Top 10 Membership Website Builders In 2024

In this article, we’ll show you the price, ease of use, feature, app integration, and pros & cons of each Membership Website Builder so you can make an informed decision. 

What Is a Membership Website?

A membership website platform is a private section providing exclusive content access for registered users only. This means that users must create an account and log in to access the restricted content or services offered on the site.

Top 10 Membership Website Builders

Shopify

Pricing

Shopify provides various pricing plans tailored to your business needs and budget, with monthly fees ranging from $39 to $2000, depending on the subscription level. You can start with a 3-day free trial to explore their features before selecting a plan. New merchants can take advantage of a special offer at $1/month for the first 3 months. 

Additionally, you can save 25% on fees by opting for an annual subscription.

Outstanding features

Shopify is an excellent platform for stores with membership programs, offering:

• Inventory Management: Simplifies tracking and managing exclusive products or content for members.
• Customer Profiles: Gathers member data like purchase history and preferences to tailor content and services.
• Password Protection: Secures membership-only areas, ensuring exclusivity for registered members.

These features enable a smooth experience for both store owners and members, enhancing satisfaction and fostering loyalty.

App integration

Shopify has an extensive App Store with over 8000+ apps that can help merchants enhance their online stores. There are several membership apps available on the Shopify App Store that can help merchants set up and manage membership programs.

Some popular membership apps on the Shopify App Store include:

• Conjured Memberships: which allows you to offer a digital membership program to your customers easily. It offers a 30-day free trial, and pricing starts at $9.99/month +2.9% of all membership transactions (minimum $0.10 per transaction) for their Summer Special plan.
• AAA Membership Loyalty Program: This app helps you create recurring paying members & subscribers with loyalty rewards. It offers a free plan, and pricing starts at $9/month for its Growth plan.
• Bold Memberships: pricing starts at  $9.99/month with a 14-day free trial. Bold Memberships allows you to sell recurring memberships to your brand, giving members access to pages, products, member pricing, and more.

These apps offer features such as member pricing, restricted content, and loyalty rewards. By integrating these apps into their Shopify stores, merchants can create a more engaging and personalized shopping experience for their customers.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• User-Friendly Interface
• Easy to set up
• Ideal choice for e-commerce websites
• Offers excellent scalability for growing your site
• Abundance of Themes and Customization
• Secure and Reliable
• Payment Gateway Integration
• App Ecosystem with over 8,000+ app integrations
• 24/7 customer service

Cons: 

• Higher-tier plans are pricey
• Some apps may require payments
• Transaction Fees while using third-party payment gateways

How to add your online store password for membership content on Shopify

While Shopify lacks a built-in membership area feature, you can still password-protect pages on your online store, follow these steps in your Shopify admin:

• Go to Online Store > Preferences.
• Find the Password protection area and select Restrict access to visitors with the password.
• Enter a password that you’ll give to the customers you want to access your store. Make sure it’s different from your admin login password.
• Optionally, you can add a message to display on the password page. If you don’t want to show a message, you can leave this field blank.
• Save your settings by clicking on the Save button.

Wix

Pricing

Wix has four paid plans, starting from $16 per month, plus a free plan that you can use for as long as you like.  In addition to these four plans, Wix offers a custom plan for large enterprises. 

Outstanding features

Wix offers useful tools for building membership websites:

• Members Area Tool: Provides login bars and user profiles, giving members access to exclusive content and account information.
• Community Engagement: Includes a community forum for members to connect, share, and interact, enhancing engagement with your brand.
• Wix Forum App: Enables the creation of an online community, encouraging discussions and active member participation.

These features help create a dynamic membership website, fostering a sense of belonging and community among members.

App integration

Wix offers seamless app integration, making enhancing your website with various features and functionalities easy. Some easy-to-install apps available on Wix include Wix Forum, Wix Bookings, and a Contact Form.

• Wix Forum: With the Wix Forum app, you can quickly set up a community forum on your website. This allows your visitors and members to engage in discussions, share knowledge, and interact with one another, fostering a sense of community and boosting customer engagement.
• Wix Bookings: The Wix Bookings app enables you to offer online booking and appointment scheduling services directly on your website. Whether you’re running a membership-based service or offering exclusive events, this app streamlines the booking process for your members.
• Contact Form: The Contact Form app provides a simple and effective way for your website visitors to contact you. It allows you to create customizable contact forms, making it convenient for members to reach out and inquire about your services or membership program.

With these easy-to-install apps, Wix empowers you to effortlessly add valuable functionalities to your membership website. Whether creating a vibrant community, managing appointments, or staying connected with your audience, Wix’s app integration makes it a breeze.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• User-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality
• Built-in Members Area tool for login bars and user profile account
• Seamless app integration with features like Wix Forum, Wix Bookings, and Contact Form
• Customizable ready-made templates for a personalized membership website
• Mobile-friendly design for easy access and management on-the-go

Cons:

• Limited customization freedom compared to some other website builders
• Advanced features may require additional app installations and costs
• Higher-tier plans can be pricey for some membership website platform owners
• Transaction fees may apply for certain payment gateways, affecting profit margins
• Limited number of free themes, potentially requiring a premium purchase for more design options

Squarespace

Pricing

Squarespace provides four pricing plans, with monthly costs ranging from $16 to $651.

Outstanding features

Squarespace offers effective tools for building membership websites:

• Built-in Membership Area: Easily create and manage exclusive content, services, or products for a private user experience.
• Personalized Content Delivery: Ideal for offering premium articles, online courses, or members-only discounts.
• Social Media Integration: Seamlessly connect your membership site with social platforms to enhance your social strategy and grow your audience.

These features make Squarespace a versatile choice for delivering tailored content and benefits to members.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Built-in Membership Area
• User-Friendly Interface
• Attractive Design Templates
• Responsive Design
• Social Media Integration

Cons:

• Limited Customization
• Learning Curve for New Users
• Transaction Fees on Lower Plans
• Confusing Pricing Structure

How to set up a members-only area with Squarespace

To set up a members-only area with Squarespace, you’ll need to create a Squarespace account and sign up for one of its premium plans. Once you’ve done that, follow these steps:

1. First, create a Squarespace account and choose one of its premium plans.
2. When you’re editing your website, find the ‘Settings’ option on the left-hand side.
3. Click on the ‘Members Area’ tab in the settings.
4. Next, press the ‘Create Member Area’ button, which will take you to the members’ panel.
5. Click the + button to create a new member area and give it a name, like ‘Members Only’.
6. Choose the type of membership you want to offer: One Time, Recurring, or Free. If it’s a paid membership, specify the amount you want members to pay.
7. Congratulations! Your brand-new members-only area is now set up and ready to go!

Once you’ve set up your members-only area, you can start adding content and customizing it to meet the needs of your members.

GoDaddy

Pricing

GoDaddy offers a range of pricing plans for its Website Builder, with monthly costs ranging from $9.99 to $29.99 when billed annually.

Outstanding features

GoDaddy’s membership builder offers a manual but efficient process:

• Member Addition: Manually enter member details or upload a pre-existing contact file.
• Content and Communication: Easily create exclusive content and communicate with members via email.
• Centralized Dashboard: Manage all membership areas and member statuses, including cancellation, from one dashboard.
• Contact Import Feature: Import contacts from a small list, saving time when building a new site or membership program.

This setup is particularly useful for those with an existing contact base, streamlining the transition to a new membership site.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• User-Friendly Interface
• Quickest way to create a website
• All-in-One Dashboard
• Member Only Website Option
• Contact Import
• Email Marketing Integration

Cons:

• Manual Member Addition
• Free plan limits membership to 25 members
• Limited Automation
• Less Advanced Membership Features
• Learning Curve
• Customization Options

How to add members to your GoDaddy site

1. Go to your GoDaddy products page.
2. Scroll down to find your list of GoDaddy sites.
3. Click on the ‘Manage’ button next to the site where you want to add members.
4. Once you’re in the editor, click on ‘Dashboard’ and then select ‘Connections’ > ‘Members.’
5. Choose ‘Add Contacts.’
6. You can now add individual members to your site by entering their personal information, like names, email addresses, and phone numbers. Alternatively, you can add members by uploading a file with their details.

WordPress

Pricing

WordPress.com offers several pricing plans, with monthly costs ranging from $0 to $45 (if billed annually). WordPress.com offers a free plan, so you can try out their features before committing to a paid plan.  Annual discounted subscriptions allow you to save up to 33% compared to paying monthly.

Outstanding features

WordPress supports membership websites with third-party plugins:

• Free Membership Plugins: Offer exclusive content for free or at a charge.
• MemberPress Plugin: A popular choice for complete control over member permissions, catering to different subscription levels.
• Premium Version for Advanced Features: MemberPress’s premium version offers more detailed features at approximately $150/year.

WordPress’s flexibility with these plugins allows for a customizable membership site experience, tailored to various membership tiers and content access permissions.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Extensive Plugin Support
• Availability of a free plan
• Flexibility in Content Access Control
• Customizable Membership Levels
• Wide Range of Payment Options
• Scalability for Growing Membership Communities

Cons:

• Learning Curve for Beginners
• MemberPress plugin may come with a price tag of $150
• Might not be the most user-friendly option for some users.
• Reliance on Third-Party Plugins
• Plugin Compatibility and Updates
• Potential Security Concerns

Kajabi

Kajabi stands out as one of the best platforms for subscription websites, tailored for online courses, coaching, and membership sites. Based on the users’ reviews, Kajabi’s intuitive interface and comprehensive features made it incredibly easy to launch and manage their first online course, adding a layer of professionalism and efficiency to their digital presence.

Pricing

After a 14-day free trial, Kajabi offers 3 different pricing plans, suitable for customers’ other desires.

• Basic Plan: $149/month. Offers 0% transaction fee, supports up to 1,000 active customers, and allows 3 products and funnels.
• Growth Plan: $199/month. Expands on the Basic Plan with capabilities for a more significant number of active customers and includes an Affiliate program.
• Pro Plan: $399/month. It builds upon the Growth Plan features, which are suitable for large-scale membership operations with an even higher capacity for active customers.

Outstanding features

Continuing with the deep dive into Kajabi, widely regarded as the best platform for subscription websites, it’s essential to spotlight the outstanding features that set it apart in a competitive industry. 

• Automated Email Campaigns: Kajabi offers automated email campaigns to nurture and retain subscribers efficiently.

• Customizable Membership Tiers: Users can create multiple membership levels, providing tailored content for different subscriber groups.
• Drip Content Feature: This allows gradual content release to members, keeping them engaged over time.
• Advanced Analytics: Kajabi provides detailed analytics to track member engagement and subscription metrics.
• Integrated Payment Processing: Simplifies member subscription payments with seamless integration.

Fit Men Cook effectively uses Kajabi’s integrated payment processing feature, a platform offering healthy cooking solutions. By leveraging Kajabi’s streamlined payment system, Fit Men Cook has efficiently managed its subscription-based revenue, enhancing the overall user experience and increasing subscriber retention.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Integrated payment processing
• Customizable membership tiers
• Automated marketing tools
• Comprehensive analytics
• Diverse content delivery options

Cons

• Higher cost compared to some alternatives
• Limited third-party integrations
• Limited customization in certain templates.

Mighty Networks

Continuing our exploration of the best platforms for subscription websites, let’s delve into Mighty Networks. 

Pricing

As an e-commerce expert, I appreciate Mighty Networks’s flexible pricing structure, which caters to a diverse range of online businesses, from fledgling startups to established communities.

After 2 months of free using, you can choose one among 3 different pricing plans of this membership site:

• Community Plan: $39/month. Includes Paid Memberships, offering more advanced tools for community engagement and monetization.
• Business Plan: $119/month. Builds upon the Community Plan with enhanced features for managing and monetizing larger communities.
• Mighty Pro Plan: Custom-priced. Tailored for large-scale communities or enterprises, with advanced subscription and membership options, including branded apps and specialized support services.

Outstanding features

Mighty Networks stands out for its outstanding features when considering the best subscription website platforms, as per our latest testing. These features are impressive in their scope and selected based on transparent criteria focusing on community engagement, content management, and user experience.

• Flexible Membership Options: Allows the creation of varied membership tiers, catering to different user needs and preferences.
• Community Engagement Tools: Offers robust tools for member interaction, fostering a sense of community.

Mighty Networks’ community engagement tools have been effectively utilized by Nurses Inspire Nurses, a platform dedicated to supporting nurses. Through these tools, Nurses Inspire Nurses has built a strong, engaged community, leading to increased membership retention and satisfaction.

• Integrated Payment Processing: Simplifies subscription management with seamless payment solutions.
• Content Drip Functionality: Enables the gradual release of content, keeping members engaged over time.
• Detailed Analytics: Provides insights into member behavior and subscription trends.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Robust community engagement tools
• Flexible membership options
• Integrated event management
• Direct member communication
• Customizable branding
• Mobile app availability
• Content segmentation for different tiers

Cons

• Limited third-party integrations
• Cost structure for premium features
• Lacks built-in email marketing capabilities, requiring external integrations for this functionality.

Wild Apricot

In exploring the best platform for a subscription website, let’s take a closer look at Wild Apricot. Some experts highly recommend this platform if you are a beginner.

Pricing

With my background in e-commerce, Wild Apricot’s pricing structure is particularly well-suited for non-profits and associations, offering a range of plans to accommodate different sizes and budgets.

The different pricing plans of this membership site:

• Personal Plan: $60/month. Suitable for small organizations with membership capabilities of up to 100 contacts.
• Group Plan: $75/month. Designed for growing organizations, expanding membership capacity to 250 contacts.
• Community Plan: $140/month. Ideal for medium-sized organizations, allowing for up to 500 contacts in their membership base.
• Professional Plan: $240/month. Targets larger organizations, offering membership management for up to 2,000 contacts.
• Network Plan: $440/month. Provides extensive membership support for up to 5,000 contacts.
• Enterprise Plan: $530/month. Tailored for large-scale operations with a membership limit of 15,000 contacts.
• Global Plan: $900/month. The most extensive plan, catering to very large organizations or networks, with a membership capacity of up to 50,000 contacts.

Outstanding features

As we continue to explore Wild Apricot, a contender for the best platform for subscription websites, its exceptional features warrant special attention. These features from this existing website are not arbitrarily chosen. Still, they are based on clear, evidence-based criteria focusing on the specific needs of non-profits and membership organizations.

• Automated Membership Renewals: Streamlines the renewal process for members, enhancing convenience and retention.
• Tiered Membership Levels: Allows the creation of various membership levels with different benefits and pricing.
• Event Management Integration: Simplifies organizing events for members, directly linked with the membership system.

Wild Apricot’s event management integration feature was successfully utilized by the International Social Club. Using this feature, they could seamlessly organize and manage events for their members, increasing member engagement and satisfaction.

• Customizable Membership Forms: Offers flexibility in creating and customizing membership application forms.
• Comprehensive Member Database: Provides an extensive database system for managing member information effectively.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Automated membership renewals
• Tiered membership levels
• Event management integration
• Customizable membership forms
• Comprehensive member database
• Online store for memberships
• Member communication tools

Cons

• Some limitations in website design customization.
• Limited advanced reporting
• Limited marketing features

Patreon

Continuing our journey through the landscape of the best platforms for subscription websites, Patreon emerges as a notable contender. 

Pricing

Drawing from my e-commerce expertise, I appreciate Patreon’s unique pricing model, which is designed to cater to a wide range of creators, from individual artists to larger content-creating teams.

This existing website offers 2 pricing plans:

• Pro Plan: Charges 8% of income earned. Offers options for monthly and annual subscriptions, creation of membership tiers, and community engagement tools.
• Premium Plan: Charges 12% of income earned. Includes all Pro Plan features with the addition of advanced membership options like Merch for Membership.

Outstanding features

Patreon, often recognized as a perfect option as the best platform for subscription websites, is distinguished by its outstanding features, thoughtfully designed based on transparent criteria focusing on creator needs and patron engagement.

• Flexible Membership Tiers: Patreon offers creators various subscription levels with different benefits.
• Direct Communication with Supporters: Enables personal interaction with members via direct messaging.
• Exclusive Content Access: Creators can provide members exclusive content unavailable to non-subscribers.

Nathan Maingard, a musician, leveraged Patreon’s exclusive content access to connect more deeply with his fans. By offering unique songs and experiences only to his patrons, Nathan saw an increase in both his subscriber numbers and overall engagement, demonstrating the power of exclusive content in building a dedicated fanbase.

• Patron-Only Polls and Voting: Engages members in decision-making processes or feedback through exclusive polls.
• Analytics and Insights: Offers detailed data about member demographics and engagement.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Flexible membership tiers
• Direct supporter communication
• Exclusive content offerings
• Patron-only polls and voting
• Creator-focused analytics
• Strong community building
• Diverse content support

Cons

• Platform fee on earnings
• Limited design customization
• Reliance on external traffic

Teachable

As we explore options for the best platform for subscription websites, Teachable emerges as a strong contender, especially when it comes to pricing. 

Pricing

Teachable, as one of the best platforms for subscription websites, offers pricing plans designed to suit a variety of needs, from individual educators to larger educational organizations.

This membership site offers 4 different pricing plans:

• Basic Plan: $59/month. Offers subscription management features like a custom domain for branding and coupon codes for promotional offers.
• Pro Plan: $159/month. Enhances the subscription experience with graded quizzes and certificates, useful for tracking and rewarding subscriber progress.
• Pro+ Plan: $249/month. Focuses on subscriber engagement and support with priority product support and access to a dedicated customer success manager.
• Business Plan: $665/month. Tailored for extensive subscription operations with features like bulk student enrollments and group coaching, catering to a large subscriber base.

Outstanding features

Teachable, as one of the best membership website platforms for subscription website, boasts a range of outstanding features.

• Recurring Subscription Options: Allows creators to set up recurring payments for continuous access to courses.
• Drip Course Content: Enables the release of course material over time, keeping subscribers engaged.
• Customizable Sales Pages: Creators can tailor their course sales pages to appeal to potential subscribers.
• Advanced Reporting Tools: Provides detailed insights into subscriber behavior and course engagement.

• Integrated Payment Gateways: Simplifies the process of receiving subscription payments from students.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Recurring subscription options
• Drip course content feature
• Customizable sales pages
• Advanced reporting tools
• Integrated payment gateways
• Flexible course pricing
• User-friendly course builder

Cons

• Limited community features
• Additional transaction fees
• Basic design customization options

Best Membership Website Builders: Summary

After testing and utilizing all of the 10 platforms above, we can tell you that Kajabi might be the best choice among those options for both newbies and experienced ones. While the pricing may be quite expensive, the features it delivers are exceptional, with lots of previous users leaving good critics for its services.

FAQs

Bottom Line

Each website builder provides a wide range of features to help you create an excellent membership site. However, if you aim to maximize the potential of your membership area and engage with users in various ways, we recommend using Shopify.