Ultimate Member vs WishList Member
Updated 5 Oct 2026. 25 features compared side by side.
Free user profile, registration and member directory plugin for WordPress communities, with paid extensions for Stripe subscriptions and social features.
Premium WordPress membership plugin with unlimited levels, drip content, CourseCure LMS and 20+ payment-provider integrations.
Choose Ultimate Member if…
- You need member directory & profiles
- You want to start with a free version
- You want the lower entry price ($65/yr vs $299/yr)
- You prefer the more widely used option
Choose WishList Member if…
- You need content dripping and courses / LMS
- You also want PayPal and group / corporate memberships
- You want the more complete feature set (92/100 vs 62/100)
Ultimate Member includes 1 feature that WishList Member lacks, including Member directory & profiles; WishList Member has 8 that Ultimate Member lacks, including Content dripping, File / download protection and Courses / LMS. Both include 16 of the 25 features we track.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
Ultimate Member WishList MemberAccess & content3/66/6
Access is role-based; create as many custom roles as you need in the free core.
Unlimited modular membership levels and upgrade paths on all plans.
Restrict posts, pages, custom post types and taxonomy terms by role or login, with message or redirect.
Protect posts, pages, categories and custom post types.
No scheduled or delayed content release in the core or listed extensions.
Drip content scheduling and content archiving included.
The um_show_content shortcode shows or hides sections of a page by role.
Sneak-peek display shows part of protected content to visitors.
No media or download protection among core features or extensions.
File and folder protection included on every plan.
No course builder or official LMS integration listed.
Built-in CourseCure LMS plus LearnDash, LifterLMS, Tutor and Sensei integrations.
Payments & billing5/88/8
Paid Stripe extension ($65/yr single site) or included in the Pro plan.
Stripe integration with embedded or popup payment forms.
No PayPal integration; the official payment extension supports Stripe only.
PayPal is among the built-in payment provider integrations.
Stripe extension supports recurring plans with role changes per subscription status.
Recurring subscriptions through Stripe plans and other connected providers.
Stripe extension plan settings include a trial period (minimum two days).
Trial periods supported via connected payment providers.
Stripe extension can allow Stripe promotion codes at checkout.
No native coupon engine; uses the payment provider's coupons (e.g. Stripe coupon field).
Plan switching through Stripe's customer portal applies proration automatically.
Prorated level upgrades available through the Stripe integration.
No tax rules or invoice generation; billing history lives in Stripe's portal.
Can let Stripe calculate subscription tax; no own invoicing documented.
Groups extension is for social groups, not shared team seats.
Team accounts included on every plan.
Members & experience5/54/5
Free account page for profile, password and privacy; subscription details added by Stripe extension.
Self-serve member dashboard on all plans.
Drag-and-drop registration forms with custom fields and conditional logic.
Customisable registration forms included.
Free searchable member directories and public profile pages.
No native directory; profile types can sync with BuddyBoss.
Free ForumWP integration extension; most social features are paid extensions.
Official BuddyBoss integration syncs levels with groups and profile types.
Account emails (welcome, approval, password) are customisable; no renewal or failed-payment emails documented.
Built-in member email notifications.
Integrations & tools4/66/6
Paid WooCommerce extension ($45/yr) assigns roles on purchase and adds purchase tabs.
WooCommerce works as a payment provider to grant membership levels.
Paid MailChimp extension; no other email marketing integrations listed.
Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, Drip, AWeber, MailerLite and more.
Zapier extension included in the Pro plan or sold separately.
Zapier integration plus built-in automation tools.
No revenue, churn or membership reports among core features or extensions.
Admin dashboard with member stats; no in-depth revenue/churn reporting.
No built-in member importer or migration tool from other plugins.
Import members from CSV into membership levels.
Dozens of actions and filters plus helper functions for custom development.
Extensible API included on all plans.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
Ultimate Member Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Standard | $276 per year, 1 site |
| Pro | $348 per year, 2 sites |
| Stripe extension (single) | $65 per year, 1 site |
WishList Member Premium
| Basic | $299 per year, 1 site |
|---|---|
| Plus | $499 per year, 2 sites |
| Pro | $699 per year, 5 sites |
Downloads trend
Ultimate Member
39,074 downloads last week
WishList Member
No WordPress.org download data (premium-only plugin).
Verdict
WishList Member scores higher on our feature checklist (92/100 against 62/100) and includes content dripping, courses / LMS and PayPal that Ultimate Member does not. Ultimate Member still has the edge on member directory & profiles. Only Ultimate Member has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: included. Drip content scheduling and content archiving included.
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: included. Built-in CourseCure LMS plus LearnDash, LifterLMS, Tutor and Sensei integrations.
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: included. PayPal is among the built-in payment provider integrations.
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: included. Team accounts included on every plan.
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: partial. Admin dashboard with member stats; no in-depth revenue/churn reporting.
Ultimate Member: not included. WishList Member: included. File and folder protection included on every plan.
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, Ultimate Member or WishList Member?
WishList Member scores higher on our feature checklist (92/100 against 62/100) and includes content dripping, courses / LMS and PayPal that Ultimate Member does not. Ultimate Member still has the edge on member directory & profiles. Only Ultimate Member has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
WishList Member includes 24 of the 25 features we track, against 17 for Ultimate Member. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is Ultimate Member free?
Ultimate Member has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $65/yr.
Is WishList Member free?
WishList Member is premium only. Paid plans start at $299/yr.
Feature data last changed 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to Ultimate Member or WishList Member. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.