How to Create a site with paid subscription on WordPress?

Do you want to create a site with a paid subscription on WordPress? This article guides you through the different steps necessary to successfully complete this project. Whether to sell services, share knowledge or stand out, a subscription website offers a great opportunity to generate recurring revenue while building customer loyalty. We'll explore the steps you need to take to implement a solution that fits your industry. It would be important to better evaluate to make informed decisions.

Why implement a paid subscription solution?

Implementing a paid subscription solution has several significant benefits for businesses, regardless of their size or industry. Here is why it may be wise to adopt this model:

Recurring revenue

One of the main benefits of a subscription solution is the generation of recurring revenue. This provides the business with a more predictable and stable source of income. Indeed, it facilitates financial planning and long-term investments.

Loyalty of the clientele

Subscriptions encourage customer loyalty. By subscribing, customers commit to an extended period. Because of this, you have a better chance of maintaining a lasting relationship with them. Additionally, it offers the opportunity to get to know your customers better and personalize your offers accordingly.

Improved cash flow

With recurring revenue, businesses can better manage their cash flow. Knowing in advance the expected income each month allows you to better predict expenses and optimize resource management.

Valuation of the offer

A subscription solution allows you to create a perception of added value for your services or products. By offering exclusive access or specific benefits to subscribers, you increase the attractiveness of your offer.

Collection of valuable data

Subscription systems collect detailed data on customer preferences and behavior. This information is crucial to continually adapt and improve the offer, as well as to personalize communication and marketing.

Reduced churn rate

Compared to single payment models, the subscription model with good value for money and an attractive offer can significantly reduce churn, ensuring a more stable customer base.

Access to a wider market

Subscription solutions, especially those with online options, can reach a wider audience, including international ones, thereby increasing market opportunities for the company.

Scalable business model

Subscriptions offer significant flexibility and scalability. It's easier to introduce new services, modify existing offerings, and adjust prices to meet changing market demands. In summary, adopting a paid subscription model can transform the way businesses generate revenue, while improving customer relationships and optimizing financial management. This model promotes sustainable growth by building a solid base of loyal and engaged customers.

1. Plan the implementation of your subscription platform.

The success of the process requires, above all, good planning. Indeed, when planning, you will be able to have a clear idea of ​​which solutions are used and which approach is suitable for your business. First of all, clearly define your offer:

• What content or service will you offer?
• Who is the target audience?
• How much will you charge?

Proper planning is crucial to the success of your subscription site.

2. Choice of Payment Gateway

Choosing the payment gateway is essential for managing online transactions. There are several payment gateways available depending on your country of origin and your budget. Gateways include: PayPal, Moneris and Stripe are popular options. When making your choice, you must opt ​​for solutions with WordPress plugins. Alternatively, a developer team like Prositeweb can support you in developing a tailor-made solution.

Some examples of Payment gateways in Canada

In Canada, businesses can choose from a variety of popular payment gateways. Each offers features and pricing models suited to different types of businesses. Here are some of the most popular payment gateways in Canada:

PayPal

It is known for its broad usability and ease of integration. PayPal charges a 2.90% transaction fee plus a flat fee per transaction for domestic transactions. It is a versatile option supporting various payment methods, including credit and debit cards.

Interac

This Canadian interbank network offers features such as: Interac transfer, allowing secure money transfers by email or text message. It is widely used for peer-to-peer payments and also supports debit payments and contactless payments via Interac Flash​​.

stripe

Stripe is popular for its developer-friendly tools and flexible payment options. Among the tools, we can cite:

• support for credit and debit cards,
• digital wallets
• and various local payment methods.

It charges a standard transaction fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per successful transaction.

Square

Square is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides a user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) system. The platform also supports mobile payments and online store integration. The transaction fee for online payments is 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction​​.

Moneris

It is the leading payment processor in Canada. Indeed, Moneris offers a wide range of payment methods. In addition, it specializes in services for businesses. It charges a fee of 2.85% + $0.30 per successful credit card transaction.

Helcim

Helcim is known for its transparent pricing and volume-based discounts. This is because it provides an all-in-one platform for processing payments. Its average rate for in-person credit card transactions is 1.92% plus 8 cents. However, for key and online purchases, it's 2.38% plus 25 cents​​.

Adyen

This global payment processing service supports omnichannel payments and accepts transactions in over 120 currencies. Adyen charges a flat processing fee of €0.11 plus fees determined by payment method, with no setup or monthly fees.

Elavon

Elavon Serves a wide range of businesses globally. It offers competitive pricing and a wide variety of proprietary products and services, making it a strong contender for businesses looking for a comprehensive payment solution​​. The choice of payment gateway depends on the specific needs of your business. Indeed, you must consider

• the types of transactions you process,
• your average trading volume
• and your customers' preferred payment methods.

It is important to also consider factors such as:

1. transaction fees,
2. security measures,
3. ease of integration
4. and customer support when choosing a payment gateway for your business.

3. Choose the Solutions adapted to the integration of the paid subscription solution with WordPress

To create a paid subscription website with WordPress, you have two options:

• use a plugin. In this case, you need to shop for WordPress plugins that match your goals. Generally, you should choose a solution based on the gateway you are using. Or alternatively, choosing a solution can direct you to the payment gateway you need.
• Tailor-made development. It may happen that the plugins are not adapted to your reality. In this case, you would need to work with a team to help you set up a connection between your website and the gateway.

Some plugins for paid subscription with WordPress

To create a paid subscription site on WordPress, several plugins can help you manage subscriptions, content restrictions, and recurring payments. Here are some of the most popular and effective plugins for this task:

MemberPress

MemberPress is one of the most comprehensive plugins for creating a paid membership site. It makes it easy to create subscription levels, restrict access to content, and integrate with payment gateways like PayPal , Stripe , and more.

Paid Member Subscriptions

This plugin offers a simple approach to creating subscription systems on WordPress. It allows restricting access to content based on subscription level and supports multiple payment gateways. Furthermore, it is also compatible with WooCommerce for those who want to sell products as well as subscriptions.

Restrict Content Pro

Designed to offer a complete subscription management solution , this plugin allows you to restrict access to content, manage user registrations, and collect recurring payments. It offers a clean user interface and integrations with multiple payment gateways.

WooCommerce Subscriptions

If you already use WooCommerce for your online store, this plugin is an extension that allows you to add a subscription option. However, you can create and manage products with recurring payment, free trials, and more.

S2Member

A versatile plugin that offers content protection and member management options. S2Member supports recurring payments and includes advanced customization options to meet your site's specific needs.

Ultimate Member

Although primarily geared towards building online communities, Ultimate Member also offers functionality to restrict access to content and manage user registrations, which can be used to set up a subscription system. Each of these plugins has its own strengths and particularities. Therefore, the choice will depend on

• your specific needs,
• your budget,
• and level of customization you want for your subscription site.

We recommend that you carefully read the descriptions, reviews, and possibly test the free or demo versions before making your choice.

Opt for tailor-made development

Developing a tailor-made option to implement paid subscription on WordPress can be relatively expensive. However, this decision can bear fruit if you do not find a pre-existing solution to accomplish such a task. In addition, this can be an ideal option to have a solution that fits 100% with your needs. Payment gateways through their developer platform often offer 3 approaches to integrating the payment method:

• Use of APIs. An option with much more flexibility and alternatives
• Iframes
• Hosted forms

4. Implementation

The implementation will consist of taking time to adapt the plugin and the gateway you have chosen to your needs. If you have opted for custom development. It will be a question of developing and implementing options to allow you to accept the subscription on your website.

5. Validation and posting online

Before you launch your site, run tests to make sure everything works as expected. This includes :

• member registration,
• payments,
• access to protected content
• and overall user experience.

Once everything is set up and tested, you can officially launch your site. Make sure you have a marketing strategy in place to attract subscribers from the start.

6. Monitoring and Updates

It is essential to implement web analysis tools. For example, you can use Google Analytics to monitor your site's key performance indicators (KPIs). This includes :

• the subscription conversion rate,
• the unsubscription rate,
• the behavior of visitors on the site,
• and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

This data will make it possible to understand user preferences and identify potential areas for improvement.

Collection and analysis of user feedback

Encourage subscribers and site visitors to share their experiences and suggestions. This can provide valuable insights to improve your service. In fact, you can set up such a system via:

• online surveys,
• feedback forms,
• or discussion sessions.

Analyzing this feedback allows you to adjust your offer to better meet user expectations.

Regular updating of content and offers

To maintain subscriber interest and engagement, it is crucial to regularly update the content offered on the site. This could include adding new articles, videos, tutorials, or any other form of content that provides value to subscribers. Likewise, reviewing subscription offers and offering exclusive promotions or perks can help attract new subscribers and retain existing customers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to implement paid subscription on WordPress, you must take the time to plan well and put in place resources that fit with your vision. It is also important to have customer reviews. To do this, you can opt for tools like Google Analytics and Opinion collection. At Prositeweb , we can help you implement the subscription solution that fits your current and long-term vision. We have expertise in implementing existing solutions and developing APIs . Contact us to evaluate your web project.

Gilblas Ngunte Possi

Founder and Full-Stack Developer at Prositeweb.

My proficiency with modern tools and a keen analytical sense regarding information technology enable me to provide superior guidance in the development and implementation of your web solutions.