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You can install Memberful on a self-hosted WordPress site or a site hosted with WordPress.com. If you host with WordPress.com, be sure to choose a plan that supports installing third-party plugins (since not all plans do). In this help article, learn how to install our plugin, review your settings, and map roles.

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Install the Memberful WordPress plugin

  1. From your Memberful dashboard, go to Website → External website, then click Connect my WordPress site to activate the WordPress service.
    Activate the WordPress service
  2. Copy the WordPress registration key (ctrl/cmd + c).
    Copy registration key
  3. On your WordPress site, install and activate the Memberful plugin.
  4. Paste your registration key (ctrl/cmd + v) into the field and click Connect to Memberful.
    WordPress Plugin Install
Once connected:
  • Your members will be signed into WordPress when they sign into Memberful.
  • Their plans will sync automatically, making it simple to protect WordPress content.
Integration active

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Review the plugin settings

Go to Settings → Memberful in your WordPress dashboard to customize how the plugin works. Options include:
  • Keep all WordPress users logged in for 1 year
  • Hide the WordPress admin toolbar from members
  • Block WordPress dashboard access from members
  • Conditionally show Sign in, Sign out, and Account menu items based on members’ signed-in status
  • Update display names in WordPress when members change their full name in Memberful
  • Show protected content in site search
Memberful WP Plugin Settings
Conditional menu items only work with classic WordPress menus. They are not supported in block-based WordPress since that system uses a different menu editor.

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Configure role mapping

You can configure role mapping from Settings → Memberful → Advanced Role Mapping in your WordPress dashboard. The Memberful WordPress plugin assigns WordPress roles to members based on their subscription status and keeps those roles automatically in sync as subscriptions start, change, or end. This works best when using custom WordPress roles provided by other plugins.

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How role mapping works by default

By default, the Memberful WordPress plugin can assign roles using a simple status-based rule:
  • Members with any active subscription plan are assigned one WordPress role.
  • Members with no active subscription plans are assigned a different WordPress role.
To enable status-based rules:
  1. Go to Settings → Memberful → Advanced Role Mapping.
  2. Assign a role for members with an active subscription and a role for members with no active subscription.
Memberful WP Plugin Settings

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Enable per-plan roles

Per-plan roles let you override the default active or inactive role mapping and assign roles at the individual plan level. Disabling this setting returns your site to the default behavior. To enable per-plan roles:
  1. Go to Settings → Memberful → Advanced Role Mapping.
  2. Check Enable Per-Plan Roles.
Memberful WP Plugin Settings
Once enabled, additional role options appear for each subscription plan.

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Assign roles to individual plans

After enabling per-plan roles, you’ll see a list of your Memberful plans with a WordPress role selector for each one. For each subscription plan:
  • Choose the WordPress role members should receive while they have an active subscription to that plan.
  • Optionally select No specific role (use default) to fall back to the default active role mapping.
Memberful WP Plugin Settings
Members with no active subscription receive the role configured for No active subscription plan.