Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Paid Membership Subscriptions at #5 and WP-Members at #6. Paid Membership Subscriptions leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Paid Membership Subscriptions
Paid Membership Subscriptions – Effortless Memberships, Recurring Payments & Content Restriction
Feature-packed membership plugin for creating subscription plans, adding recurring payments & content restriction on your membership site.
WP-Members
WP-Members Membership Plugin
The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.
Who leads on what
Paid Membership Subscriptions leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Paid Membership Subscriptions ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Paid Membership Subscriptions is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 265 reviews, against 4.6 from 272 reviews.
WP-Members has more reviews behind its score: 272 against 265.
Paid Membership Subscriptions was updated more recently, on August 19, 2026; WP-Members on February 27, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Paid Membership Subscriptions
Pick Paid Membership Subscriptions if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP-Members
Pick WP-Members if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members side by side
| Paid Membership Subscriptions | WP-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #5 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 265 | 272 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,023,230 | 4,018,853 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 19, 2026 | Feb 27, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 4, 2015 | Sep 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.9.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Paid Membership Subscriptions ratings
WP-Members ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Paid Membership Subscriptions nor WP-Members can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members: common questions
Is Paid Membership Subscriptions better than WP-Members?
Paid Membership Subscriptions leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Paid Membership Subscriptions ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Paid Membership Subscriptions or WP-Members?
Paid Membership Subscriptions ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Paid Membership Subscriptions or WP-Members?
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Paid Membership Subscriptions and WP-Members free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Paid Membership Subscriptions may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP-Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Paid Membership Subscriptions and WP-Members
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.