MemberPress vs SureMembers
Features, use cases, pros and cons, and pricing side by side — and which one to pick.
Best for: Creators selling online courses with a built-in WordPress LMS, Coaches running one-on-one or group coaching programs
Read the full MemberPress reviewBest for: Course creators running cohort-based programs who need different student groups to access different lessons, Influencers and creators who want a Patreon-style premium membership on a WordPress site they own and control
Read the full SureMembers reviewCommission may apply at no extra cost
MemberPress vs SureMembers: features compared
Compare key features side by side
Feature Comparison Summary
Which should you choose?
Choose MemberPress if
- You want a built-in course LMS with quizzes and certificates
- You need Stripe, PayPal, Square, and REST API access
- You sell corporate accounts or want automated tax handling
Choose SureMembers if
- You need simple paywalls across up to 100 sites
- You prefer the cleanest, fastest setup experience
MemberPress vs SureMembers: pros and cons
MemberPress
MemberPress packs paywalls, courses, coaching, and communities into one WordPress plugin, with code-free setup and unusually broad payment support. The trade-offs: annual-only billing, renewals at full price, a 4.9% fee on the entry plan, and top-tier features locked behind Scale. Overall, it's a strong pick for WordPress owners who want one system instead of many.
Pros
- Consolidates paywalls, subscription billing, courses, coaching, communities, and digital downloads into a single WordPress plugin, replacing the need for several separate tools
- Content Access Rules let you gate posts, pages, and courses with a click, and Growth-and-above plans add content dripping and access expiration for scheduled releases
- ReadyLaunch™ page maker and drag-and-drop course builder enable a code-free setup that the vendor claims can be sale-ready in under a day, working with any theme including custom ones
Cons
- Annual billing only — no monthly payment option appears on the pricing page, so the minimum commitment is $199.50 per year, and refund terms are not displayed there
- The entry-level Launch plan ($199.50/year) omits quizzes, assignments, certificates, and content dripping, and locks you to Stripe as the only payment gateway
- Coaching (CoachKit™) and community features (ClubSuite™ forums, directories, live chat) plus the built-in affiliate program are reserved for the top Scale tier at $499.50/year
SureMembers
SureMembers keeps content protection simple: Access Groups map your content to the right audience in a few steps, and members are managed inside the WordPress dashboard you already use. It skips built-in checkout, email, and community, and its published pricing range is too broad to plan around. Overall, it's a smart pick for WordPress owners who already have a stack they like.
Pros
- The Access Group workflow reduces content protection to three steps — create a group, select content, set visitor handling — which keeps setup fast even as a site grows
- Unauthorized visitors are managed on your terms, so protected pages can direct readers toward signup or purchase instead of dead-ending
- One plugin covers very different business models, from Patreon-style creator tiers to complex course cohorts, without imposing a fixed template
Cons
- SureMembers is focused on securing and managing content rather than being an all-in-one platform, so sites wanting built-in checkout, email, community, and hosting will need additional tools
- It is a WordPress plugin, so it is not an option for content on Shopify, Webflow, Squarespace, or custom applications
- Independent ratings on major review platforms were not available at the time of this review, making third-party verification of long-term user satisfaction difficult
MemberPress and SureMembers in detail
MemberPress
MemberPress is a WordPress plugin that turns a regular site into a paid membership business. Based on the company's site, it covers paywalls and content dripping, subscription billing, online courses, coaching programs, member communities, and digital downloads. It's aimed at creators, coaches, course sellers, and businesses that want recurring revenue on WordPress. Setup is marketed as code-free, and the plugin works with any theme.
Standout features
- Lock Down Your Content
- Turn Knowledge Into Courses
- Build Community and Coaching
- Get Paid, Your Way
- Launch Fast, Without Code
Use cases
- Sell Your First Online Course
- Coach Clients on Recurring Revenue
- Grow a Paid Community
- Sell Bulk Memberships to Businesses
SureMembers
SureMembers is a plugin that adds content restriction and membership management to a self-hosted WordPress site. Its central building block is the Access Group: a rule set that ties specific content to a defined audience. When someone without access lands on protected material, the plugin follows the behavior you configured, so unauthorized visitors are managed on your terms rather than hitting a dead end. Because it lives inside WordPress, members, content, and protection rules are all managed from the admin dashboard you already use.
Standout features
- Access Groups
- Configurable Handling of Unauthorized Visitors
- Member Management Inside WordPress
- Flexible Business-Model Support
Use cases
- Patreon-Style Influencer Memberships
- Cohort-Based Online Courses
- Premium Content and Member-Only Archives
- Business Member Areas and Gated Resources
Pricing compared
List prices from each vendor's pricing page, before taxes and add-ons. Costs are per month.
| Pricing compared | MemberPress | SureMembers |
|---|---|---|
| From (cheapest paid plan) | $33.25/mo Launch | $5.75/mo Starter |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| Money-back guarantee | Not stated | Not stated |
| Annual billing savings | — | — |
| Pricing model | Flat price | Flat price |
| Cost for 1 user | $33.25/mo Launch plan, billed annually | $5.75/moCheaper Starter plan, billed annually |
| Cost for 5 users | $33.25/mo Launch plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $5.75/mo Starter plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 10 users | $33.25/mo Launch plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $5.75/mo Starter plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Cost for 25 users | $33.25/mo Launch plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) | $5.75/mo Starter plan, billed annually · price per account (user limit not stated) |
| Plans | 3 | 5 |
| Prices checked | Vendor page checked Oct 13, 2026 | Checked Oct 12, 2026 |
| Price history | Tracking prices since Sep 9, 2026. No price change detected yet. | Tracking prices since Sep 30, 2026. No price change detected yet. |
- Cheapest plan that fits each team size. Per-user plans are multiplied by the number of users (respecting stated minimums and seat packs). Plans that include some users cost their base price plus the extra-user price for each user beyond those included. Flat-priced plans with no stated user limit are counted as one licence per user.
Cheaper for your team size
For 1 user (billed annually), SureMembers costs $5.75/mo vs MemberPress at $33.25/mo.
Computed from published list prices on the dates shown. Excludes taxes, add-ons and promotions.
More comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for selling online courses?
MemberPress. It includes a built-in LMS with drag-and-drop lessons, quizzes, certificates, and gradebook. SureMembers focuses on protecting content, not teaching it.