Run a paid newsletter on your own WordPress site

Ultimate Membership Pro turns your WordPress posts into a paid newsletter. Lock premium issues for paying subscribers, let visitors read a few posts a month, and keep free and paid readers in separate email lists, with payments going to your own Stripe or PayPal account.

Your premium issues, subscribers only

ArticleMeteredEmail lists

Inside Locker · every planIssue 48: The pricing playbook

A visitor sees

Subscribe to keep readingPaid subscribers read the full issue

A subscriber sees

The rule behind it

PublicThe headline and intro

LockedEverything below the Inside Locker

Who can readYour paid Memberships

Everyone elseA subscribe message

WP Workflow Restrictions · every planPosts each reader can open

VisitorsNot logged in3 posts

Registered, no Membership5 posts

Free newsletter10 posts

Paid monthly, Paid yearlyNo limit

Counters start again every 30 days.

How the meter works

PeriodDays you choose, then counters reset

Over the limitThe post's Locker message

CountedPer browser

Already readStays open

MailChimp Pro · Full PackageWho's on which list

Free newsletterAdded to “Weekly free issue”Subscribed

Paid monthlyAdded to “Paid subscribers”Subscribed

Paid yearly, expiredRemoved from “Paid subscribers”Removed

How lists stay in step

AddedWhen a Membership starts

RemovedWhen it expires or is deleted

Also forConvertKit, MailPoet and Mailster

Every planOpt-In to one list at sign-up

Sound familiar?

Your best writing, given away or locked away

Readers who never payWhen everything is public, nobody has a reason to subscribe. Lock premium issues and keep the rest free.

A hard paywall scares new readers offLet visitors read a few posts a month before the paywall appears.

One email list for everyoneKeep paying subscribers in their own list, and take them off it when they stop paying (Full Package).

How writers use it

Everything a paid newsletter needs, on your own site

Each job below maps to a feature you can switch on today.

PaywallEvery planKeep a teaser publicShow the headline and first paragraphs to everyone, and lock the rest of the post with the Inside Locker.How it works

Content restrictionEvery planLock a Premium categoryOne Access Rule locks every post in a category, including the issues you publish later.How it works

WP Workflow RestrictionsEvery planLet readers try before they paySet how many posts visitors, free readers and each Membership can open in a period.How it works

Recurring subscriptionsEvery planMonthly and yearly plansCharge subscribers automatically with Stripe Connect, PayPal and the other online gateways, with a free trial where your gateway supports it.How it works

Email marketingEvery planGrow your list at sign-upOpt-In sends new members to Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, AWeber, GetResponse and other services, with a consent checkbox.How it works

Gift membershipsEvery planGift subscriptionsReaders buy a subscription as a gift and get a code. The person they give it to redeems it at checkout.How it works

MailChimp ProFull PackageA separate list for paying readersAdd members to a Mailchimp audience for each Membership, and remove them when it expires.How it works

Pay per postFull PackageSell a single issuePut a price on one post and readers pay once for it, without a subscription.How it works

Restriction ReleaseFull PackagePaid first, free laterLock a new issue for subscribers, then make it public automatically on the date you set.How it works

Your readers' archive

Every issue a subscriber can read, on one page

Add one shortcode to a page and each subscriber sees the posts their Membership unlocks. With Full Package, Member RSS also gives each subscriber a private feed of the same posts.

Lists only what the reader's active Memberships unlockChoose the post type, template and orderList Access Posts is included in every planMember RSS (Full Package) adds a personal feed link to the Member Portal

My issuesPaid yearly

Issue 48: The pricing playbookOctober 14Paid

Issue 47: What the data saysOctober 7Paid

Issue 46: Reader questionsSeptember 30Free

Issue 45: The long interviewSeptember 23Paid

Your setup

Launch a paid newsletter in four steps

A starting point you can change later. Names and prices are yours to choose.

1Publish issues as postsWrite in WordPress and put premium issues in their own category, such as Premium.

2Create your MembershipsFor example Free newsletter, Paid monthly at $8 and Paid yearly at $80.

3Lock and meterLock the Premium category with an Access Rule, keep a teaser with the Inside Locker and set a reading meter.

4Connect your email toolTurn on Opt-In for sign-ups. Sync paying subscribers with MailChimp Pro, ConvertKit, MailPoet or Mailster (Full Package).

Good to know

Ultimate Membership Pro locks posts, it doesn't send your newsletter

Here’s where the plugin stops and your email tool takes over.

What it does and doesn't do for newsletters

It doesn't send emails to your list. Write and send issues from Mailchimp, ConvertKit, MailPoet or another email tool, and link to the post on your site.The paywall protects posts on your site. If you email the full issue, it can be forwarded, so send a teaser and a link when the issue should stay paid.The reading meter counts per browser. A new browser or cleared cookies start the count again.The built-in Opt-In adds new members to one list. A list per Membership needs MailChimp Pro, ConvertKit, MailPoet or Mailster.Pay per post, Restriction Release, Member RSS and the email add-ons need Full Package. Everything else on this page works on every plan.

FAQ

Questions about paid newsletters

Not sure your setup is covered? Search the documentation or try the live demo before you buy.

Can I run a paid newsletter on WordPress?

Yes. Publish issues as WordPress posts, lock the premium ones for paying Memberships with Ultimate Membership Pro, and send emails with your email marketing tool. Payments go to your own Stripe or PayPal account.

Is this a Substack alternative?

It covers the paid side on a site you own: plans, payments, the paywall and subscriber accounts. Writing and sending emails stays with your email tool, and readers read the issues on your site.

Can I offer a free tier?

Yes. Create a free Membership for your newsletter and paid Memberships for premium issues. With WP Workflow Restrictions, free readers can open a set number of posts in each period.

Are subscribers removed from my list when they cancel?

With MailChimp Pro (Full Package), members are removed from a Membership's audience when that Membership expires or is deleted. The built-in Opt-In only adds new members.

Can I sell a single issue?

Yes, with Pay Per Post (Full Package). Put a price on one post and readers pay once for it, without a subscription.

Can Google index my paid posts?

Yes. Turn on Authorize Search Engines and verified crawlers such as Googlebot can read posts that redirect visitors or are locked by an Access Rule, while readers still need a Membership.

More use cases

CreatorsMemberships for creators and their fans Podcast membershipBonus episodes and early access All use casesWhat you can build with Ultimate Membership Pro

Unlimited members on every plan

Start your paid newsletter

Premium posts, a reading meter and paid subscriber lists, in one plugin.

14-day money-back guarantee Unlimited members