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What are the best plugins for membership sites?

by Adel Sinan
16 replies
Hello warriors,

I'm planning to run a membership site that hosts videos and I've got many ideas about how to build membership sites which make me really confused:confused: due to the variety of recommendations on membership sites' building process.

As far as I'm concerned, the perfect way to start is:
1. Build a WordPress content site.
2. Promote your membership site from your content's blog.


Nevertheless, the following are typical ways to start:

1. You should protect your videos from being downloaded.
I know that you would recommend easy video player (EVP) since it's awesome, powerful, etc..
But due to the high price they charge for this software which is $127 as of the time I'm posting plus the $77 for commercial license. I think, as a starter, I can find a good alternative (What do you think?)

2. Host your videos/files on amazon S3 account
P.s I like the fact that S3 costs you pennies for someone to watch your videos (you don't have to worry about the money being paid for streaming as long as you get more and more members).

3. What is the best membership plugin do you recommend?

Is there any all-in-one solution that combines video streaming software with a membership plugin + theme?

Thanks for your time,
Adel
#membership #plugins #sites
  • Profile picture of the author cindybidar
    I have several clients using a combination of WordPress, Digital Access Pass, and S3 Media Vault (also by the creators of DAP). Throw in Optimize Press and you've got a pretty snazzy looking membership site with very little set-up time required.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bryan Zazz
      Originally Posted by cindybidar View Post

      I have several clients using a combination of WordPress, Digital Access Pass, and S3 Media Vault (also by the creators of DAP). Throw in Optimize Press and you've got a pretty snazzy looking membership site with very little set-up time required.
      If you don't want a cocktail of code-bases linked together with duct-tape (I'm joking, of course), and have a little money (like $100/mo, I believe), I've noticed that most gurus use Kajabi (that's a hosted membership service). There's also a couple of other similar services like amember and a few others. If you can't afford these guys (yet?), maybe going the cocktail route is unavoidable. Hope this helps.
      Cheers!

      Addendum: on another thread, fellow warrior Paul Barrs is complaining about a new one called Easy Member Pro. He makes an interesting point worth considering:

      And don't say bother suggesting WordPress as a membership option, it's even less secure with tens of thousands of people trying to crack it daily!!
      here's the link:
      636550-easy-member-pro-hacked-twice-any-ideas.html
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  • Profile picture of the author fedor50
    Go to the plugins search bar in your admin dashboard and type in membership and you'll find a wide array of "free" wordpress membership plugins
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayhew
    EVP 2 is the best and worth the money IMHO, but you already know this 1 Member would pay for it in time?

    Originally Posted by Adel Sinan View Post

    1. You should protect your videos from being downloaded.
    I know that you would recommend easy video player (EVP) since it's awesome, powerful, etc..
    But due to the high price they charge for this software which is $127 as of the time I'm posting plus the $77 for commercial license. I think, as a starter, I can find a good alternative (What do you think?)

    2. Host your videos/files on amazon S3 account
    P.s I like the fact that S3 costs you pennies for someone to watch your videos (you don't have to worry about the money being paid for streaming as long as you get more and more members).
    Adel
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  • Profile picture of the author maz1207
    I saw a lot of sellers using Wishlist membership plugin. That's might be a good option but it's a bit pricey.
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  • Profile picture of the author callseller
    S2Member plugin has options for Amazon S3 with CloudFront for streaming videos.
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    • Profile picture of the author mattgee09
      S2member is the way to go if your using WP. AND it's free!
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      • Profile picture of the author celente
        Originally Posted by mattgee09 View Post

        S2member is the way to go if your using WP. AND it's free!
        I have the free version, but the paid version is good too! I have to admit.

        This defiantly caters to the newbies out there though.
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        • Profile picture of the author CampbellMcArthur
          I can tell you right now that what you don't want is WishList Member as your choice for membership script! That plugin is very horribly coded and really slows your site down due to the constant HTTP requests back to the Wishlist Server. IE if Wishlist Server is Down or is heavily loaded you end up getting the brunt end of the stick.

          I tried Wishlist and S2Mmeber and now I am using D.A.P (Digital Access Pass) which is the most robust solution and most well coded piece of software out of the 3 that I have tried.

          Go with Digital Access Pass! Very cleanly coded, the Developers provide exceptional support and hence...they are the Developers of the software not Noobs with pre programmed answers like Wishlist and the support is just miles ahead of Wishlist Products period!

          Trust me this is the way to go man, don't waste your time like I and many others have done over a $69.00 difference over Wishlist Member which is junk.

          Hope that helps clear up some confusion for you

          Cam
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  • Profile picture of the author eijk82
    S2Member, hhhmmmmm I've never heard of it but I'll surely give a try. Thanks for your valuable info
    Have a great day guys!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author sriram rajan
    WP Member Champ | Best Membership Site Plugin from jason fladlein , heard good things about it..
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  • Profile picture of the author Oliver Orbitz
    Hey, Adel.

    Let me give you my input. I actually just launched a new membership website. You can follow the link in my signature to check it out. I have extensive experience with membership sites, and it can be very hard to get everything setup. Currently, I am using wishlist member, and amazon S3 to host my videos.

    I do not have a lot of experience with other setups, but what I am using it working great for me. I use wishlist member to secure my content, then I use S3flowshield to protect the videos that I host on Amazon s3. Both of these plugins cost 97$ each. I had a lot of trouble when I first started getting setup because all of my videos where in .avi format.

    I had uploaded about 2 gigabytes worth of videos only to find out later that s3flowsheld uses flowplayer, which only supports certain file formats. I had to take all of the videos down and convert them to .mp4 file format, then I had to upload them all again. It was quite frustrating for me at first, but once I got everything setup it looks great.

    Wishlist member is a great plugin. I had it all setup within a few hours. It took me about three days to go from a file full of my free video course, to a fully-functional membership website. I have aweber integrated as well, all of it is pretty easy to setup if you don't make the same mistakes that I did.

    Anyway, I recommend a setup using wishlist membership plugin, with s3flowshield/amazon s3 video hosting combination. Believe me when I tell you that I did some searching around, and these two plugins combined with amazon s3 is the best solution possible. You simply will not get what you need for any cheaper than the 97$+97$ for these two plugins. Good luck.

    Oliver
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  • Profile picture of the author Adel Sinan
    Thank you all for your great information,
    Hey Oliver,
    I've heard a lot about Wishlist plugin, but for a starter, don't you think that it's better to use a free plugin like S2Member as @callseller and @mattgee09 suggested? I mean, if you are going to pay for something while you can find it for free, then the free one is the one, isn't it? unless, of course, there is a significant advantages of the paid plugin over the free one.
    s3flowshield, sounds interesting, does it have the same power as EVP2 ( easy video player)?
    People would agree on the main purpose of both plugins, which is "security"
    I think EVP 2 has the ability to control some S3 settings from the software itself, or at least that's what I've been told.

    @cindybidar, thanks for the info, IMHO, what is more important is content and how much valued and unique information we can provide inside the membership site with the least possible costs.

    @David
    The thread you referred to, is old 2009 which has some old plugins suggested. However, I found a lot of valuable information there.Thanks.

    Adel
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  • Profile picture of the author Trevor
    On my membership sites I use DAP (which is I consider the best out of the membership plugins out there - it has its own affiliate system, autoresponder and many other cool features) and JW Player. This combination works great as fas as videos are concerned.

    As for hosting, I used Amazon S3 but due to too large size of the videos, I was forced to move them to a different host because I was to pay extortionate Amazon checks.

    Before DAP I tried S2 member but I moved to DAP because the free version of S2 member didn't allow me to mass import users and it wasn't integrating with JVZoo. DAP does.
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  • Profile picture of the author hustlinsmoke
    I would not consider plugins as much as themes, I would not go with profit theme, I have that and it sucks. I do like dap, I bought a software program from that guy and customer service was just unbelievable, I mean he rocked,.
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