Recall a time when you in the last year or so were a part of an online community – whether it was on a social platform, app, or website.
We all can agree that 2020, now into 2021, showed us the impact and importance of virtual communities. It’s where we can be seen, learn something, or teach others.
It only makes sense that our business endeavors and passions have platforms where members can join and be a part of a paid membership.
You can have your own membership platform.
That is what brings us to our list of the best membership site platforms and builders of 2021.
What are the Best Membership Site Platforms?
- Thinkific – Best membership site for course creators and educators wanting to scale their teaching business in the online world
- AccessAlly – Best WordPress membership platform with a LMS
- Podia – Best affordable membership site for creators in the online course and digital content community who are just getting started or are already established
- MemberPress – WordPress membership site platform to create and sell online digital products with more web development options
- Wishlist Member – Best budget WordPress membership site platform for hosted WordPress websites
- Teachable – Best LMS membership site platform for basic online courses, coaching, and membership content in one place
- SubHub – Best membership site platform for non tech-savvy online entrepreneurs
- GrooveMember (by GrooveFunnels) – Best membership site app within an all-in-one software to create an online business from the ground up
#1 Thinkific.
Overview
Thinkific is our favorite membership site platform for online courses.
It really does have everything you need to build your teaching empire.
Like easy to use course creation tools, SEO support, advanced design customization, student experience features, site administration, and security support.
Did I mention instant access to your funds?
Take a close look at the highlights below.
Highlights
- Plans for unlimited courses and students, and recurring payments for memberships
- Flexible pricing options allowing more students the financial ability to take your courses
- Zoom integration, so your students can access Zoom webinars and meetings easily
- Customize landing pages, so your site reflects your brand
- Drag-and-drop builder to easily organize your curriculum
- Sales & Marketing business tools, so you can increase your sales with special subscriptions and promotions
- Instant access to funds plus sell your courses in 100+ different currencies
- Advanced data tracking
- Ad tracking with Google Adwords and Facebook
Pricing
Thinkific has 6 membership levels including a Free membership.
Basic, Pro, Growth, Premier, and Plus.
Growth is just like Pro, except with an additional $0.10/month for each active student.
Plus is for Enterprise businesses.
The most popular Pro membership will give you everything both you and your members want in their membership and online course experience.
Bottom Line
Thinkific’s platform is the BEST for course creators to take their content to the next level when compared to other online course platforms like Teachable.
The platform has more third-party integrations and course education features than competitors.
AND it’s affordable whether you’re teaching independently or amongst a team.
Click the link below to begin teaching with Thinkific.
#2 AccessAlly.
Overview
You want to make a WordPress site where you can create online courses and have a strong following of dedicated members.
AccessAlly is one of a few WordPress membership plugins where you can easily create membership features and exclusive content while combined with an e-learning platform.
We love AccessAlly, because it is modern and up to date with the needs of today’s online entrepreneurs.
Let’s check out these highlights.
Highlights
- WordPress learning management system (LMS) plugin to easily turn your custom WordPress pages into advanced learning pages
- Compatible with all of WordPress templates and designs, so you don’t need third-party membership sites
- Improve engagement and student retention with built-in gamification features (you NEED this!) and progress tracking checklists
- Increase conversion with custom order forms, upsell features, bulk course enrollment, recurring online payments, and more 🤑
- Spot trends and create new business game plans with analytics and engagement metrics
- No hidden transaction fees; only pay the Stripe or PayPal costs
Pricing
AccessAlly’s pricing tiers reflect the varying needs of every business – from solo entrepreneurs to enterprise level teams.
The basic Essentials plan at $82 per month is great for niche course creators who just need a membership website to host their course-based product.
For a more comprehensive membership site and LMS, AccessAlly Pro will cost $108 per month.
For $2500/year or about $208 per month, AllyAccess In-House Training will give you everything plus 5 internal licenses and advanced digital training for your own team members.
Bottom Line
Monetize your expertise by using AccessAlly to create online courses and make an impact in your niche’s community.
AccessAlly is the best WordPress plugin for teaching, because of its built-in LMS.
It is more expensive in comparison to MemberPress and Wishlist Member at first glance, but the price is a reflection of all of AccessAlly’s convenient capabilities.
And it’s worth it.
Click the button below to sign up and receive a 30 day money back guarantee.
#3 Podia.
Overview
Podia is more than you could ever imagine on top of just a membership site platform.
For turning passion projects into passive income streams, making the dream of working remotely become a full time vacation…
Create an account and follow the simple 5 steps explained on the site – you’re now hosting a membership website, selling content, building a community, and reaching your income goals.
Check out the highlights below and click the link to learn more about Podia’s 5 steps.
Highlights
- Create a custom membership site with your own URL, custom branding, and more
- Mobile and tablet optimized so your site looks great anywhere
- Pre-sell and pre-launch courses to gauge the community interest
- Drip content and email campaign features plus email marketing
- Make passive income by selling recorded webinars
- Unlimited membership plans
- Link the community Facebook group and Slack channel
- Save time with free migration and live dedicated customer support
Pricing
For $39/month, Podia’s Mover plan gives you all of the essentials needed to sell your digital products for the first time.
Like features to create your own website, courses, sales page for digital downloads, webinar hosting, email marketing, etc.
For $79 per month, Podia’s Shaker plan includes monthly and yearly membership subscriptions, Zoom integration, exclusive blog posts, off-site buy buttons, your own affiliate marketing program, and third-party coding.
Sell as much as you want with NO transaction fee ever.
Bottom Line
Podia’s CEO hosts a LIVE demo every Tuesday at 2pm EST.
What other membership site platforms do that?! 😍
Podia is also affordable – hands down. Save 2 months just by billing annually.
Register to join the demo, and then sign up for a 14 day free trial (no credit card) by clicking the link below!
#4 MemberPress.
Overview
Let’s keep this simple.
MemberPress is the most popular membership plugin for WordPress sites.
Create a membership site easily by first having a self-hosted (wordpress.org) or WordPress.com Business account.
Build and sell online courses, host a community forum, and get a successful membership site by utilizing other plugins, add-ons, and integrations in addition to MemberPress.
Highlights
- Must use a third-party LMS like WP Courseware or LearnDash
- Integration with Zapier
- Integrate with GamiPress for gamification
- Full customization possibilities with HTML and CSS in addition to templates
- Unlimited number of members, memberships, restricted content, and courses
- Make recurring revenue with payments through PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net
- No hidden transaction fee when members sign up or purchase your content
- Ability to have a completely mobile-friendly design
Pricing
Take note that these prices are for the whole year.
YES – MemberPress is that affordable.
The Plus plan is $249 for the year, ideal for small businesses.
Pay only $100 more for the Pro plan (includes your own affiliate program!)
Bottom Line
MemberPress is one of the most flexible, yet affordable platforms for you to use.
It offers a Courses add-on, so you can easily have a LMS on your website.
MemberPress is ideal if you want the flexibility to play with different plug-ins, integrations, and add-ons on your site without the commitment of a more expensive platform.
Click the link below and try MemberPress with a 14 day money-back guarantee.
#5 Wishlist Member.
Overview
Wishlist Member is the best budget membership site platform for hosted WordPress sites.
Wishlist Member does state on their site that this platform was not intended for WordPress Business plans (so keep that in mind.)
But rest assured – Wishlist Member has been around the block for a while and they have recently updated to their newest version of the platform!
Highlights
- Use HTML and CSS to build your custom membership website
- Multiple membership levels and pricing options; allow members to pay a monthly or yearly subscription payment
- Payment processing through PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, WooCommerce, and more
- Site features include marketing tools and analytics
- Private community forums for members to connect
- Drip content and “Sneak Peek” feature
- Integrate with LMS builders
Pricing
Wishlist Member has three different plans depending on how many membership websites you need.
Each plan is a one-time payment and then renews every year at $147 per year.
The Best Value plan at $397 gives you up to 20 membership sites, ideal if you’re building for clients.
Bottom Line
If you are a WordPress wizard looking for the most affordable membership platform available, then Wishlist Member is for you.
Click the button to try Wishlist Member with a 30 day money-back guarantee.
#6 Teachable.
Overview
Take your expertise-level knowledge and skill from Instagram and Youtube and turn it into a profitable membership base on Teachable.
Teachable is the easiest way to create an online course or coaching business within a membership site platform.
Teachable is not a membership plugin.
It does all of the web hosting for you, and includes all the tools you need for membership management and sales, which makes the functionality and user experience extremely simple.
Get everything you need in one place.
Highlights
- Keep your existing website and easily link it to Teachable
- Unlimited courses, services, bandwidth, and students on all plans
- Teachable keeps your content and your students’ information safe
- Integrate with Zapier
- Only one theme template for pages (but you can modify with HTML and CSS)
- Seamless scheduling and booking
- Set up Teachable Payments to get instant funds
- Market your business to more customers with the Affiliate Marketing feature
- Upload Screenflow, Camtasia, or other screencasting software videos into your curriculum
- Limited iOS app
Pricing
While the Basic plan is extremely affordable at only $29/month (billed annually), you have to take into account 5% transaction fees.
For 0% transaction fees, choose the Pro plan at $99/month or Business plan at $249/month.
Teachable offers a 14-day free trial of the Professional plan.
Bottom Line
Teachable is great as a simple to use platform for providing paid courses to members.
Teachable is a platform like Thinkific but with slightly less advanced LMS features.
So if you want something simple and are more geared towards offering one membership to students/members, then Teachable is your solution.
Click the link below to turn what you know into a profitable membership website.
#7 SubHub.
Overview
Do you consider yourself technologically savvy? (Nope!)
Does your resume say you have skills in Microsoft word?
Great. SubHub is for you, so check out the highlights below.
Highlights
- Speedy Setup with a SubHub membership website advisor to get your site up fast
- Membership tiers, so you have more control over which members have access to relevant content
- Use PayPal and Stripe to receive online payments all over the world
- Social media integration and customizable content management
- SaaS hosted membership website, so you can use SubHub sooner rather than later, and without constant updates
- Integration with social media platforms and other CRM’s (like MailChimp🐒)
- Community features like a searchable member directory and events calendar
- Custom Development features if you already have established sites and content
Pricing
SubHub has three different plans to help you get started on your membership site.
All of the plans include the same features, except for a few key differences with member count, storage, and branding.
The Pro plan allows for up to 2000 members and 10 GB of storage, while the Premium plan allows unlimited members and 200 GB storage. That is 20x more storage with the Premium plan!
If you just need to get started, you can sign up for the Starter plan and pay annually – bringing the price down to $40/month.
Bottom Line
SubHub has all the features you need if all you want is a straightforward membership site.
And without being your own website builder.
Click the link below for a free 14 day trial.
#8 GrooveMember (by GrooveFunnels).
Overview
GrooveMember, one of the many apps created by GrooveFunnels, is the software that makes creating a membership site easy and accessible.
Whether you’re a beginner website builder or a pro online entrepreneur, GrooveMember and GrooveFunnels has you covered.
Highlights
- Included in a package of apps you will need to run a profitable online business – such as GrooveSell, GroovePages, GrooveAffiliate, GrooveMail, ClickFunnels, and more
- Provide exclusive content to members such as digital courses and downloadable content
- Get tutorials through GrooveAcademy and the site’s Youtube channel
- Tiered membership levels to conveniently fit each member’s interests
- Embed videos from GrooveFunnels or video hosting platforms like Youtube and Vimeo
- Email marketing campaign to drive new members to your membership website
- Modern design features and a drag-and-drop interface
Pricing
GrooveFunnels has a basic free plan, but don’t be fooled. It does NOT include the GrooveMember app.
Here are the prices for each plan that include access to GrooveMember:
Silver for $99/month.
Gold for $199/month.
Platinum for $1397 (one-time payment for lifetime access).
Bottom Line
GrooveMember is easily one of the best membership site platforms when starting your business from the ground up.
Save yourself tons of money in the long term by signing up for the Platinum plan.
Click the link below now for a free trial, and thank us later.
What are Membership Site Platforms?
Membership site platforms, also known as membership software, are platforms with the tools necessary to create and sell digital content, products, and courses exclusive to members and subscribers. Memberships can be free or paid and offered at different membership tiers.
Wrap Up.
Here’s a quick review:
Thinkific, Podia, and AccessAlly are our overall top favorites for membership site software.
Thinkific has an in-depth and flexible LMS and membership subscription platform.
Podia is an incredible option for creators looking to start their own online membership website.
AccessAlly is the best membership site hosting plugin with a built-in LMS for WordPress, while platforms like MemberPress, Wishlist Member, and GrooveMember are membership website builder plugins and apps.
Teachable and SubHub are membership platforms best for basic course creators, online coaching businesses, and for selling other subscription-based content.
We hope this list has helped you narrow down your hunt for the best membership site platform.
What is a membership platform?
- A membership site platform is a site that gives members-only access to content such as online courses, webinars, and other exclusive products.
Where can I host a membership site?
- You can host a membership site for your business through GrooveFunnels, Thinkific, AccessAlly, Podia, MemberPress, and others from our list.
How do I create a subscription based website?
- Create a subscription based website by choosing a membership site platform from our list. Try as many as you need until you find the right one.