Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Frontend (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 User Frontend at #13. Paid Membership Subscriptions 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.
User Frontend
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission
Create an AI-powered frontend post form, user registration form, user profile page, membership site, user directory, and content restriction.
Who leads on what
Paid Membership Subscriptions leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Paid Membership Subscriptions ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
User Frontend has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Paid Membership Subscriptions is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 269 reviews, against 4.1 from 535 reviews.
User Frontend has more reviews behind its score: 535 against 269.
Paid Membership Subscriptions was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; User Frontend on October 1, 2026.
Paid Membership Subscriptions was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 33,667 times against 25,825.
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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
User Frontend
Pick User Frontend if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Frontend side by side
| Paid Membership Subscriptions | User Frontend | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #6 | #13 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Reviews | 269 | 535 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,069,958 | 2,006,287 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 33,667 | 25,825 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 4, 2015 | Jan 10, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Paid Membership Subscriptions ratings
User Frontend 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 User Frontend can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Frontend: common questions
Is Paid Membership Subscriptions better than User Frontend?
Paid Membership Subscriptions leads on 4 of the 6 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: #6 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Paid Membership Subscriptions or User Frontend?
Paid Membership Subscriptions ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Paid Membership Subscriptions or User Frontend?
User Frontend has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Paid Membership Subscriptions and User Frontend free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Paid Membership Subscriptions may also sell a paid version or add-ons. User Frontend may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Paid Membership Subscriptions and User Frontend
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Membership Plugins comparisons
- Kit vs Paid Membership Subscriptions
- Kit vs User Frontend
- Groups vs Paid Membership Subscriptions
- Members vs Paid Membership Subscriptions
- Members vs User Frontend
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Simple Membership
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Simple Membership After Login Redirection
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Simple Membership Custom Messages
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Ultimate Member
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Registration
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs ProfilePress
Weekly · free
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.