ARMember vs SureMembers
Updated 5 Oct 2026. 25 features compared side by side.
All-in-one WordPress membership plugin with a free Lite edition and paid plans bundling 60+ add-ons, 22+ gateways, drip, courses and community.
Access-control membership plugin from Brainstorm Force: unlimited memberships and content rules, with selling handled by SureCart or WooCommerce.
Choose ARMember if…
- You want the more complete feature set (100/100 vs 88/100)
- You prefer the more widely used option
Choose SureMembers if…
- You want the lower entry price ($69/yr vs $89/yr)
ARMember and SureMembers include the same 25 of the 25 features we track, so the choice comes down to pricing, approach and ecosystem.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
ARMember SureMembersAccess & content6/66/6
Unlimited membership plans in Lite and all paid tiers.
Core allows unlimited memberships (access groups).
Content access rules for posts, pages and other content in Lite.
Protect the whole site, any post type, taxonomies and term archives in Core.
Drip/scheduled content is premium-only.
Drip content is a paid-plugin feature, included on every plan.
Lite includes a Gutenberg block restriction plus builder-level restrictions.
Core has the suremembers_restrict shortcode; block-level rules need a paid plan.
Digital Download module for protected files.
Downloads protection for files, videos and PDFs in the paid plugin.
Online Courses module with lessons, quizzes and certificates; also a $59 add-on.
Core integrations with LearnDash, Tutor LMS and SureDash courses; no own course builder.
Payments & billing8/88/8
Stripe is part of the premium gateway set.
Payments via SureCart (free, same vendor) or WooCommerce gateways.
PayPal is one of the two gateways in Lite.
PayPal through SureCart or WooCommerce; no gateway in SureMembers itself.
Recurring subscription plans available, including in Lite.
Recurring subscriptions handled by SureCart or WooCommerce Subscriptions.
Trial period toggle on recurring plans; vendor says Lite supports free trials.
Free or paid trials configured in SureCart.
Coupon management is a premium built-in add-on.
Coupons and promotions come from SureCart or WooCommerce.
Membership proration listed in Standard and above.
Upgrades and downgrades managed by SureCart's customer dashboard.
Tax and invoice handling in premium; PDF creator on Professional.
SureCart provides real-time tax/VAT and PDF invoices.
Group/umbrella membership module; also a $59 add-on.
Team accounts with configurable seats on Pro and Business plans.
Members & experience5/55/5
Member profile and account pages in Lite; richer Member Panel in premium.
No own account page; SureCart's customer dashboard handles billing and plan changes.
Live form editor for custom signup and login forms in Lite.
Registration forms via the SureForms integration; no own form builder.
Member directories and profiles in Lite; extra templates in premium.
Member list shortcode only; no profile pages or searchable directory.
BuddyPress/BuddyBoss integration in premium; own Social Community module on Enterprise.
Core integrates with BuddyBoss and SureDash communities.
Customisable email notification templates.
Paid plugin sends access-granted, onboarding and password emails; billing emails via SureCart.
Integrations & tools6/66/6
WooCommerce integration in paid plans; WooCommerce Discount on Enterprise.
Core integration grants memberships from WooCommerce purchases.
Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, GetResponse, MailerLite, Brevo and more.
Connect email tools through OttoKit automations (same vendor).
Zapier module on Professional or as a $39 add-on.
Automations via OttoKit; Abilities API and optional MCP server in Core.
Membership and payment analytics in the premium plugin.
Core analytics tab shows new members, growth, upcoming expirations and activity.
Lite imports/exports users; a free migration and import tool is offered.
Import users via CSV in the paid plugin; no migration tool from other plugins.
API Services module for third-party integrations.
Abilities API, optional MCP server, WP-CLI and documented filters.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
ARMember Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Standard | $89 per year, 1 site |
| Professional | $139 per year, 2 sites |
| Enterprise | $299 per year, 10 sites |
| Standard Lifetime | $229 lifetime, 1 site |
| Professional Lifetime | $379 lifetime, 2 sites |
| Enterprise Lifetime | $599 lifetime, 10 sites |
SureMembers Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Starter | $69 per year, 1 site |
| Pro | $149 per year, 10 sites |
| Business | $199 per year, 100 sites |
| Business Lifetime | $599 lifetime, 100 sites |
Downloads trend
ARMember
No WordPress.org download data (premium-only plugin).
SureMembers
419 downloads last week
Verdict
ARMember scores higher on our feature checklist (100/100 against 88/100). Paid plans start at $89/yr for ARMember and $69/yr for SureMembers. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
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FAQ
Which is better, ARMember or SureMembers?
ARMember scores higher on our feature checklist (100/100 against 88/100). Paid plans start at $89/yr for ARMember and $69/yr for SureMembers. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
They are level: both include 25 of the 25 membership plugins features we track.
Is ARMember free?
ARMember has a free version. Paid plans start at $89/yr.
Is SureMembers free?
SureMembers has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $69/yr.
Feature data last changed 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to ARMember or SureMembers. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.