Build a Membership App to Maximize Your Content’s Potential & Earn More with Your Community

The fastest and cheapest way to build a membership app is to start from a mobile-friendly membership website and turn it into an app with a membership app builder (a website-to-app converter), so members keep the same login, content, and subscription. A fully custom app gives you more control, but costs more and takes longer. Either way, decide first which features your members actually need on their phones.

As a content creator, you may know that a membership app can help you make the most of your content, increase member engagement, and ultimately boost your membership site revenue. This guide covers why you’d build one, the downsides, the main ways to build it, the features to include, and how to do it without an endless budget.

Why Build a Membership App

Your members already live on their phones. In the United States, for example, 91% of adults own a smartphone, according to Pew Research Center’s 2026 mobile fact sheet. Not everyone will be interested in your membership site content, but chances are most people who are interested in your niche carry a smartphone.

This isn’t, in itself, a strong enough reason to build a membership app. However, you should consider the following advantages of having a membership app:

Offering More Value for Members

A membership app can help you offer more value to your members. By being available on the go, your content will become much more accessible to members, which is bound to encourage them to engage with it more often.

It’s not just about content accessibility though: a membership app can also help you offer exclusive content and features that can only be accessed via the app. This is a great way to encourage people to download and use your app, as they’ll know they’re getting something they can’t get anywhere else (not to mention it makes them feel special).

Generating More Member Engagement and Retention

As mentioned above, making your content more accessible encourages members to engage with it more often.

In turn, that engagement supports retention. Members who use your content regularly, wherever they are, have fewer reasons to cancel than members who only remember you when they sit down at a computer. For more tactics, see how to boost member retention.

Building a More Personal Relationship with Your Members

There’s something almost personal about using an app, isn’t there? It feels as though you’re inviting members into your own little world, and this can help you build a more personal relationship with them.

Notifying Users of New Content

A membership app can notify users whenever new content is up. Push notifications appear right on the phone’s lock screen, so members often see them sooner than an email, which makes them a strong way to bring people back to new content. Use them sparingly, though: too many alerts and members will switch them off.

Even without an app, your membership site can keep members informed. Ultimate Membership Pro sends email notifications when drip content unlocks, and its Pushover Notifications module can send a phone alert through the Pushover app whenever a chosen email notification goes out, to you and to members who add their Pushover token. You’ll find more options among the add-ons.

Creating More Flexible Interaction for Your Members

Meeting your members where they are is key to success, and a membership app will help you do just that: it will make your content more flexible and allow people to interact with it in the way they want to.

For example, they can choose to read an article, listen to a podcast episode, or watch a video, all without leaving the app. Even more, they can do all these things at their own pace, without worrying they’ll miss a live session or a webinar.

All of these little things add flexibility to how members interact with your membership app, which helps improve loyalty and retention as well.

Are There Any Disadvantages to Building a Membership App?

Nothing is ever perfect, and a membership app is no exception. Some of the more commonly mentioned disadvantages to building a membership app include:

Development Costs More

Building an app costs more than building a membership website. You’ll need to factor in the cost of development, design, testing, and ongoing updates, which can quickly add up if you’re not careful.

However, there are alternatives that cost much less than a custom build, so even on a tight budget, you can still get your own membership app.

Development Takes Longer

It takes time to develop an app; there’s no way around it. You need to plan for development, design, testing, and app store review, plus any delays along the way.

That said, the website-to-app options covered later in this article are much faster than building from scratch.

Some Communities Might Not Be Interested

Truth be told, you have to really know your audience. Are they likely to use your content on an app more? Will they be bothered by push notifications?

These are the kind of questions you need to ask yourself before deciding whether a membership app is the right move for your business. Take some time to imagine a typical member’s day. Does an app fit into it, or would they rather sit down at a laptop to consume your content? If you’re not sure, ask them in a quick survey before you invest.

You Will Have to Deal with More Complexity

With a membership app, you’re dealing with more moving parts. There’s the website, the app, and then there are the integrations between them.

This can make things more complex to manage, which is why it’s important to have a clear plan from the start on how everything will work together.

Making Sure It’s Integrated with Your Systems

Although this doesn’t have to be a hurdle, it is a point you should be keeping in mind. A membership app should integrate with your email marketing system, your payment processor, and any other software you’re using.

The good news is that this is easier to achieve than ever before, thanks to the myriad of available integrations and APIs. But it’s still something you should be aware of, as it can make or break your success.

Membership App Builder vs. Custom App: 3 Ways to Build One

There are many ways to build a membership app, but these three are the most common. They differ mainly in cost, time, and how much control you get.

Use a Membership App Builder

This is usually the easiest and most affordable way to turn a membership site into a membership app. A membership app builder (often called a website-to-app converter) wraps your existing site in a native app shell, so members log in with the same account and see the same protected content, and you can add app features such as push notifications and a bottom menu. Popular options for WordPress sites include:

• AppPresser
• WPMobile.App
• VidApp (focused on video-based membership apps)
• MobiLoud

Pricing models differ, from one-time licenses to monthly plans and done-for-you services, so compare current plans on each vendor’s site. Before you choose, test the builder with your login page, your restricted pages, and your checkout.

Hire Someone to Convert Your Site

If you already have a membership site built with a WordPress membership plugin such as Ultimate Membership Pro, you can hire a developer or agency to turn it into an app for you, often using the same kind of converter tools. It costs more than doing it yourself, so make sure you hire someone with app store experience.

Hire a Development Team for a Custom App

Want your membership app to be fully custom? Then you’ll need a development team, and a much bigger budget and timeline. A custom app connects to your membership site through an API, so plan how logins, Memberships, and payments will sync. It’s the most flexible option, but usually only worth it once you’ve proven members want an app.

Membership App Features to Include

Whichever method you choose, these are the features most membership apps need:

• One login for site and app: members should use the same account everywhere, with their Membership recognized automatically.
• Protected content: the app should respect the same access rules as your site, so each Membership sees only what it paid for. If your app wraps your site, the content restriction you set in Ultimate Membership Pro carries over.
• Account and subscription management: members should be able to see their plan, renew, upgrade, or cancel from their phone. Ultimate Membership Pro’s member portal gives them one account page for this, which you can add to your app’s menu.
• Push notifications: for new content, events, and reminders.
• Easy content browsing: a clear library, search, and, for video or audio, playback that works well on mobile.
• Community features: comments, forums, or groups, if discussion is part of your membership.

Tips for Building a Successful Membership App

There’s no set recipe for creating a successful membership app, but there are some tips and best practices you can follow to give your app the best chance at success.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Keep It Simple

Don’t try to do too much with your membership app. Stick to the basics and make sure it’s easy to use. The easier it is to operate the app, both as the owner and as a user, the better.

Your membership app should focus on delivering content to your users in the most convenient way possible. Everything else is secondary.

Make Sure It’s Well-Designed

A good design is essential for any type of app, and that goes double for a membership app, where people will (hopefully) spend a lot of time.

Your membership app should be designed with your users in mind. Make sure it’s easy on the eyes, and that the user interface is intuitive.

Integrate It Seamlessly with Your Website

As mentioned before, a membership app needs to integrate seamlessly with your website (and any other software you use).

This matters for two reasons: it makes your life a lot easier, and it gives your users a better experience. Members shouldn’t have to wonder whether something they did in the app shows up on the site, or the other way around.

Plan Your Content in Advance

When you’re running a membership app, content is king. You need to have a clear strategy on how your content will be planned, created, and split into chunks suitable for a mobile membership app.

This will help you deliver the largest amount of value with every push notification.

Start with a Mobile-Friendly Website

If you’re starting from scratch, the best way to begin is with a mobile-friendly website. This will make it easier to convert your site into an app later on.

It will also give you a chance to test the waters and see if there’s enough interest in your content to warrant turning it into an app in the first place.

Think About In-App Purchases

In-app purchases can be a great way to sell digital products and increase the revenue of a membership app, but they can also be a huge turnoff for users if not done right.

If you plan on using in-app purchases, make sure they’re relevant to your content and offer real value to users, and that your payment system is secure and trustworthy. Also check the current App Store and Google Play rules for selling digital subscriptions and content inside apps before you launch, since they affect how and where members can pay.

Encourage Communication

Part of what makes a membership app great is that you can use it as an extension of your membership site, to build and strengthen your community. Encourage people to chat, share their opinions, and ask questions. It’s the key to building a digital space your members will want to come back to again and again.

Don’t Forget about the Technicalities

Decide whether you want to build a membership app for Android, iOS, or both. Then make sure your app and your submission meet all the requirements of each store. There are many details to consider, so take the time to understand them and get your app approved on the first try.

Conclusion: Start With Your Site, Then Go Mobile

It’s never been easier to build a membership app or a membership site. For most creators, the smart path is to start with a mobile-friendly membership site, confirm that members want an app, and then use a membership app builder to launch one without a custom development budget. With the e-learning market growing and more creators earning from their expertise, there are plenty of reasons to own a membership site and bring it to your members’ phones.

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