Chad Butler

<p>The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.</p>
<h3>Membership Sites. Simplified.</h3>
<p>You need a membership site, but you want to focus on your business, not mastering a plugin. WP-Members is simple to use, easy to set up, yet flexible in every way imaginable.</p>
<p><strong>Simple to install and configure – yet customizable and scalable!</strong></p>
<h4>Features:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Restrict or hide posts, pages, and custom post types</li>
<li>Limit menu items to logged in users</li>
<li>User login, registration, and profile integrated into your theme</li>
<li>Create custom registration and profile fields</li>
<li>Integrate custom fields into WooCommerce checkout and registration (only supported by shortcode pages, not block editor version)</li>
<li>Create custom memberships and content restriction</li>
<li>Notify admin of new user registrations</li>
<li>Hold new registrations for admin approval</li>
<li>Create post excerpt teaser content automatically</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/docs/shortcodes/" rel="nofollow ugc">Shortcodes for login, registration, content restriction, and more</a></li>
<li>Create powerful customizations with <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/docs/filter-hooks/" rel="nofollow ugc">more than 120 action and filter hooks</a></li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/docs/api-functions/" rel="nofollow ugc">A library of API functions for extensibility</a></li>
</ul>
<p>WP-Members allows you to restrict content as restricted or hidden, limiting access to registered users.</p>
<p>A full Users Guide is <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/docs/" rel="nofollow ugc">available here</a>. The guide outlines the installation process, and also documents how to use all of the settings.</p>
<h4>Support</h4>
<p>There is <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/docs/" rel="nofollow ugc">freely available documentation on the plugin’s support site</a>. Your question may be answered there. If you need assistance configuring the plugin or have questions on how to implement or customize features, <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/product/wp-members-plugin-support/" rel="nofollow ugc">premium support is available</a>.</p>
<p>You can get priority support along with all of the plugin’s premium extensions in one <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/product/wp-members-pro-bundle/" rel="nofollow ugc">cost saving Pro Bundle!</a></p>
<h4>Premium Support</h4>
<p>Premium support subscribers have access to priority email support, examples, tutorials, and code snippets that will help you extend and customize the base plugin using the plugin’s framework. <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members/support-options/" rel="nofollow ugc">Visit the site for more info</a>.</p>
<h4>Free Extensions</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/product/stop-spam-registrations/" rel="nofollow ugc">Stop Spam Registrations</a> – Uses stopforumspam.com’s API to block spam registrations.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/product/send-test-emails/" rel="nofollow ugc">Send Test Emails</a> – A utility to send test versions of the plugin’s emails.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Premium Extensions</h4>
<p>The plugin has several premium extensions for additional functionality. You can purchase any of them individually, or get them all for a significant discount in the Pro Bundle.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-advanced-options/" rel="nofollow ugc">Advanced Options</a> – adds additional settings to WP-Members for redirecting core WP created URLs, redirecting restricted content, hiding the WP toolbar, and more! Also includes integrations with popular plugins like WooCommerce, BuddyPress, bbPress, ADF, Easy Digital Downloads, and The Events Calendar.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-download-protect/" rel="nofollow ugc">Download Protect</a> – Allows you to restrict access to specific files, requiring the user to be logged in to access.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-invite-codes/" rel="nofollow ugc">Invite Codes</a> – set up invitation codes to restrict registration to only those with a valide invite code.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-mailchimp-integration/" rel="nofollow ugc">MailChimp Integration</a> – add MailChimp list subscription to your registation form.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-memberships-for-woocommerce/" rel="nofollow ugc">Memberships for WooCommerce</a> – Sell memberships through WooCommerce.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-paypal-subscriptions/" rel="nofollow ugc">PayPal Subscriptions</a> – Sell restricted content access through PayPal.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-security/" rel="nofollow ugc">Security</a> – adds a number of security features to the plugin such as preventing concurrent logins, registration form honey pot (spam blocker), require passwords be changed on first use, require passwords to be changed after defined period of time, require strong passwords, block registration by IP and email, restrict specified usernames from being registered.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-text-editor/" rel="nofollow ugc">Text Editor</a> – Adds an editor to the WP-Members admin panel to easily customize all user facing strings in the plugin.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-user-list/" rel="nofollow ugc">User List</a> – Display lists of users on your site. Great for creating user directories with detailed and customizable profiles.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wp-members-user-tracking/" rel="nofollow ugc">User Tracking</a> – Track what pages logged in users are visting and when.</li>
<li><a href="https://rocketgeek.com/plugins/wordpass/" rel="nofollow ugc">WordPass Pro</a> – Change your random password generator from gibberish to word-based passwords (can be used with or without WP-Members).</li>
</ul>
<p>Get support along with all of the plugin’s premium extensions in one <a href="https://rocketgeek.com/product/wp-members-pro-bundle/" rel="nofollow ugc">cost saving Pro Bundle!</a></p>


WP-Members Membership Plugin


I bought the WooPayments add-on to extend my usage of WP-Members on the strength of two things: (1) As I set up a revamped site and prepared it for subscriptions, I set up WooCommerce and WooPayments because it all seemed professional and efficient; (2) I decided on WP-Members based on Chad Butler's name recognition that I associate with many years of WordPress professionalism.



I have not been disappointed even though at one stage I wondered whether I should have gone for one of the bloated plugins that brag of multiple drag-and-drop form building and features that I did not see mentioned upfront in the WP-Members documentation. It seemed to me that everything I needed to implement would depend on "support".



Yes, you have to cut and past a lot of code snippets to perfect your implementation but the real problem in my view is the way the user manual is presented in pieces and not the basic possible functions of WP-Members. All the features in the heralded plugins are available, yet here seems to be a need for a good old time procedural manual in the style perfected by Microsoft: 



"This is the most popular or likely use case. To do so-and-so do:




X



Y



Z"




The plugin author knows his stuff, is patient with customers and lavish with his support.


Absolutely great functionality and support

The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.

LCweb

<p><a href="https://lcweb.it/privatecontent-multilevel-content-plugin/free-version/" rel="nofollow ugc">PrivateContent</a> born in 2012, aiming to be the <strong>best solution to restrict your website contents</strong> and a different membership platform. Different because it uses a standalone database: <strong>quicker than the normal WordPress users one and not limited by the bulky roles assignments.</strong></p>
<p>To have a multi-level users database will be easy and fast, keeping your users out of the WordPress backend while creating a modern and optimized users management area in the backend.</p>
<p><strong>No forced pages, no forced URLs</strong>: the plugin is designed to seamlessly work and integrate into any website.</p>
<p><a href="https://lcweb.it/privatecontent-multilevel-content-plugin/free-version/" rel="nofollow ugc">CHECK THE DEMO »</a></p>
<h3>🌟 Main Features</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>User levels:</strong> unlimited. Each user can have one or multiple levels</li>
<li><strong>Easy user management:</strong> Forget the outdated WP users management, everything is clean and fast. From admin user addition to users sort and search</li>
<li><strong>3 user statuses:</strong> Users can be disabled without deleting them and registered users can be also placed in pending status, waiting for the admin approval</li>
<li><strong>Contents restrictions:</strong> restrict WP pages and posts in few clicks. Bulk restrict through post categories. Precisely define which user levels can access contents. Restricted elements will be totally unreachable, also for search engines</li>
<li><strong>User reserved page:</strong> target a container page and it will show different contents depending on the logged user. Everything under a single website URL!</li>
<li><strong>1-click website lock:</strong> Do you need a totally private website? It only takes a click!</li>
<li><strong>Login and registration forms:</strong> Place them everywhere you want in your website: you will never have to change your desired workflow to adapt PrivateContent</li>
<li><strong>Registration form builder:</strong> add/remove/sort the fields as you prefer. Add text blocks and paginate fields. Finally, a modern HTML5 data validation and honeypot anti-spam</li>
<li><strong>Blocks and shortcodes:</strong> Quickly insert your forms into your website directly through WP blocks or using the shortcode wizard</li>
<li><strong>Import/export hub:</strong> Move users through websites, import existing WP users, export in CSV/XSLX, move the whole plugin setup  </li>
<li><strong>Style it as you prefer:</strong> Choose among six message styles and tune every aesthetic aspect to fully integrate into your website</li>
</ul>
<p>And even if it’s a free version, each system is packed with a lot of options.<br />
Everything to adapt as best as possible to every website’s need!</p>
<h3>🕒 Get started in minutes</h3>
<p>Whether you have a large site or creating a new project, PrivateContent is <strong>ready to operate out of the box</strong>. With <strong>6 preset styles</strong> and eventually importing existing WordPress users, your multilevel-protected website will be ready in a flash!</p>
<h3>🌎 100% translatable</h3>
<p>Each section is translatable: the plugin has already been (fully or partially) <strong>translated into 27 languages!</strong><br />
Additionally, it is fully compatible with WPML and Polylang for dynamic strings.</p>
<h3>📑 GDPR Compliant</h3>
<p>The plugin fully satisfies the most recent law requirements in terms of data protection and users management. For example, there is a dedicated module to let users <strong>delete their profiles autonomously</strong>.</p>
<h3>⌨️ Dev oriented API and hooks</h3>
<p>PrivateContent is extremely flexible and <strong>ready to be extended</strong> almost in any way you could imagine. The <a href="https://lcweb.it/products-overview/#pc_suite" rel="nofollow ugc">official premium add-ons</a> offers incredible features for specific needs, but if you are a developer there’s a <a href="https://lcweb.it/privatecontent/public-api" rel="nofollow ugc">dedicated documentation</a> guiding you step-by-step to build your systems on top of the PrivateContent engine!</p>
<h3>🚀 PrivateContent Free version is just the beginning</h3>
<p>Since 2012, the plugin has been constantly improved and extended, becoming a real reference in the WordPress world when it comes to protect WordPress website contents. Here’s a summary of what you get with the <a href="https://lcweb.it/privatecontent-multilevel-content-plugin/" rel="nofollow ugc">premium version</a>:</p>
<p><strong>Additional core systems</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Lightbox engine</li>
<li>Native <a href="https://be.elementor.com/visit/?bta=1930&brand=elementor" rel="nofollow ugc">Elementor</a>, Divi, WPBakery Builder widgets integration</li>
<li>Google reCaptcha anti-spam integration</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Users membership</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Multiple registration forms</li>
<li>Advanced users search with direct search-to-export</li>
<li>Users action tracking through Google Analytics or User Activities add-on</li>
<li>WordPress roles emulation to integrate with specific systems (eg. WooCommerce dashboard)</li>
<li>User sessions control (no concurrent login)</li>
<li>Preset/fixed contents for Users reserved page with advanced themes/builders integrations</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Contents restriction</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Private block shortcode with optional warning box containing login/register buttons</li>
<li>Restrict any public custom post type or taxonomy</li>
<li>Persistent modal lightbox on page’s opening to force user’s interaction</li>
<li>Comments form hiding</li>
<li>Custom (URL-based) restriction with regular expressions support</li>
<li>Menu items </li>
<li>WooCommerce products sell lock and price hiding</li>
<li>Sidebar widgets</li>
<li>Any Elementor widget (or column or section)</li>
<li>Any Gutenberg block</li>
</ul>
<p>Test it on the <a href="https://lcweb.it/privatecontent-multilevel-content-plugin/" rel="nofollow ugc">preview page</a> or also get a <a href="https://lcweb.dikelicensing.com/trial-license-request/?prod=pc" rel="nofollow ugc">7-days free trial</a>!</p>


PrivateContent Free

Restrict pages, posts, and menus by user level or login status. Create private areas for members or logged-in users with ease and FREE!

WP-Members Membership Plugin vs PrivateContent Free