Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Paid Membership Subscriptions at #6 and WP-Members at #5. WP-Members leads on 4 of the 6 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
WP-Members leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
WP-Members 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 269 reviews, against 4.6 from 272 reviews.
WP-Members has more reviews behind its score: 272 against 269.
Paid Membership Subscriptions was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; WP-Members on October 19, 2026.
WP-Members was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 44,245 times against 33,667.
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 the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP-Members
Pick WP-Members if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members side by side
| Paid Membership Subscriptions | WP-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #6 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 269 | 272 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,069,958 | 4,089,579 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 33,667 | 44,245 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 4, 2015 | Sep 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
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?
WP-Members leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Paid Membership Subscriptions or WP-Members?
WP-Members 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.
-
ProfilePress
100,000+ installs · 3.1 from 938 reviews
-
Ultimate Member
200,000+ installs · 4.4 from 1,445 reviews
-
Simple Membership
40,000+ installs · 4.6 from 475 reviews
-
User Registration
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 832 reviews
-
Simple Membership After Login Redirection
10,000+ installs · 4.8 from 15 reviews
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- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Simple Membership Custom Messages
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Ultimate Member
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Registration
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What moved this week
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.