Deciding on a membership software? Check out the features first! What works for a staff membership software won't work for a subscription-based site.
Whether choosing a membership software for your staff or other business needs, you want one that's easy to use for everyone. And you want a platform that lets you manage users and user permission levels at scale.
This article shows you five of the best membership software solutions you can use regardless of your needs.
Top 5: Website Membership Software Review
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Wild Apricot is a preferred membership software for professionals, clubs, associations, and communities. This is a user-friend membership software. So members can easily register, make payments, and manage other activities on their own.
With just your email, you can set up a free trial for 30 days and only attach your card when you want to subscribe to the paid version.
Wild Apricot allows you to build private and engaging pages for your staff and members. Despite running on CSS and HTML codes, the software is template-based. So no prior programming knowledge is required to interact with the web pages.
Features of Wild Apricot
Some of the features of this software include:
Online Database
Wild Apricot allows you to store all your members' data in the cloud and back them up. Members can log in and update their information. You also get updates in real-time.
Payment Gateways
You can accept payments online through credit cards and PayPal. Wild Apricot charges members' credit cards automatically. You can receive online donations and generate financial reports for your transactions.
Website Builder
Wild Apricot allows you to use a drag-and-drop builder to create a website like a Pro within hours. You don't need to be techy.
Wild Apricot integrates with your database and automates the confirmation of emails and reminders. The software allows you to choose from various templates for email and newsletter and send personalized emails. You can also track who has opened or clicked on your mails.
Manage Events
Members can register and pay online for your events. Wild Apricot posts calendar and send reminders automatically to increase attendance. You can then track attendance with your mobile app.
Wide Coverage
Wild Apricot serves a wide range of users. This list includes associations, churches, charity organizations and many more.
Mobile-Friendly
Wild Apricot's mobile app allows you to do almost everything from the comfort of your mobile device. You can register and make payments from your smartphone.
What Needs Improvement in Wild Apricot
It would be great to be able to track membership trends over time. The software should include an option to send an apology for an event.
Pricing
The software is free for your first 50 persons.
Pros
Cons
MemberPress is one of the most used WordPress membership plugins. But it can also function as a stand-alone solution for your website.
MemberPress is excellent for eCommerce. You can bill users instantly for paid-content. The software allows you to grant or revoke access to your materials based on user permission levels.
Features of MemberPress
Total Access Control
MemberPress gives you complete control over all your content. In that way, you control who views your pages, posts, videos, and so on.
Integrations
This software integrates well with GetResponse, MailChimp, AWeber, and MadMimi. For podcast hosting, it integrates with BluBrry, and it also integrates with Amazon.
Payment Gateways
MemberPress supports PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net payment gateways.
Content Dripping
Content dripping allows you to restrict members' access to content for a stated time. This feature is useful if you sell learning materials or online courses.
User-friendly
It's easy to setup a MemberPress membership website with WordPress. It can setup login, pricing, thank you pages and member's account automatically. You can also add membership plans easily.
What Needs Improvement in MemberPress
Some users feel that the software could benefit from having more payment gateways. These users suggest extra payment options for the reason that it opens MemberPress to markets that don't allow certain payment options.
Pricing
The software has a basic, plus and Pro packages. That is $149, $249, and $349 per year accordingly.
Pros
Cons
SubHub is a membership software designed for organizations, entrepreneurs and experts. You'll love it if you want to build a subscription-based business.
In organizations, managers use this software to share information to members of staff. Entrepreneurs use it for the advertising and eCommerce option it provides. And experts who want to trade their knowledge, passion for money use this software in order to get paid by members that access their content.
Features of SubHub
Let's examine SubHub features:
Dedicated Support
SubHub provides business tools that allow membership websites to pull traffic from Google.
Real-time Reporting
The software gives report and analytics in real-time because it integrates with Google Analytics. In other words, you can tell the number of visitors or members you have on your site at every given time.
User-Friendly
SubHub allows you to create and edit content easily. Your membership website can have unlimited pages
Mobile-Friendly
With this software, you can embed audio and video files in your contents. And you won't have to worry because your members would be able to view it from any device.
Event Management
For an organization that wants to communicate with its staff, this software would be useful. You can promote your events to members and non-members alike. And as an organization, you can create a community.
Content Optimization
SubHub automatically optimizes the pages of your membership website. So whenever you create new content, they go to Google's search results.
What Needs Improvement in the SubHub
The creators of this software should work on improving the user's experience.
Pricing
The monthly plan for the Starter, Pro, and Premium plans are $47, $97, and $147 accordingly for monthly plan users.
The yearly plans pay $479, $989, and $1,499 per year.
Pros
Cons
MembersGear is a PHP software that provides you with tools to build a membership or subscription-based website. You can use it to sell digital content for an affiliate marketplace either for a one-time payment or a continuous billing system.
This software offers premium features with more flexibility than most membership software. So if you want more features from this software, you might want to go for the paid version.
Features of MembersGear
The features of MembersGear are:
One Time Activation
Some other membership software that integrates with affiliate managers requires that whatever changes you make on one, you must adjust the other. But MembersGear makes that changes automatically to the affiliate manager.
Tax Tracking
Image Credit: Kelly Sikkema
If you send out commissions without having records of the transaction, you would get into trouble. All you have to do is enable the 1099 tax servers, and MembersGear would do it automatically.
Affiliate Program
A good affiliate manager can pull traffic to your site. MembersGear allows you to launch a 2-tier affiliate program and give the commission to recommend your site to new affiliates.
Secure Platform
Image Credit: Gemma Evans
MembersGear is flexible and secure. You don't need additional software for security.
It's Free
MembersGear is free of cost and open-source membership software.
What Needs Improvement in MembersGear
It'll be helpful to provide more support for users. Some customers aren't good with self-help services.
Pricing
Not available. You start out free and upgrade when you want to.
Pros
Cons
Raklet automates workflow and other processes so that you can face your administrative duties. The software has fundraising and ticketing functions that make such events a breeze. Raklet also has tools that you can use to engage your members and also get donations and payments.
Raklet documents members' interactions in a timeline, so you have a history of their interactions. You can message members through the software's interface without a third-party tool. Even payments are done within Raklet system.
Features of Raklet
Raklet has the following features:
Simplifies Workflow
Raklet provides tools that automate membership processes. You can easily manage new members and those that are renewing their account at the same time. Payment for subscription is easy because members don't have to exit the platform to make payments.
Secure
You can store your members' data with Raklet in a centralized location. This solves the problem of security as you don't need a third-party tool.
Keeps History
Raklet presents members' interaction in a timeline, so you can track conversations in the community. The software gathers relevant information from intending members and allows you to receive their payments upon submission.
Solves Human Factor
Some data can be compromised, lost or destroyed if the person handling it leaves work. Raklet removes your dependence on humans, space and time. So your information is stored in the cloud and can be retrieved anywhere and at anytime.
Debt Collection
You don't have to search through files to determine who hasn't paid. Raklet tracks payments automatically, list debtors, send reminders and collect payment.
What Needs Improvement in Raklet
It'll be great to have a more intuitive control panel to make navigation easier.
Pricing
For annual billing, the image below shows how much would be charged every month for the year you subscribed.
For monthly billing,
Pros
Cons
Top Pick
The winner of this category is Wild Apricot. You don't need to install an app because it runs in the cloud. Using the free version doesn't reduce the customizability of the software or the support you get from the team.
Features of an Ideal Website Membership Software
From the features of all the above membership software, you'll notice that they don't have the same features. That's because they focus on different needs despite being in the same category. But no matter the function of your software, the best website membership software must have the following features.
Control
You should be able to restrict members' access to your web content or grant access for a period of time.
Assign Levels
A good membership software allows you to have different packages such as Free, Advanced or Premium packages. So you stand more chance at expanding the number of people who'll be interested in your product.
Coupons
You need a membership software that allows you to set the parameters of your coupon. You can reduce your product price by percentage or amount. And you can set the expiry date as well as how many times members get to use them.
Payment Collection
Your membership software should reduce the time you spend on admin tasks. It handles the collection of payments and donations without your involvement.
