No matter the type of organization you run – nonprofit, professional association, club, or chamber of commerce – creating a membership website is vital. Through a membership site, organizations can connect with members, build strong communities, and generate revenue – it’s a win for everyone! But the question is: how do you actually create a successful website without the technical skills?

While it can seem daunting, creating your own membership site is actually easier than ever – even with a small budget. Whether you’re starting from scratch, upgrading an outdated system, or looking for a no-code builder, this guide will show you how to create a membership website step by step. From choosing your membership model to launching and growing your member base, we’ve got you covered.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create a professional, engaging membership website that drives growth and serves your community effectively. We’ll also share how to choose the best platform for your organization, essential steps for a successful launch, and how to sidestep common mistakes. Ready? Let’s get started!

What Is a Membership Website?

A membership website is a dedicated online space just for an organization’s members. While anyone can view webpages on a regular website, membership sites restrict premium content and features to paying members only. This exclusivity creates value for members while providing organizations with steady, predictable income.

With their membership, members gain access to the members-only part of your website and organizations can fund their mission. Once logged in, members can access exclusive content, like educational resources, articles, videos, industry reports, newsletters, and more. Some membership sites also offer an online community space where members can interact, exchange ideas, and support one another.

Why Build a Membership Website?

Creating a membership website brings more benefits than you might think!

Members gain value from:

• A supportive community: members get the chance to network, engage with each other, and build lasting relationships centered around your mission
• Ease and convenience: accessing a membership site is much easier than attending events or signing up for in-person workshops. Plus, all of their learning materials and resources are on a single platform, accessible whenever, wherever.
• Exclusive access: members get access to gated resources, networking opportunities, and specialized content for personal or professional growth. 

Your organization benefits from:

• Recurring revenue: membership dues are predictable and consistent revenue, making budgeting and planning more reliable than one-time donations or event fees.
• Reduced burden on admin: membership site software can automate membership renewals, payment processing, and communications, giving staff more time for other initiatives.
• Improved engagement and retention: members are more likely to renew and remain engaged with your organization when their benefits are easily accessible and in one location on your website.

When Should You Build a Membership Website?

A membership website is great for many organizations, but when do you know you actually need one? Chances are, if you’re reading this article, it’s probably time. It can make a major difference in increasing member engagement, limiting staff burnout, generating revenue, and streamlining operations.

Common use cases are:

• Professional associations that offer continuing education credits, networking opportunities, and advocacy
• Nonprofits seeking deeper donor engagement with a place to share mission updates and host donation pages
• Chambers of commerce with a gated online members area that have specific membership access needs
• Clubs that receive a high amount of membership applications and need a central hub for their meetings, updates, and member profiles
• Educational organizations that provide online classes and certification programs needing content management

Keep in mind that your organization may not need a membership website if you aren’t handling a content library, managing multiple member groups, or needing a secure online community.

3 Membership Website Examples

Before diving into how to build a membership site, let’s look at three successful examples that demonstrate different approaches:

• Pacific Group Golf demonstrates how to create a membership website for a sports association. With an annual fee of $80, they provide members with USGA Handicap Index access, tournament registration, a members-only magazine, and a searchable member directory. Their homepage immediately highlights their most valuable benefit, making the decision to join straightforward.

• League of Canadian Poets shows how professional arts associations can serve creative professionals. With over 1,000 members paying $85-$205 annually depending on career stage, they offer a sophisticated members-only hub, specialized directories, community committees, and over $100,000 in annual paid reading programs. Their accessibility features—including pro-rated fees and payment plans—demonstrate how to make membership inclusive without devaluing it.

• Wayne County Chamber of Commerce illustrates membership websites for business networking. Their searchable business directory, online event registration, member-to-member deals section, and ribbon cutting galleries create tangible value for local businesses. The member-to-member deals feature is particularly clever, facilitating cross-promotion that benefits all members.

You can explore more membership website examples to see how different types of organizations structure their sites and serve their members.

How to Create a Membership Website: 7 Essential Steps

Almost a third (27%) of associations surveyed in 2024 said they’re likely to outsource website development. 

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to pay someone to get a membership site up and running. Many organizations utilize membership website software to build their sites and manage their members in the back end, all without coding or technical expertise. 

What Is Membership Website Software?

Membership website software is also known as a membership website builder. The great thing about this tech is that it makes site creation simple while automative administrative tasks related to membership management.

Think of using a membership website software as having an extra staff person who can:

• register new members and event attendees
• process monthly dues, donations, and event payments
• update member profiles
• email members with event invites, reminders, and monthly newsletters
• distribute resources like courses, industry reports, and other materials
• act as the contact person when members have questions or need help

Any organization that wants to take a no-code, do-it-yourself approach can lean on a membership site software to save 20 hours a week or more and create a hub for your members. Follow these seven essential steps over 4-8 weeks to create your very own members’ website, depending on content volume and customization level. 

Here’s the complete roadmap:

• Step 1: Choose your membership model (1-2 weeks)
• Step 2: Create a plan and build a team (3-5 days)
• Step 3: Design website structure (1 week)
• Step 4: Create essential content (2-3 weeks initially, ongoing)
• Step 5: Set up payment processing (2-3 days)
• Step 6: Launch and promote (1 week preparation, ongoing)
• Step 7: Engage and retain members (ongoing)

Below, we’ll break down each step in detail.

Step 1: Choose Your Membership Model

Time Required: 1-2 weeks for planning and validation

Before you start the actual building of your members’ site, you’ll need to define your membership model.

Your membership model defines how members join, pay, and what benefits they receive. Getting this right from the start is crucial because changing your model later can confuse existing members and complicate your systems. Learn more about membership pricing to understand how different pricing strategies affect member acquisition and retention.

Common Membership Pricing Models

Tiered Membership

This is one of the most common membership pricing models and offers multiple levels, ranging in benefits and pricing. This model works best for organizations serving diverse audiences with varying needs and budgets. For example, you might offer Bronze ($50/year), Silver ($150/year), and Gold ($300/year) tiers.

Tiered membership is a great option for many organizations as it accommodates different budgets, creates a natural upgrade path as members’ needs grow, and maximizes revenue by capturing both budget-conscious and premium-seeking members. However, tiered models are more complex to manage and risk confusing members if the differences between tiers aren’t crystal clear.

All-Access Membership 

All-access membership is a one-and-done type of membership model. It provides a single level of access to all benefits and works best for smaller organizations with focused missions that aim to serve all members equally. For instance, a flat $200/year fee that includes everything—no tiers, no upsells, no confusion.

All-access memberships are simple to understand and manage, but they may price out some prospects who can’t afford the single fee and potentially leave money on the table from members who would pay more for premium benefits.

Drip-Feed/Content Release 

As the name implies, this membership pricing model delivers content on a schedule, typically weekly or monthly. This model works well for educational programs and certification courses where sequential learning makes sense. A common example is $39/month with weekly training modules released over time.

The benefits include ongoing resources that keep members engaged, the ability to create content as you go rather than building everything up front, and natural retention as members stay to access future content. While this is the primary strength of this model, it’s also the main downside — members have to wait for content, and you’re committed to consistent, on-schedule creation.

Freemium Membership 

This membership model combines a free basic tier with a paid premium tier. This model excels at building large communities and lowering barriers to entry. A typical structure might offer a free newsletter with basic resources plus a $150/year premium tier with full access.

Freemium creates a natural conversion funnel from free to paid. However, you must manage two distinct member experiences, and some free members may never convert to paid membership.

How to Decide on Your Membership Model

Choosing the right membership model requires answering four key questions about your organization and audience.

1. Who is your ideal member? Budget-conscious audiences respond well to freemium or lower-priced all-access options. Members with diverse needs benefit from tiered structures. Education seekers prefer drip-feed models with structured learning. Community-focused members thrive in all-access environments where everyone has equal standing.
2. What’s your value proposition? If you’re primarily offering content and education, drip-feed or all-access models work well. Networking-focused organizations benefit from tiered or all-access approaches. Professional development with certification calls for tiered structures. Advocacy organizations typically succeed with all-access models that unite everyone around common causes.
3. How much content do you have ready? A substantial library suits all-access models where members can dive in immediately. If you’re creating as you go, drip-feed works better. If you have limited initial content, we’d suggest starting with freemium to build an audience while developing premium offerings.
4. What do competitors charge? Research 3-5 similar organizations to understand market rates. Price within 20% of competitors unless you have exceptional differentiation that justifies premium pricing.

How to Validate Your Membership Model Before Launch

Before investing weeks building your membership website, spend 1-2 weeks validating your model with your existing community (if you have one). Survey people about their willingness to buy your services/content at different price points, ask which benefits matter most, test multiple tier structures, and gauge overall interest in joining.

This validation prevents the costly mistake of building a membership site that people don’t actually want to join or aren’t willing to pay for.

Step 2: Create a Plan and Build a Team

Time Required: 3-5 days for research and delegation

While you may be able to manage your membership site on your own, depending on its size, most organizations assemble a team of staff members or volunteers. Identify each person’s areas of expertise to leverage their strengths – perhaps you have someone great with technology, another with content creation, and another with a strength in member communication.

Decide on a Budget

Create a realistic budget that includes all anticipated expenses. This typically includes your membership site builder subscription, hosting fees, if applicable, marketing tools for promotion, and ongoing operating costs, such as payment processing fees.

For associations and nonprofits, understanding membership management software options and their costs helps you create a realistic budget. Many platforms offer tiered pricing based on member count, so project your growth to avoid surprise costs later.

Create a Timeline

Choose a date when you want your membership site to go live, then work backward to create a detailed list of tasks. For each task, assign a deadline and identify the person responsible for completing it. This accountability ensures nothing falls through the cracks during the busy setup process.

Don’t forget to build in some buffer to your timeline — unexpected challenges always arise during website creation. For example, if you’re targeting a launch in 8 weeks, plan for 10 to accommodate delays.

Define Your Board’s Involvement

If you’re a nonprofit organization, you likely need board approval for software purchases and other significant expenses. Before you begin building your membership site, meet with your board to identify their role in the process and secure necessary approvals upfront.

(PS: we have a whole presentation dedicated to helping you get approval! Check it out here.)

Read more: How to Convince Your Board You Need Membership Management Software

Step 3: Design Your Website Structure

Time Required: 1 week

Designing your website structure means planning what pages you need and how members will navigate through your site. Good structure makes information easy to find, which directly impacts member satisfaction and retention.

Read more: 15 Nonprofit Website Best Practices for Design, SEO and Engagement

Set Up Essential Public Pages

Your public pages serve two audiences: prospective members considering joining and search engines looking to understand your site. Both require clear, well-organized content.

Your Homepage needs to communicate your value proposition within five seconds of loading. Include a membership benefits overview, a prominent “Join Now” call to action, and social proof such as a member count or testimonials. Visitors should immediately understand what you offer and why they should join.

The About Us page should cover your mission, vision, and history, introduce your leadership team, and explain what makes your organization unique. This builds credibility and helps prospects determine if your values align with theirs.

Your Membership Benefits or Join page requires detailed tier breakdowns if you offer multiple levels, specific benefits per level, clear pricing, a comparison table for tiered memberships, and an integrated join form. Exploring the best nonprofit website features can help you identify what elements drive conversions on this critical page.

Read more: 24 Membership Benefit Ideas to Attract and Retain More Members

An Events page should showcase a calendar of upcoming events, provide registration capability, and highlight past event recaps with photos. Events often drive membership interest, making this page a powerful conversion tool.

Your Resources or Blog section should offer some public resources that demonstrate your expertise and value, while clearly labeling gated members-only resources. This “preview” of member benefits helps convince prospects to join.

A Contact page needs a contact form, staff directory with roles, and phone, email, and physical location, if applicable. Making yourself accessible builds trust with both members and prospects.

Set Up Essential Members-Only Pages

Members-only pages deliver the exclusive value that justifies membership fees. These should be immediately accessible after login and clearly more valuable than public content.

A Member Dashboard provides a personalized welcome, quick links to frequently used features, upcoming events relevant to each member, renewal status and payment information, and easy profile management access. This central hub makes your site easy to navigate.

The Member Directory should be searchable and include filtering options, privacy controls that let members choose what to share, and direct messaging capability. Networking is often a primary reason people join organizations, making this feature essential.

Your Members-Only Resources section houses your document library, templates and tools, exclusive content not available publicly, and courses or webinars. This is where your value proposition becomes tangible.

A Members-Only Forum, if applicable, enables discussion boards organized by topic, Q&A sections where members help each other, and a job board. Community features drive engagement and retention.

The My Profile/Account page allows members to update their information, manage passwords and security, set communication preferences, and view renewal and payment history. Self-service options reduce administrative burden on your staff.

Navigation Best Practices to Follow For Your Membership Website

Keeping a handful of commonly followed rules around your site architecture will make it easy for members to find what they want and provide a positive experience for any prospective members who visit your site:

• Keep menu items to what users can easily scan and understand, typically 4-9 items. Consolidate related pages under dropdown menus rather than cluttering your main navigation.
• Use clear, action-oriented labels rather than generic terms like “Products” or “Services.” Descriptive navigation indicates what you actually do, helps SEO, improves user understanding, and helps visitors predict what they’ll get if they click.
• Include a “Join Now” or similar CTA button in the header on every page. 55% of marketing websites have a contact button in the top right, making it a web design standard. Following conventions makes your site more intuitive.
• Use visual indicators for members-only areas, such as a lock icon next to restricted menu items. This helps both members and prospects understand what’s exclusive. Ensure your navigation is mobile-friendly, as many members will access your site from phones.

Consider Essential Design Principles

Mobile-first design isn’t optional. Test on actual devices throughout development – iPhones, Androids, tablets, and laptops. More members access sites from phones than desktops, so optimizing for mobile ensures a good experience for your largest audience segment.

Fast loading keeps visitors engaged. Optimize images before uploading, minimize scripts and plugins, and test page speed regularly. Sites that load in under 3 seconds perform significantly better than slower alternatives.

Clear hierarchy puts important information prominently. Members should immediately see what matters most—upcoming events, renewal reminders, key resources.

Accessibility compliance ensures everyone can use your site. WCAG 2.1 AA compliance should be your minimum standard, addressing color contrast, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and alt text for images.

Trust signals like member testimonials, security badges, and a clearly linked privacy policy build confidence. Prospects need reassurance that joining is safe and worthwhile.

Step 4: Create Essential Content

Time Required: 2-3 weeks initially, ongoing

Content is what makes membership worthwhile. Members don’t pay for access to an empty shell—they pay for valuable resources, information, and connections they can’t get elsewhere.

Create Minimum Viable Content

You don’t need years of content built before launch. Focus on creating 3-6 months of high-quality resources that demonstrate value and give members reason to stay engaged while you create more.

Before launch, aim for these resources to give members a place to start and a clear value proposition of your organization:

• 8-12 blog posts or articles covering topics your members care about
• 3-5 downloadable resources like templates, guides, or checklists that solve specific problems
• 2-3 recorded webinars or video tutorials showcasing your expertise
• a functional member directory structure members can start populating
• at least 2 upcoming events scheduled so members see active programming.

You can always add more in-depth content as you grow, but a successful membership site is launched with good-enough content and can improve based on member feedback.

Content Types to Include

Educational Resources form the foundation of many membership sites. Industry reports and whitepapers position you as an authority, how-to guides solve specific member problems, templates and tools can save members time, best practices help members excel, and certification materials are great to include if you offer professional credentials.

Community Content builds a connection between members. Feature member spotlights that celebrate achievements, facilitate forum discussions on relevant topics, maintain job postings that help members advance careers, and encourage member-contributed content that builds investment.

Read more: How to Create a Member Spotlight (+ Sample Questions and Examples)

Event Content extends the value of in-person and virtual gatherings. Publish conference recordings for members who couldn’t attend or want to review, share workshop materials so learning continues after events end, build webinar archives that new members can access, make presentation slides available for reference, and create photo galleries that build community feeling.

News and Updates keep members informed and engaged. Share industry news relevant to your field, organization announcements about new programs or changes, legislative updates affecting your members, a current event calendar, and newsletter archives for reference.

Configure Your Membership Database

One crucial content feature to set up prior to launch is your membership database. Here, members can find one another, build community, ask questions, and so on. 

When setting up your member database, you’ll need to display some crucial information for each listed member, including:

• Name, email, phone
• Mailing address
• Membership level/tier
• Member number (auto-generated)
• Join date, renewal date
• Payment status

Not all these fields need to be public-facing. Some details, like their payment status, mailing address, and member number can be part of the member profile you review on the back end. 

Some additional fields to consider include:

• Professional designation
• Industry/specialty
• Areas of interest
• Communication preferences
• Committee involvement

Content Creation Roadmap

During weeks 1-3 ahead of your membership site launch, create 5-8 foundational blog posts that establish your expertise, develop 3 high-value downloadable resources that deliver immediate value, record 1-2 introductory webinars that showcase your knowledge, set up your member directory structure, and schedule your first 2-3 events.

Post-launch, maintain momentum with 2-4 blog posts monthly, 1 major resource quarterly, 1 webinar monthly, weekly newsletters, and ongoing forum moderation and member support.

Focus on quality over quantity. Better to have 5 exceptional resources that members rave about than 50 mediocre ones that disappoint. Member retention depends more on consistent value than content volume. Keep in mind, that the amount of content you create will vary depending on your organization and membership needs.

Step 5: Set Up Payment Processing

Time Required: 2-3 days

Online payment processing is essential for membership websites—you need a reliable, secure way for members to pay fees and renew automatically.

Payment Processing Options

Integrated payment processing (recommended) means your membership platform handles everything in one system. Members pay directly on your website, payments sync automatically with member records, renewal billing happens automatically, and you manage everything from one dashboard. This streamlined approach eliminates the headache of reconciling payments from external systems.

Third-party payment processors like PayPal or Stripe require manual integration with your membership system. Members may get redirected to external payment pages, you must manually track which payments correspond to which members, automatic renewals require additional setup, and the member experience feels less seamless. While technically possible, this approach creates more work.

Manual payment processing through checks or cash is still used by some small organizations but creates significant administrative burden. You must manually record each payment, chase late renewals, and maintain paper records. This approach doesn’t scale and increases the risk of errors.

Read more: The BEST Online Payment Processing for Nonprofits in 2026: Our Top 17 Picks

Set Up Automatic Renewals

Automatic member renewals can dramatically improve retention. Members who have to manually renew each year often forget or procrastinate, leading to lapses in membership. With automatic renewals, their card is charged on schedule and their access continues uninterrupted.

Set up renewal reminders 30 days before renewal, 14 days before renewal, and 7 days before renewal. Follow up 3 days after a failed renewal attempt and 7 days after failed renewal. Clear communication about renewal timing builds trust.

Configure Payment Options

Offer multiple payment methods to accommodate member preferences. Credit and debit cards are essential – accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover as minimum. ACH/bank transfer works for larger annual fees, while PayPal provides an option for members who prefer it. For organizations with chapters, consider PayPal and Stripe for offline payment recording.

You can also enable installment payments to make membership more accessible. Annual fees paid monthly or quarterly lower the barrier to entry, particularly for budget-conscious members or expensive professional memberships.

Security and Compliance

PCI compliance is non-negotiable when handling credit card information. Using a reputable payment processor that handles PCI compliance protects both you and your members. Never store credit card details on your own servers.

Display security badges on payment pages, use SSL certificates across your entire site (https), include a clear privacy policy explaining how data is used, and comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant regulations.

Define your refund policy and communicate it clearly before members pay. Will you offer prorated refunds for cancellations? No refunds after a certain date? Full refunds within 30 days? Whatever you decide, make it transparent.

Step 6: Launch and Promote Your Membership Site

Time Required: 1 week of preparation, ongoing promotion

Launching your membership website is exciting, but success requires strategic promotion. Even the best membership site fails without members.

Pre-Launch Checklist

Before going live, test every feature thoroughly. Register as if you’re a new member and go through the entire signup process, verify that payment processing works correctly, confirm that members-only content is properly gated, test all forms and ensure they deliver emails correctly, and check every page on both desktop and mobile devices.

Prepare your marketing materials in advance. Write email sequences for your launch announcement, create social media posts scheduled for launch week, develop a press release if appropriate for your organization, prepare FAQ documents answering common questions, and recruit early adopters who will join on day one.

Launch Strategies

A soft launch to existing community members creates momentum and helps you identify issues before a full public launch. Invite current donors, event attendees, or email subscribers to join at a founder’s rate. Their feedback helps you refine before opening to everyone.

For your public launch, announce simultaneously across all channels—email, social media, website, and in-person events, if applicable. Create urgency with limited-time founding member discounts, bonuses for early adopters, or countdown timers on your join page.

“The website is the most important feature for connectivity,” Jackie said. “None of the events we do would be possible if we didn’t have the website. Because as soon as I put events up on the website, members can begin to register. Then we send out reminders, both for registrants and for members not yet registered. If you have a regimented system and you follow the path that WildApricot has, it’s super helpful.” -Jackie, the Caxton Club

Leverage partnerships by asking board members to promote to their networks, requesting partner organizations mention your launch, getting speakers or influencers in your field to share, and encouraging members to invite colleagues and friends.

Post-Launch Promotion

Sustained growth and member retention requires ongoing promotion. Create email sequences that welcome new members with a 7-day onboarding series, send monthly newsletters highlighting member benefits, and announce new content and features regularly.

Read more: Designing an Effective New Member Onboarding Process: 7 Tips

Content marketing attracts organic members through blog posts optimized for search engines, guest posts on industry websites linking back to your site, podcasts or videos featuring your expertise, and case studies showing member success stories.

Social media maintains visibility by sharing member spotlights and success stories, posting behind-the-scenes content, highlighting upcoming events and deadlines, and engaging in relevant industry conversations.

Consider how membership management software can help you test your model before investing significantly, though paid platforms typically offer more robust features for growing organizations.

Step 7: Engage and Retain Members

Time Required: Ongoing

Acquiring members is just the beginning. Member retention determines your long-term success, and it costs far less to keep existing members than constantly recruit new ones.

Deliver Consistent Value

Members renew when they receive ongoing value that justifies their investment. Publish new content regularly—whether that’s weekly blog posts, monthly webinars, or quarterly major resources. Host regular events that bring members together, provide networking opportunities through directories and forums, and respond quickly to member questions and requests.

Track which benefits members actually use. For example, if you have a bunch of templates for your members to use but no one is downloading them, maybe templates aren’t what your members actually want. If webinar attendance is high, consider doubling down and hosting more. Let member behavior and feedback guide your content strategy.

Build Community

Strong communities have higher retention than transactional memberships. Foster connections through member directories that help people find each other, discussion forums on topics members care about, special interest groups for specific niches, mentorship programs connecting experienced and new members, and regular events both virtual and in-person.

“Before WildApricot, we hadn’t had a new member in years. But it has not only increased the turnout at our meetings significantly, but we’ve also gotten five new members to join in the last two months through our new website.”   – Bob, Kiwais Club of Woodland

Recognize member contributions publicly. Feature member spotlights in newsletters, celebrate member achievements and milestones, and acknowledge volunteers who help your organization. People stay where they feel valued.

Gather Feedback

Ask members what they want through annual surveys, informal polls on specific topics, exit surveys when members don’t renew, suggestion boxes for ongoing input, and focus groups for deep dives on key issues.

Act on feedback visibly. When members make suggestions and you implement them, announce the change and credit member input. This shows you’re listening and encourages more participation.

Read more: Why Your Organization Needs a Member Satisfaction Survey and 40+ Question Examples

Monitor Key Metrics

Track your retention rate (percentage of members who renew), engagement metrics (login frequency, content downloads, event attendance), member satisfaction scores from surveys, revenue trends (monthly recurring revenue, average member value), and acquisition costs versus lifetime value.

Understanding association management software options helps you find platforms with built-in analytics that automatically track these critical metrics.

8 Membership Site Builders to Consider 

Not sure what platform might work best for the membership website you have in mind? Below, we’ve rounded up detailed profiles of the most popular membership site building options, ranging from all-in-one membership management platforms to general website builders.

Platform Comparison Table

Platform	Type	Starting Price	Best For	Member Database	Event Management	Email Marketing	Ease of Use	Setup Time
WildApricot	All-in-One MMS	$43.20/mo	Associations, nonprofits, clubs (50-10,000 members)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	1-4 weeks
MemberClicks	All-in-One MMS	Contact for pricing	Growing associations, chambers	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	2-6 weeks
WordPress + Plugins	CMS + Plugins	$500-2,000/yr	WordPress experts, custom needs	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	3-8 weeks
Webflow	Visual Builder	$12/mo	Designers, visual-first orgs	⭐	⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	2-4 weeks
Squarespace	Website Builder	$16/mo	Small orgs (<50 members), design-focused	⭐	⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	1-2 weeks
Wix	Website Builder	$16/mo	Very small orgs, simple needs	⭐	⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	1-2 weeks
HubSpot	CRM + Website	$45/mo	CRM-focused orgs, marketing teams	⭐⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐	2-4 weeks
Weebly	Website Builder	$7/mo	Tiny orgs, bloggers, stores	⭐	⭐	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐	1-2 weeks

Key:

• ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Excellent
• ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Good
• ⭐⭐⭐ = Fair
• ⭐⭐ = Basic
• ⭐ = Limited/None

Detailed Feature Comparison

Feature	WildApricot	MemberClicks	WordPress	Webflow	Squarespace	Wix	HubSpot	Weebly
Membership Database	Full database with custom fields	Full database	Plugin-dependent	Limited	Very limited	Very limited	Good (via CRM)	Very limited
Event Registration	Built-in with ticketing	Built-in	Requires plugin	Limited	Basic	Basic	Basic	Basic
Payment Processing	Integrated	Integrated	Plugin required	Add-on	Built-in	Built-in	Integrated	Built-in
Email Marketing	Built-in with automation	Built-in	Plugin required	Limited	Basic	Basic	Advanced	Basic
Member Portal	Yes	Yes	Plugin-dependent	No	No	No	Via CRM	No
Mobile App	Yes	Yes	Plugin-dependent	No	No	No	No	No
Automated Renewals	Yes	Yes	Plugin-dependent	No	No	No	Via workflows	No
Support Quality	Excellent	Good	Community-based	Good	Good	Good	Excellent	Fair
Design Flexibility	Good	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Good	Good
Technical Skills Required	None	Minimal	Moderate-High	Moderate	None	Minimal	Moderate	None

1. WildApricot

Type: All-in-One Membership Management Software

Pricing:

• Free 60-day trial
• Paid plans start at $56.10/month (when pre-pay 2 years)

Best For:

• Small nonprofits and membership organizations
• Associations managing 50-10,000+ members
• Clubs requiring event registration and payments
• Organizations with limited technical staff
• Membership managers looking for an all-in-one solution

Key Features:

• Complete membership database
• Website builder with members-only pages
• Event registration and ticketing
• Automated renewal reminders
• Email marketing tools
• Member directory and forums
• Mobile app for members
• Online forms and applications
• Payment processing included

Pros:

• Everything is integrated into one platform
• No technical expertise required
• Consistently rated #1 for ease of use
• Excellent customer support
• All-in-one billing

Cons:

• Less design flexibility than custom solutions
• Monthly/annual recurring cost

2. MemberClicks

Type: All-in-One Membership Management Software

Pricing:

• Available upon request
• Custom pricing based on organization size

Best For:

• Growing associations and chambers of commerce
• Mid-to-large membership organizations
• Organizations needing membership management, learning management, and event management

Key Features:

• Membership database and management
• Website builder
• Event management
• Learning management system (LMS)
• Email communications
• Online community features

Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set for larger associations
• Learning management system included
• Scalable for growing organizations

Cons:

• Higher price point
• Pricing not transparent (must contact sales)
• Can be complex for smaller organizations

3. WordPress

Type: Self-Hosted Website Platform + Membership Plugins

Pricing:

• WordPress software: Free
• Hosting: $10-100/month
• Domain: $10-20/year
• Membership plugins: $149-499/year
• Total: $500-2,000+/year

Popular Membership Plugins:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Restrict Content Pro

Best For:

• Organizations with in-house WordPress expertise
• Teams comfortable with multiple plugins
• Those needing extensive design customization
• Existing WordPress sites adding membership functionality

Key Features:

• Maximum design flexibility
• Thousands of plugins available
• Full control over hosting and data
• Extensive customization options

Pros:

• Unmatched design flexibility
• Large ecosystem of plugins and themes
• Own your data and hosting
• One-time plugin costs (vs. recurring SaaS fees)

Cons:

• Requires technical expertise or developer help
• Managing multiple plugins creates integration challenges
• Updates can break functionality
• Security vulnerabilities require monitoring
• No integrated support (different vendors for each plugin)
• Time-intensive to set up and maintain

4. Webflow

Type: Visual Website Builder

Pricing:

• Free lite plan available
• Paid plans start at $12/month

Best For:

• Web designers who want to create without coding
• Organizations prioritizing visual design
• Teams with design skills but no coding experience

Key Features:

• Visual drag-and-drop builder
• No coding required
• Responsive design tools
• CMS capabilities
• Hosting included

Pros:

• Professional design capabilities without code
• Great for visually complex sites
• Responsive design built-in
• Growing community and resources

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for non-designers
• Limited membership-specific features
• May need additional tools for membership management
• More expensive at higher tiers

5. Squarespace

Type: All-in-One Website Builder

Pricing:

• Plans start at $16/month
• Commerce plans for membership features

Best For:

• Small organizations (<50 members)
• Those prioritizing beautiful design templates
• Simple membership needs without complex management

Key Features:

• Beautiful, professionally designed templates
• Drag-and-drop editor
• Built-in blogging
• E-commerce capabilities
• Mobile-responsive designs

Pros:

• Stunning design templates
• Very user-friendly interface
• All-in-one hosting and domain
• Good for content-focused sites
• Reliable customer support

Cons:

• Limited membership-specific features
• No robust member database management
• Basic or no event registration
• Limited email marketing capabilities
• Not built for managing hundreds of members
• No automated renewal management

6. Wix

Type: Website Builder with Membership Add-Ons

Pricing:

• Free lite plan available
• Paid plans start at $16/month
• Free 14-day trial on premium plans

Best For:

• Very small organizations
• Simple membership sites
• Users wanting highly customizable designs
• Those comfortable with drag-and-drop editors

Key Features:

• Highly customizable drag-and-drop editor
• AI design assistant
• App marketplace for extensions
• Built-in SEO tools
• Mobile-responsive templates

Pros:

• Extremely flexible design options
• Easy to use for beginners
• Large app marketplace
• Affordable pricing
• Good mobile editing

Cons:

• Limited membership management features
• Can become cluttered with too many apps
• Some features require paid apps
• Not ideal for complex membership needs
• Switching templates can be difficult

7. HubSpot

Type: CRM-Integrated Website Builder

Pricing:

• Free CMS available
• Paid plans start at $45/month
• Higher tiers for full CRM integration

Best For:

• Membership organizations also needing CRM
• Businesses focused on inbound marketing
• Organizations wanting integrated sales and marketing tools

Key Features:

• Website builder integrated with CRM
• Marketing automation
• Contact management
• Email marketing
• Analytics and reporting
• Sales pipeline management

Pros:

• Powerful CRM integration
• Comprehensive marketing tools
• Excellent analytics
• Scales well for growing organizations
• Strong email marketing capabilities

Cons:

• More expensive than basic website builders
• Steeper learning curve
• Overkill for simple membership sites
• Limited membership-specific features
• Can become very expensive at higher tiers

8. Weebly

Type: Website Builder

Pricing:

• Free lite plan available
• Paid plans start at $7/month

Best For:

• Very small membership organizations
• Those wanting to focus on blogging
• Organizations running online stores alongside membership

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop builder
• Blogging platform
• E-commerce capabilities
• Mobile-responsive themes
• App center for extensions

Pros:

• Very affordable
• Easy to use
• Good for beginners
• Decent e-commerce features
• Quick setup

Cons:

• Very limited membership management features
• Basic functionality compared to dedicated platforms
• Fewer customization options than competitors
• Limited scalability for growing organizations

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Membership Website

Even with a solid plan, certain mistakes trip up new membership sites. Avoiding these common pitfalls increases your chances of success.

1. Launching without validating your model 

Always test pricing and benefits with your community before building—otherwise you risk wasting time, money, and effort on a membership model that doesn’t resonate with your target audience. A few survey questions can prevent months of work on something people won’t buy.

2. Overcomplicating member tiers 

Too many membership tiers, unclear differentiation, and/or an overly complex model confuses potential members. If you can’t clearly articulate the difference between tiers in one sentence each, your structure is too complex. Simplify until the value of each level is crystal clear.

3. Neglecting mobile optimization 

The majority (60-63%) of global website traffic comes from mobile devices, so if you provide a poor mobile version of your membership website, you’ll likely alienate a large portion of your audience. Test everything on actual phones and tablets, not just by resizing your browser. What looks good on desktop often breaks on mobile.

4. Creating too much content upfront 

Start with minimum viable content (about 3-6 months’ worth) and add more based on member demand. Waiting until you can build a large backlog unnecessarily delays your launch. You also can’t predict what members will want until they tell you.

5. Making joining too complicated 

Every field in your application form is a potential point of abandonment. Ask only for essential information initially—you can gather more details after members join.

6. Ignoring member feedback 

Members tell you what they need—listen and adapt accordingly. Their feedback is often a treasure trove of potential ideas to improve your content and your experience. The most successful membership sites evolve based on member input.

7. Underpricing membership to attract members 

Don’t devalue your offering with discounts or cut-rate pricing—it’ll make it harder to raise rates later. Price appropriately for the value you provide. Members who join only because it’s cheap are most likely to leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to create a membership website?

• Wild Apricot: 2-6 weeks
• WordPress: 4-10 weeks
• Factors: content volume, customization, staff availability

Do I need technical skills?

Depending on the platform you choose, your required skill level will vary. Many all-in-one platforms are drag-and-drop, so you don’t need to know how to code to create a membership site. On the other hand, with WordPress, you’ll need some basic coding skills to get things up and running and integrate the necessary plugins for your membership site. We suggest you choose a platform based on your technical comfort.

How do I price membership?

• Research competitors
• Calculate costs
• Assess value to members
• Set pricing ($50-$500 typically)
• Test and adjust

Can I offer different membership levels?

Yes! We recommended offering multiple membership options. With this approach, you can accommodate a variety of budgets, create an upgrade path, and maximize revenue.

Keep to 2-3 tiers for clarity and to ensure you can differentiate the value each tier offers for members.

How do I get members to join?

• Email marketing (highest ROI)
• Member referrals
• Social media
• Content marketing
• Events
• Partnerships

What if I don’t have much content?

You can create and bank some content before you launch! We suggest creating 3-6 months’ worth of content. From there, you can create more based on member requests and feedback post-launch, curate industry news, and amplify member-generated content.

How do I keep members engaged?

• Structured onboarding (first 30 days)
• Regular communication
• Community building
• Continuous value delivery
• Member recognition

How to Create a Membership Website: Your Next Steps

Now that you understand how to create a membership website, it’s time to take action. Start by choosing your membership model based on your audience and value proposition. Survey your community to validate pricing and benefits before building. Select a platform that matches your technical skill level and budget. We suggest reviewing the 10 best membership website builders to help you make an informed choice.

Why WildApricot?

WildApricot’s membership website builder is designed specifically for nonprofits, associations, clubs, and chambers of commerce. Over 32,000 organizations already use WildApricot, and it’s Capterra’s top-rated membership software platform.

Ready to build your own membership website? Get started with your 60-day free trial today!