Choosing the appropriate membership management software for your site
Discover why it is crucial to think about features like connectivity, scaleability, simplicity to use and many more when choosing membership website software.
Looking for the perfect gym or the best member software has a lot in common.
It must be easy to use. (Otherwise, why would you take the time to travel?)
The person who is in charge must be supportive. (Pushy sales people or trainers do not count.)
It must be safe. (You're going to use it for conducting sensitive business. If you're not confident about the parking lot or servers responsible for transmitting your customers' data, you've got a dealbreaker.)
Above all the price must be a price point that you can actually afford to maintain.
Chiefly, that you've got many options to choose from, you can skip the small talks and agreements, and if you make the right choice, you'll land a source of income that is recurring and can remove you from working in a cubicle.
In order to assist to make the most suitable option for your company, we've compiled a list of the most highly-rated Membership software suites. Before we discuss the ones we've found we must discuss the things we wanted to find.
What should you look for in Membership software
It's a crucial factor to take into account because even though customers should always be first, you have to protect yourself at the same time.
In the end, just 67.8% of small companies survive past their first birthday, and the highest mortality rate occurs in businesses that have no more than four employees.
Integrators. Does it work with the other software and tools you make use of to manage your company? What about marketing? Inadequate integration might not ruin the membership system but it certainly isn't going to make it better either.
Ease of use. Some people like exploring new software and working out complicated processes. But most of us don't have time for it, even though we do like it.
Customer Support. Your business is in danger. Is customer support on that phone number to you? You should have them.
Scalability. Businesses change sizes. Your software for managing memberships should handle the same for you and not charge for a tiny country.
Marketing. Does it help to promote your business or offer you the tools that you need to make more sales? Do you really have a choice but to pay another company for this?
Price. This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you can't afford it, you can't fund your business.
A few of these, including marketing, might seem unnecessary, but consider the following: 47% of small companies rate it as their most effective growth strategy.
Combine that with the fact that manual tasks eat up 23% of the same business owner's day , and any tool which isn't as flexible and automated as possible could be a thing that is hindering your profits.
"So my days, when I'm actually in front of my computer, is spent making content, managing my members' community, becoming very involved with their administration tasks that I do not always like doing, or controlling my VA or my team. It's"all over the map."
Does anyone truly enjoy the process of administration?
(Probably. But not me.)
Now that we've got this out of the way, here's how your options compare.
Becky, the small business owner mentioned above she switched her business from one of the competitors Thinkific Thinkific -- and has been one of the largest advocates since then.
What is it that she loves her so the most?
The monthly cost is a flat amount. It never changes. That makes budgeting a cinch.
Of course it's not always perfect.
Here are some potential cons to using for a membership site:
Customization of design is somewhat restricted but it is always growing. There are a lot of great features. But If you're looking to get into the code and hack it together yourself, you may have look at things from a different angle.
Created for the creator. Any business can make it work, however the features are geared toward the creator and not their corporate counterparts.
Now, let's talk about how it lines up on features.
highlights
Usability: 4.5 out five. This product was developed for those who don't have the time or desire to become tech-savvy in their businesses This is evident in the excellent ratings.
Price: $39-$89.00 a month.
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Furthermore, since it is a completely self-contained platform, you also get to skip security concerns as well as server management. may not be well-suited for people who would prefer a professional environment, however for those who are creative user, it's a great choice.
Next up is another platform that provides a variety of features in one package.
WildApricot
As one among the top choices for software that allows membership, WildApricot has the potential to be more flexible than other options because it's made for both offline and online communities.
It's especially admired among nonprofit organizations , so when you're a nonprofit organization it could be a good option for you.
Here are some of the biggest advantages that could be in WildApricot's favor:
There is a no-cost tier (naturally, with exclusions) that allows up to 50 members.
Unlimited administrators make it easy to share administrative duties an individual.
11 themes for free can be downloaded to help you create your own membership site and up and running as fast as possible. You are able to customize them using CSS or HTML, if you wish.
Some of the cons include:
A pretty outdated user interface. It's useful, but basic, which can detract from the overall experience if you've got a preference for eye candy.
Pricing tiers are set up according to how many members your company has. As your company grows, the harder the bite to your income per month.
WildApricot Features
Integrations: 2.0 out of 5.0. WildApricot integrates with WordPress , which is by default, means that anything that runs on WordPress works alongside WildApricot also, though it there are very only a few native integrations.
User-Friendliness: 3.0 out of 5.0. The backend of WildApricot isn't as user-friendly as some other programs, but customers are generally happy with the features. An updated user interface and improved navigation will definitely help improve this score.
Customer Support: 2.5 out of 5.0. Support hours are limited , and billing inquiries are only handled via email.
scaling: 2.0 out of 5.0. Having a free tier helps, but the pricing system dependent on the number of members can easily put an owner of a business in debt as they scale their business as they try to balance cash flow.
Marketing: 3.5 out of 5.0. Registration for events, management of contacts -- i.e., marketing by email, and web development give this Membership software that has a solid performance for marketing.
Cost: $40-$350 a month, depending the number of members you're hosting.
While this may not be an ideal option for internet-based firms, it's certainly a strong one for groups which be offline, as well as online.
AccessAlly
Offering customers such as the New York Times , AccessAlly is nothing if not stunning to be seen from the front-end to the back end (no no pun meant).
There are many positives to AccessAlly's Corner:
Similar to AccessAlly , AccessAlly offers more than a membership platform. It's also a fully featured learning management system and can be used to market online classes.
A myriad of automated marketing features make it easy for someone to polish their promotion with no prior expertise.
It integrates to WordPress and provides built-in gamification tools that allow customers to engage directly by rewarding them with credits.
These less than stellar cons they could cause you to pause:
Pricing tiers offer single-site licenses, so if you want to run multiple membership programs then you'll need to pay higher.
The availability of HTML0 is very limited , which means you might have to compete for your spot. While that exclusivity gives it some appeal, it's not suitable for a small business owner trying to find their foothold on the land.
AccessAlly offers
Integrations: 2.5 out of 5.0. AccessAlly has connections with very useful programs like Drip, ActiveCampaign, and InfusionSoft , but that's about the only native integrations available. As with WildApricot it is possible to integrate with WordPress.
Ease of Use: 4.5 out of 5.0. This suite is nothing if not pleasing to use and lets you quickly create stunning forms. If you're used to working at the back-end of WordPress, you'll be comfortable here.
Help: 1.0 out of 5.0. With no support options other than email, and a short timeframe This is the only aspect where AccessAlly falls short. Live chat or phone would be a definite improvement.
Scalability: 3.5 out of 5.0. Since AccessAlly is billed by features, rather than members, it can scale well with a growing business.
Marketing: 4.0 out of 5.0. Tracking affiliates, ecommerce management capability, cross-selling and integration with all of the most popular email marketing platforms are definitely feathers in AccessAlly's cap.
Cost: $99-$5,000 monthly, every tier offering better features than the last.
There's a lot to love about AccessAlly, but limited support is a significant barrier to adoption for this program. Additionally, it's geared specifically to be used for educational memberships, but it is compatible with any type of website.
For our final review today take a examine the most DIY option.
WooMembers
WooCommerce is among those products that is so widely used in the ecommerce industry that it's usually the first thought when they want to start an online business. While the base plugin is free, you'll need two additional extensions -- packaged with " WooMembers " -- in order to operate the paid-for subscription website.
Unlike the past three solutions for membership websites, WooMembers is your down-and-dirty, hack-it-yourself option.
And there are some benefits that come with it:
The control freak in your head will smile when you see WooMembers. Since it's only a plugin and one that can integrate with almost all WordPress theme and design, the options for your designs are nearly infinite.
One-time fees. This is positive and disadvantage since it forces you to invest more money upfront in an undetermined business idea however it keeps the revenue you earn per month lower. It's a good thing for the member aspect of it, at least.
As it's an WooCommerce extension, you have numerous payment gateways . Customers are able to pay whatever they like, and most of the major gateways are accessible for you to use at no cost.
On the other hand they are quite severe.
This is far from user-friendly for those with less than a technical leaning. The system is certainly a possibility, but it's got a steep learning curve that could put off new entrepreneurs.
Then, just like before, let's see how it ranks up for attributes, but with the caveat that some of our metrics are more difficult to gauge -- specifically integration -- because WooMembers doesn't offer any other features but the option to cost a membership.
WooMembers offers
Integrations: 3.5 out of 5.0. The compatibility with every WordPress theme is a huge advantage for WooCommerce. Even though it's not technically compatible however, there's a ton of extensions that can provide additional functionality with WooMembers, though at a price.
Usability: 2.5 out of 5.0. From a perspective of business and membership, WooCommerce can't compete with the rest of this list -- it's not designed to. It's a plugin that works However, the extra challenge of managing the rest of your membership program puts the burden of managing your membership program on your shoulders.
Assistance: 2.0 out of 5.0. Despite offering email as the primary method of contact, WooCommerce keeps some of its advantages because its support team is located all over the globe and time zones aren't any more of a problem.
Scalability: 5.0 out of 5.0. What makes WooCommerce its position in the ease of use is also what gives it full marks for its scalability. It costs you a fee for the license, and everything else is left to your discretion. Scale your membership program according to your needs The sky's the limit.
Marketing: 2.0 out of 5.0. One thing is that WooCommerce includes pages upon pages of marketing extension options which you could add. On the other hand they all come with a cost. Drip, for instance, will cost you $79.00 to add to WooCommerce.
Cost: $299.00 a year, but with the caveat that you can expect to pay more than you would when putting together your marketing tools.
A plugin-based system like this will not work for the majority of business owners, if they aren't willing to handle the other twenty items that could be managed using a platform configuration like and WildApricot or a comprehensive set of products such as AccessAlly.
That said, if you're willing to accept those limitations and value autonomy above all other things, this could be the right choice for you.
What do you need from your website for membership?
The best membership software will boost your company's performance and help you achieve your dreams of a self-sustaining income. The wrong choice could leave you frustrated (at the very least) and with debt (at worst). The following is where our cards went when we reviewed them:
WildApricot is ideal for membership-based programs that must operate across the digital divide and operate offline, particularly nonprofit organizations. Furthermore, even though WildApricot can be affordable even for the most basic tier however, the costs increase with the addition of members.
AccessAlly's like a good cup of coffee: pricy, enjoyable and decorated with the latest eye candy. The problem is that your support options are bottlenecked, and that's significant when it's your money hanging on wires.
WooMembers is the ideal solution to anyone who is looking for an all-in-one approach. It's ideal for those having more experience in technical matters and time to the management of all moving parts, but definitely not a good choice if you're trying for a way to reduce time or even money.
In the end, knowing what aspects matter most to you as a company manager isn't something you can do with a guide, but this is a good starting point. The odds are always favorable to you!