support, and seamless integration with other tools.

AccessAlly is a good alternative to MemberPress for people looking for:

Key Features:

Pros & Cons

Pricing

AccessAlly plans start at $82 per month (billed annually) and go up to $124 per month, depending on the features you need. 

Reviews

Capterra: 4.5

G2: 4.8

2. Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro is a flexible WordPress plugin designed to manage and create membership levels with extensive control over content access. Renowned for its utility and ease of use, it is considered one of the most well-known WordPress membership plugins on the market. This tool is perfect for businesses and organizations aiming to protect and monetize their content through tailored membership packages.

This platform is ideal for any member-focused business or organization, such as professional associations, nonprofit groups, and subscription-based content sites. Its robust membership management capabilities make it suitable for those who need to create diverse and complex membership structures but do not necessarily need to provide online courses.

Paid Memberships Pro is an excellent alternative to MemberPress for users who need:

Key Features:

Pros & Cons

Paid Memberships Pro Pros

• Easy to set up and use
• Offers a free forever version
• Integrates with PayPal, Stripe, WooCommerce,  Zapier, and the most popular email marketing software

Paid Memberships Pro Cons

• It can be difficult to navigate
• It relies on add-ons to extend its functionality

Pricing

Paid Memberships Pro has a free plan with the core plugin and 29 add-ons.  Paid tiers start at $247 per year and go up to $5,000+ per year for enterprise-level plans. 

Reviews

Capterra: 5.0

G2: 4.7

3. Mighty Networks

Mighty Networks is a robust all-in-one software platform that transcends traditional boundaries by combining community building, courses, content creation, and e-commerce into a single, cohesive environment. Designed to foster engagement and growth, Mighty Networks allows you to integrate your community directly with your content and courses, creating a dynamic learning and interaction space. You can even set up your Mighty Network as a subdomain of your existing WordPress site, providing a seamless link between your primary website and your community platform.

Mighty Networks is especially suited for educators, coaches, or content creators looking to build and manage a community-centered platform. Unlike traditional WordPress plugins like MemberPress, Mighty Networks offers a standalone solution that does not necessarily require a WordPress site to function. This can be particularly appealing for those who wish to focus more on community engagement and integrated e-commerce without the complexities of managing a WordPress site.

Mighty Networks is an excellent choice over MemberPress for those who:

Key Features:

Pros & Cons

Pricing

Mighty Networks has a 14-day free trial; paid plans start at $99 per month and go up to $360 per month, billed annually. If you use Mighty Networks as your payment processor, they also charge a 2% transaction fee. 

Reviews

Capterra: 4.7

G2: 4.6

4. BuddyBoss

BuddyBoss transforms your WordPress site into a full-fledged online community platform. Originally known as BuddyPress, BuddyBoss has evolved to offer more comprehensive features and a richer user experience, allowing you to create a highly interactive online community directly within your WordPress ecosystem. This platform is ideal for anyone looking to build social networks, community sites, or member areas without stepping outside the familiar WordPress interface.

BuddyBoss enables the creation of a tailored community experience where users can interact through forums, groups, and personalized news feeds. It’s particularly well-suited for those who already use WordPress and are familiar with its ecosystem but want to enhance their site with social networking features. It integrates seamlessly with LearnDash, making it a fantastic option for those who already manage their courses through LearnDash but need an efficient way to add community engagement to their offerings.

This platform is a solid choice for site owners who want to focus on building a membership community around social interactions and networking, rather than providing structured online courses directly within the membership platform. It’s especially beneficial for users who:

It’s a good alternative to MemberPress for those not looking for built-in LMS features but who still wish to create a vibrant online membership community. The lack of native course management tools makes it less cumbersome for users who might already be using a dedicated LMS plugin like LearnDash and instead focuses on providing comprehensive social networking features.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pricing

Buddy Boss charges per site, starting at $299 per year for 1 site, and going up to $449 per year for 10 sites.

Reviews

Capterra: 3.5

G2: no ratings

5. Podia

Podia is a fully hosted platform designed to help creators sell digital products, including online courses, memberships, coaching sessions, and digital downloads. Unlike typical WordPress plugins, Podia provides a standalone service that manages all technical aspects of hosting and digital sales, making it an ideal solution for those who prefer a simpler, all-in-one approach to selling and managing digital content.

Podia is particularly useful for entrepreneurs, educators, and creatives who want to focus on content creation and engagement rather than the technicalities of website management. The platform eliminates the need for dealing with WordPress setups, plugins, or complex integrations. It’s a good choice for those whose membership project is a side hustle or for those who prefer a more straightforward user interface without extensive customization.

This platform is perfect for individuals starting out or looking to run their membership or digital sales project without the complications of self-hosting or extensive customization. It’s suitable for:

Podia is a good alternative to MemberPress for those who want an all-in-one platform that handles everything from hosting to payment processing.  It’s good for people who prefer not to manage a WordPress website or deal with the potential complexities of plugin configurations and are looking for a user-friendly platform that makes it easy to get started with selling digital products and courses.

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pricing

Podia has a free tier that charges a 10% transaction fee.  Paid tiers go from $4 per month to $59 per month (billed annually) with decreasing transaction fees.

Reviews

Capterra: 4.5

G2: 4.6

6. Teachable

Teachable is a popular Learning Management System (LMS) that provides educators, entrepreneurs, and businesses with a platform to create, market, and sell their courses online. Unlike typical WordPress plugins, Teachable operates as a standalone platform, handling all aspects of course delivery and sales from a central location. It includes basic features for managing memberships, making it a versatile solution for users who want to combine education with community building.

Teachable is a user-friendly platform ideal for individuals and small businesses looking to enter the online education market without dealing with the complexities of setting up and managing a traditional website. It simplifies the process of course creation, marketing, and sales, allowing creators to focus more on content and less on administration.

Teachable is perfect for entrepreneurs and businesses that primarily want to deliver educational content online and who are interested in leveraging affiliate marketing to increase their course sales.

Teachable is a good alternative to MemberPress for those who:

Key Features

Pros & Cons

Pricing

Teachable has a free plan with a $1 + 10% transaction fee.  Paid plans start at $39 per month with a 5% transaction fee to $199 per month with 0 transaction fees. 

Reviews

Capterra: 4.4

G2: 4.0

One Client’s Story of Using AccessAlly as a MemberPress Alternative

“By stepping through the Course Wizard, even before watching your videos,

I understand how your software works. It’s the same way I would have done it if I were designing such software. (I have done a lot of software and database development.)

Your design makes the best use of WordPress, because your method shows how pages become lessons.

One of the best features in AccessAlly is your use of tags and your direct connection to a CRM. I already use Drip and I find your connections are perfect. It would have been a hookup maze for me to accomplish these connections with other tools. You have saved me a whole lot of time by making things simple.”

-Ed Berry