Paid Memberships Pro (PMPro) is a free WordPress membership plugin that provides a complete framework for creating membership sites, restricting content, and managing recurring payments. It supports unlimited membership levels with different pricing tiers, discounts, and access rules, and integrates with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net for subscription billing. The plugin uses a level-based access system where each membership level has its own set of permissions — you can restrict access to posts, pages, custom post types, categories, and even specific blocks within the block editor. PMPro handles the full member lifecycle: registration, payment, content access, renewal, and expiration. For developers, the plugin exposes hooks and filters for customizing every aspect of the membership flow, and its add-on library provides extensions for integrations with LearnDash, WooCommerce, BuddyPress, and other platforms. It competes directly with MemberPress and Restrict Content Pro, offering a more generous free version than either.
The plugin implements its own user role management system, creating custom roles per membership level with configurable capabilities. Membership data is stored in custom database tables with transients for caching, and payment integrations use webhook-based event handling for reliable subscription lifecycle management.
Competitive Features
- Unlimited membership levels — create any number of levels with unique pricing, descriptions, and access rules
- Content restriction — restrict access by level, individual user, or role with global and per-content settings
- Recurring payments — Stripe, PayPal Express, and Authorize.net integration with automatic subscription billing
- Discount codes — percentage and fixed discounts with expiration dates, usage limits, and level-specific application
- Membership expiration — fixed end dates, duration-based terms, or rolling subscriptions with automated expiry handling
- Member management — admin panel for viewing, editing, adding, and exporting members with search and filtering
- Add-on ecosystem — 50+ official add-ons for LMS, e-commerce, email, and social integration
Key Features
- Level management — create membership levels with Name, description, price, billing cycle, subscription length, and role assignment
- Content restriction settings — restrict by post type, category, individual page, or page template with customizable restricted content messages
- Checkout page — customizable checkout template with level selection, account fields, billing information, and payment method
- Orders system — track all orders with status management (pending, processing, completed, refunded, cancelled) and order history
- Email templates — customizable email notifications for checkout confirmation, membership expiration, billing updates, and admin alerts
- User reports — built-in reporting for signups, revenue, and membership changes with date range filtering
- REST API — create, read, update, and delete memberships, orders, and discount codes via the WordPress REST API
Comparison with Competitors
Paid Memberships Pro vs MemberPress
| Aspect | Paid Memberships Pro | MemberPress |
|---|---|---|
| Membership levels | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net | Stripe, PayPal |
| Content dripping | Yes (add-on) | Yes (built-in) |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
| Developer hooks | Extensive | Extensive |
Bottom line: MemberPress has a more polished admin interface and built-in content dripping without add-ons. PMPro offers a full-featured free version and a more extensive add-on library, making it the better choice for budget-conscious membership sites.
Paid Memberships Pro vs Restrict Content Pro
| Aspect | Paid Memberships Pro | Restrict Content Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Discount codes | Yes | Yes |
| Trial periods | Yes | Yes |
| Content dripping | Add-on | Yes |
| Email templates | Built-in | Built-in |
| Third-party integrations | 50+ add-ons | Focused set |
Bottom line: Restrict Content Pro is more affordable for premium features and includes built-in content dripping. PMPro has a more generous free version and a larger add-on ecosystem, making it more extensible for complex sites.
Recommended Stack: PMPro handles membership management and content restriction. For online courses alongside your membership site, integrate with LearnDash using the official PMPro add-on to restrict course access by membership level.
Official Changelog (3 Last Versions)
Paid Memberships Pro is available on WordPress.org with premium add-ons.
Version 3.3.0
Release Date: August 12, 2026
- New checkout block with improved mobile responsiveness
- Added Stripe payment element integration for stronger authentication
- Fixed membership level duplication with custom role assignment
Version 3.2.5
Release Date: July 8, 2026
- Enhanced discount code management with usage limit tracking per user
- Improved content restriction settings for the block editor
- Fixed PayPal IPN handling for subscription cancellations
Version 3.2.0
Release Date: June 5, 2026
- New REST API endpoints for membership and order management
- Added member import tool with CSV mapping for bulk operations
- Performance optimization for sites with 100,000+ members
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paid Memberships Pro really free?
Yes. The core plugin is free and includes unlimited membership levels, content restriction, payment processing, and member management. Premium add-ons for features like content dripping, subscriptions, and email templates are available at a cost.
Can I accept recurring payments with PMPro?
Yes. PMPro supports recurring payments through Stripe, PayPal Express, and Authorize.net. Billing cycles can be set to any interval — daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly — with automatic rebilling and subscription management.
How does content restriction work?
You can restrict access at the post level (selecting which membership levels can view each piece of content), the category level (restricting entire categories), or the global level (setting default access rules for all content). Restriction messages can be customized per level.
Does PMPro support discount codes?
Yes. You can create percentage or fixed discount codes with expiration dates, usage limits, and per-level application. Codes can be set for one-time use or recurring discounts on subscription payments.
What integrations are available?
PMPro has 50+ official add-ons and integrations including LearnDash, WooCommerce, BuddyPress, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Zapier, Google Analytics, and Member Directory. The add-on library is accessible from the PMPro settings page.
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