Paid Memberships Pro plugin review and common issues

If no payment gateways appear at checkout, check three things: first, confirm the gateway is enabled in PMPro → Payment Settings and that all required API keys are entered; second, verify that the membership level being purchased has a cost greater than $0 (free levels skip payment entirely); third, check whether a caching plugin is serving a cached version of the checkout page — PMPro checkout pages should be excluded from page caching to ensure gateway scripts load fresh for each visitor.

PMPro restriction rules work at the post or page level, not at the URL level. If a page is not restricted, check PMPro → Membership Levels and verify that the level has the relevant pages added under the Content Settings tab. Also confirm that the page is using a standard WordPress page template — some page builders and custom themes bypass WordPress’s standard post query in ways that PMPro’s restriction hooks do not intercept.

PMPro sends renewal reminders through WordPress, which uses PHP mail by default. PHP mail is unreliable and frequently lands in spam or is blocked by mail servers. Install an SMTP plugin connected to a transactional email service and verify delivery using PMPro’s test email functionality in PMPro → Email Settings. Also check that the renewal email templates are enabled and that the reminder schedule (days before expiry) is set correctly.

PMPro has a hook system for adding custom checkout fields: use the pmpro_checkout_boxes action to output custom form fields. Save the submitted values using the pmpro_checkout_after_tos_fields action or similar hooks. User meta is the most common storage location. The PMPro documentation includes code examples for common field types. A dedicated add-on — “Extra Checkout Fields” — simplifies this process if you prefer a no-code approach.

Yes. PMPro generates its account page using a template file that can be overridden in a child theme or theme by creating a wp-content/themes/your-theme/paid-memberships-pro/pages/ directory and placing a modified account.php file there. This allows full control over the account page layout, fields displayed, and actions available to members. PMPro also has hooks throughout the account page for adding content without a full template override.

Yes. The free core plugin handles unlimited membership levels, content restriction, and payment via Stripe and PayPal at no cost. Many production membership sites run entirely on the free version plus free add-ons. The paid plans add premium add-ons and priority support, but the free tier has genuine production capability.

Not natively, but the Courses for Membership add-on (free) integrates with PMPro to provide basic course sequencing and lesson management. For more advanced LMS features, PMPro has integrations with LearnDash, LifterLMS, and Sensei via dedicated add-ons.

PMPro supports level changes — members can upgrade or downgrade by purchasing a different level. The billing behavior on level change (prorated credit, immediate charge, or change at next renewal) is configurable per level. The specific behavior depends on which payment gateway you are using and how the level change settings are configured.

Yes. The PMPro WooCommerce add-on links membership access to WooCommerce product purchases. This allows memberships to be sold as WooCommerce products with all of WooCommerce’s checkout features, while PMPro handles the access control. It is one of the most popular PMPro add-ons for stores that already have a WooCommerce setup.