Haiden Hibbert
Creating a membership website is one of the best ways creators and entreprenuers can capitalize on their expertise. Whether you plan to offer exclusive content, a private community, access to events, or something else, you’ll need to start with launching your website.
WordPress is a great option for membership websites. From professionally-designed themes to helpful membership plugins, there are several WordPress tools out there to get your membership launched quickly.
In today’s post, we’re going to to take a look at nine of the best WordPress membership themes that you can use to create a beautiful and functional website in just a few steps, no experience needed!
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Table of Contents
1. Astra
With more than 5,000 five-star reviews and customers like Google and NASA, I have no hesitations starting off the list with Astra. Astra is one of the most popular and highly-rated WordPress themes out there, and for good reason. It’s lightweight, highly customizable, and perfect for membership websites.
It’s also compatible with many page builders and plugins, making it easy to add functionality to your membership site.
Price:
- Astra Pro – $47/year
- Essential Bundle – $137/year
- Growth Bundle – $187/year
Key Features:
- Library of pre-built websites
- Drag-and-drop builder
- One-page builder
- Custom layouts
- White label
- Compatible with multiple website builders
- Multiple affordable pricing plan
2. Hestia Pro
Hestia Pro was designed for specifically for businesses, making it another great option for entrepreneurs who want to launch a professional-looking membership site. The WordPress membership theme is one of the most popular options for digital business owners and has more than 100,000 active installs – the reviews speak for themselves!
One thing I love about Hestia is that you can import a new site template at any time, making it super easy to update the look of your entire membership site if you decide to change it after it’s been launched.
Price:
- Personal – $69/year
- Business – $99/year
- Agency – $299/year
Key Features:
- Compatible with multiple page builders
- Starter site templates
- Easy-to-use website Customizer
- White label
- Fast loading
- Customizable header
3. Ocean WP
OceanWP is another a truly versatile WordPress membership theme, making it a good fit for practically any niche. It has extremely high ratings and works alongside website builder, Elementor so you get access to tons of powerful widgets that make it easy to customize your site. Whether you’re a beginner at website building or an experienced developer, you’ll have no trouble setting up your membership site with OceanWP.
Price:
- Personal – $43/year
- Business – $71/year
- Agency – $127/year
Key Features:
- Full-website demo templates
- Elementor sections library
- Free site template install
- Access to stock photos, illustrations, and icons
- SEO-friendly
4. Essence Pro
If you’re a creator in the health, wellness, or lifestyle niche, Essence Pro is the perfect WordPress membership theme for your website. Essence Pro was “designed for simplicity,” making it the ideal option if you want your site to have a clean, minimalistic look.
One thing to note about Essence Pro is that it is only available when you purchase a WP Engine plan, a hosting service that includes the Genesis Framework, 10 different themes, and more.
Price: *Essence Pro is only accessible with a WP Engine Plan.
Key Features:
- Simple, minimalistic style
- Block editor
- One-click theme setup
- Community access to chat with others who have built there websites with Essence Pro
- Option to purchase StudioPress themes bundle
5. Hello
I love the Hello theme for creators who have little to no technical experience because of how easy it is to set up and manage. It’s the perfect option if you want to get your membership site up and running quickly (you can have your site launched in just a few clicks), and it’s FREE, which is always a plus for small business owners.
Price: Free!
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Built for use with Elementor
- 100+ Website template kits
- Fast loading
- 100+ widgets
- Custom headers and footers
6. GeneratePress
GeneratePress is a fast, clean, and customizable theme that works great for every type of membership site, from yoga to fitness to music. With more than 5 million downloads, it’s a well-trusted and stable theme that you can feel confident choosing for your online business.
GeneratePress also offers a variety of pre-built demos that you can use as a starting point for your own site, and it works seamlessly with many membership plugins.
Price: $59/year
Key Features:
- Professionally-designed site library
- Custom theme builder
- Dynamic block elements
- Sticky navigation
- Infinite scroll
7. Tusant
Tusant is a gorgeous and modern WordPress theme that’s perfect for podcasters, video creators, vloggers, and musicians. It includes multiple homepage and post layout options, custom widgets, and an easy-to-use audio and video player. Tusant is also fully responsive and includes several customizable options for color schemes and fonts.
Price:
- Tusant theme – $69/year
- Theme Bundle – $139
- Lifetime Access to all themes – $389
Key Features:
- Multiple layouts to display podcast episodes
- Easy to display videos and audio playlists
- Install the theme in one click
- Easy to customize
- Includes YouTube & Podcast Import Pro plugins
8. Writee
If you’re building a membership site with a focus on sharing content through a newsletter or digital magazine, Writee is the theme for you. It offers various post formats and unique design options perfect for your publication. It also comes with an easy-to-use layout that’s simple to navigate, making it ideal for those who don’t have a lot of time to customize things.
Price: free!
Key Features:
- Great for blogs, newsletters, or digital magazines
- Responsive design
- Simple and intuitive design
- SEO friendly
9. Ultra
Ultra by Themify is a robust WordPress theme with over 50 pre-built templates. It’s perfect for a business website or blog in any niche, from education to photography, and allows you to get your membership site up and running quickly. In one click, you can set up your website using one of Ultra’s beautifully-designed and functional demo sites.
Price:
- Single theme – $59/year
- Master Club (theme/plugin bundle) – $89/year
- Lifetime Club (theme/plugin bundle) – $249
Key Features:
- One-click demo site setup
- Bonus builder add-ons, like countdown, audio, progress bar, etc.
- Bundle other Themify themes at a discounted rate
- Drag and drop builder
- Video backgrounds
What’s next? Set up your membership with a WordPress plugin.
Once you choose from the top WordPress membership themes, it’s time to select a plugin to add all the features and functionality that your members will need.
MemberSpace is a great starting point for setting up a membership on WordPress. It’s a powerful, yet easy-to-use plugin that lets you add a members-only area to your website, create gated content, and manage subscriptions.
Here’s how it works:
- Install the free plugin.
- Connect MemberSpace to an existing or new Stripe account and get paid as soon as someone joins your membership. If you don’t have an account, it’s super easy to set one up.
- Restrict access to specific content, pages, or entire sections of your website and grant access when members join your membership.
- Create free or paid membership plans and we’ll automatically unlock access to your membership when someone signs up.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right WordPress theme is key to creating a successful and beautiful membership website. Whether you are selling digital products or services, or just looking to offer exclusive content to your members, the right theme can make all the difference. And if you need some examples of membership sites built on WordPress, check out these sites from creators who use MemberSpace!
