The 16 Best Membership Website Builders and Platforms for 2024 [With Examples]

Are you looking to boost engagement, build loyalty, and open up new revenue streams for your business or organization? If so, launching a membership website could be the perfect solution.

By offering exclusive content, perks, and community features to members, you give them compelling reasons to keep coming back, while potentially collecting recurring subscription fees or other membership dues. It‘s a win-win model used by top brands, nonprofits, creators, and more.

The only question is, what‘s the best way to actually build a membership site? With dozens of platforms to choose from, it can get overwhelming fast.

No need to worry though – we‘ve done the research for you. In this in-depth guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know, including:

  • How membership sites work and how they differ from subscription sites
  • A simple process for planning and launching your membership offering
  • Detailed breakdowns of the 16 top membership site platforms for 2024
  • Inspiring examples of awesome membership websites to learn from
  • Key features to prioritize and pitfalls to avoid

Whether you‘re a total beginner or an experienced site owner looking to add memberships to your existing setup, we‘ve got you covered. Let‘s dive in!

Membership Websites vs. Subscription Websites

First things first – what exactly is a membership website? How is it different from a subscription site? While the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are some key distinctions:

  • A subscription website provides paying subscribers with ongoing access to some kind of product or service, typically on a recurring basis (monthly, annually, etc.). Think Netflix, where you pay a monthly fee for on-demand TV and movie streaming.

  • A membership website, on the other hand, provides members with access to exclusive content, perks, or community spaces. Importantly, membership sites don‘t always require recurring payments the way subscriptions do. The value for the business is more about boosting engagement and loyalty vs. monthly revenue.

One example of a membership website is Sephora‘s Beauty Insider program. It‘s free to sign up, and doing so unlocks rewards like birthday gifts, event invitations, and exclusive promotions. The membership encourages repeat purchases and helps Sephora build relationships with customers.

All that said, many membership sites do charge recurring dues and offer different price tiers (e.g. a Chamber of Commerce). Really, subscription sites are best thought of as a subset of membership sites. But not all membership sites are subscription-based.

For this guide, we‘ll be focusing primarily on platforms for creating membership sites, some of which also support subscription billing. With that cleared up, let‘s look at the key benefits of the membership model.

Why Build a Membership Website?

For organizations of all types and sizes, adding a membership component to your website can be a game-changer. Some of the biggest reasons to do it include:

  1. Boosting engagement and loyalty. Members tend to visit more often, stay on the site longer, and generally feel a stronger connection to the brand. Thoughtful perks and community spaces make them feel valued and "part of the club."

  2. Capturing data for personalization. Member registration provides businesses valuable data for better understanding their audience. Member profiles and site activity can be used to personalize their experience and offers.

  3. Adding revenue streams. Many membership sites charge one-time or recurring dues. But even free memberships often lead to increased sales and customer lifetime value compared to non-members.

  4. Reducing acquisition costs. While getting new members takes work, keeping them is often easier and cheaper than finding first-time buyers. A strong focus on member retention can really pay off over time.

  5. Supporting your mission. For nonprofits, associations, and mission-based organizations, memberships help rally people around your cause. Fees provide financial support, while perks and resources help turn casual supporters into lifelong members.

Sounds good, right? Of course, you can only reap these benefits if you build your membership site the right way. Next, we‘ll walk through that process step-by-step.

How to Create a Membership Website

Creating a membership website might seem complex, but when you break it down it‘s actually quite straightforward. Here‘s a proven five-step process:

  1. Decide on your membership model. Think through what you‘ll offer members, the price and frequency of membership fees (if any), and whether you‘ll have multiple membership tiers or levels.

  2. Create your members-only content. Build out the pages, posts, downloads, courses, tools, or other exclusive content you‘ll provide to members at launch. Create an initial "teaser" of members-only content.

  3. Choose your membership platform. Pick a membership website builder or membership plugin for your CMS that includes the core features you need at a price point that fits your budget.

  4. Set up your membership offering. Install and configure your membership software, integrate your payment processor (if charging fees), and start adding in your gated members-only content.

  5. Promote your new membership. Spread the word to your email list and social media followers. Consider a special introductory rate to encourage early sign-ups and build initial momentum.

If you already have a website, you may be able to add membership functionality with a simple plugin or extension. If you‘re starting from scratch, you‘ll want to choose a platform that includes membership features out-of-the-box.

Let‘s take a closer look at the top options on the market today.

The 16 Best Membership Website Platforms for 2024

We‘ve scoured the web and tested out all the top membership platforms to identify the very best options. Our top picks for 2024 include:

  1. Content Hub Enterprise: HubSpot‘s fully-featured CMS includes membership management tools as part of its Enterprise tier, seamlessly integrated with CRM, marketing automation, payments and more. Pricing: Starts at $1,500 per month.

  2. Uscreen: An all-in-one video membership platform that provides everything from video hosting to live streaming to payment processing and OTT apps. Pricing: Starts at $149 per month.

  3. MemberPress: A powerful WordPress membership plugin with advanced features and support for multiple payment gateways. Pricing: Starts at $179 per year.

  4. Wix: Design-friendly site builder with built-in membership and subscription management features. Pricing: Starts at $12 per month with premium plans.

  5. SureMembers: Simple WordPress membership plugin for quickly locking pages, posts and downloads for members. Pricing: Starts at $69 per year.

  6. MemberSpace: A robust platform for adding members-only content to Squarespace, Webflow, WordPress, and other sites. Pricing: Starts at $29/month plus 4% transaction fees.

  7. Wild Apricot: All-in-one membership management software popular with associations and nonprofits. Includes a drag-and-drop site builder. Pricing: Free up to 50 members, then starts at $60/month.

  8. YourMembership: A full-service membership website builder with event management, analytics, marketing features and more. Pricing: Must request custom quote.

  9. SubHub: An easy-to-use platform for building membership sites from pre-designed templates. Supports videos, courses, forums and more. Pricing: Starts at $47 per month.

  10. MembershipWorks: Flexible WordPress plugin for membership sites and user management. Pricing: Free up to 250 members, then starts at $39/month.

That‘s our top ten, but there are a few other solid options worth mentioning depending on your specific use case and tech stack:

  1. Morweb: CMS for nonprofits and associations with membership features and a drag-and-drop builder.
  2. Weebly: Simple site builder with basic built-in membership functionality.
  3. WishList Member: Versatile WordPress membership plugin with tons of payment integrations.
  4. Memberful: A platform for adding paid memberships to WordPress, plus email newsletter platforms.
  5. Bold Memberships: An app for selling memberships through your Shopify store.
  6. Whop: Free membership monetization platform for creators, with built-in video, chat, and events.

Key Features of the Best Membership Site Builders

With so many great options, how do you choose the right membership platform for your needs and budget? While the specific features and pricing vary across platforms, here are some of the key things to look for:

  • Flexible member management. Look for robust tools for organizing members, setting up different levels/tiers, and reviewing member data.

  • Content control and personalization. Your software should make it easy to restrict content to certain groups or membership levels, drip it out over time, and personalize the member experience.

  • Payment processing integrations. For paid memberships, you‘ll want a seamless way to accept subscription fees and one-time payments.

  • Engagement and community features. Think about how members will interact with each other through forums, direct messaging, or virtual events.

  • Automated email and workflows. Save time by automating common member communication like welcome emails, renewal reminders, and more.

  • Ownership of member data. Read the fine print to understand what member data you can access and who ultimately owns the relationships with your members.

  • Pricing and support. Membership platforms range from totally free up to thousands a year. Align your choice with the size of your program and the level of support you need.

Examples of Awesome Membership Websites

To give you a sense of what‘s possible and spark some ideas, here are a few great examples of membership sites from different industries:

  • Suffolk Building Society: The member‘s lounge provides exclusive content, partner offers and community news to members of this UK financial institution.

  • Nifty Portal: This NFT collector community provides early access to exclusive digital drops and resources to its members.

  • Vines Wine Club: A global collective of winemakers and enthusiasts. Members learn from experts and collaborate on unique vintages through in-person trips and virtual tastings.

  • AccessElite: Corporate wellbeing platform with live classes, challenges, and exclusive member events.

  • Texas Healthcare Association: Provides education, events, and networking for its members from Texas‘ long-term care industry.

  • Guitar Zero 2 Hero: Membership program that provides online guitar lessons, a supportive community, and live workshops to help beginners accelerate their skills.

You can view even more creative membership site examples here.

Launching Your Membership Site

Building a successful membership website isn‘t just about choosing the right software. It requires getting clear on your membership model, creating genuinely valuable content and perks for members, and spreading the word to your audience.

If you follow the simple five-step process we outlined and choose a platform aligned with your goals and budget, you‘ll be well on your way to delighting your members and reaping the rewards of the membership site model.

The 16 top membership platforms highlighted here are all fantastic options. For most, Content Hub Enterprise from HubSpot is the premier choice – an all-in-one CMS with membership features and a full suite of marketing tools. Uscreen is great for video-based offerings, while MemberPress and Wix are affordable and easy to use.

Ultimately, the "best" choice depends on your unique situation and needs. But with the knowledge and inspiration in this guide, you‘re now equipped to build an amazing membership site of your own. The only thing left to do is get started!

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