9 Best WordPress Plugins for Recurring Payments in 2025

You set up subscriptions on your site, excited about that steady monthly income. Then the emails start: “Why was I charged twice?” “My payment didn’t go through!” Suddenly, you’re spending more time fixing billing issues than running your business.

Most WordPress payment plugins promise easy recurring revenue, but few deliver. Hidden fees, clunky interfaces, and failed payment nightmares can turn your subscription dream into a customer service nightmare. The wrong choice costs you money and frustrates members.

There’s a better way. After testing dozens of options, I’ve found the plugins that actually work—ones that handle subscriptions smoothly while keeping both you and your customers happy.

Let’s explore the best tools to automate your revenue without the stress.

Key Features to Look for in a Recurring Payment Plugin

Setting up recurring payments on your WordPress site? Picking the right plugin can make or break your subscription business. You don’t want to end up with a clunky system that chases away customers.

Here’s what really matters when choosing a plugin—no fluff, just the must-haves.

1. Flexible Subscription Management

A good plugin should let you create different billing cycles—weekly, monthly, yearly, or even custom plans. You should be able to easily upgrade, downgrade, or pause subscriptions without headaches. If it feels like solving a math problem just to set up a simple plan, skip it.

2. Reliable Payment Gateways

Stripe and PayPal are the big ones, but does the plugin also support Authorize.Net, Razorpay, or regional options? Check this first—because if your customers can’t pay the way they want, they’ll just leave.

3. Failed Payment Recovery

Credit cards expire, funds run low—failed payments happen. A solid plugin should automatically retry payments, notify customers, and even update their card details without you lifting a finger. If it doesn’t handle this, you’ll lose money chasing down payments manually.

4. Free Trials & Discounts

Want to hook customers with a 7-day free trial or a first-month discount? Your plugin should make this easy to set up. If it requires coding or expensive add-ons, that’s a red flag.

5. Tax & Invoice Automation

Dealing with taxes and invoices manually is a nightmare. Look for a plugin that auto-generates invoices, handles VAT, and syncs with accounting tools like QuickBooks. Trust me, your future self will thank you.

6. Easy Cancellations

Customers should be able to cancel easily—but a good plugin will also let you offer discounts or pause options to keep them from leaving. Forced lock-ins just lead to chargebacks and angry emails.

7. Solid Reporting & Analytics

You need to know who’s paying, who’s churning, and what’s making you money. If your plugin only gives you basic stats, you’re flying blind. Look for one with detailed reports or Zapier integration.

The best recurring payment plugin isn’t just about taking payments—it’s about keeping things smooth for you and your customers. Focus on these features, and you’ll avoid the usual frustrations (like chasing failed payments or drowning in manual work).

Next, let’s compare the top plugins that actually deliver on these.

Check this: 5 Best WordPress Payment Plugins to Use in 2025 (Free & Paid)

9 Best WordPress Plugins for Recurring Payments

1. MemberPress

MemberPress is a powerhouse for membership sites. Want to lock content behind a paywall or offer tiered subscriptions? This plugin makes it easy. The best part? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to set it up—just install, configure, and you’re ready to go.

It supports one-time payments and recurring subscriptions, so you can mix and match pricing models. The drip content feature is a nice bonus—you can release content over time to keep members engaged. Plus, it integrates with popular email marketing tools, so you can automate your follow-ups.

Key Features of MemberPress:

• Easy recurring billing setup with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net
• Content dripping and access rules for flexible membership levels
• Built-in course builder (no need for extra LMS plugins)
• Coupons, pricing pages, and discount support
• Detailed reporting dashboard to track revenue and member activity
• Works with email platforms like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and more
• Supports trial periods, upgrade/downgrade paths, and renewals
• Built-in tax and EU VAT handling
• Strong user access control with easy rules setup

Best for: Coaches, course creators, and membership-based businesses that want an all-in-one plugin to manage recurring payments and content access.

2. WooCommerce Subscriptions

If you’re running an online store and need recurring payments, WooCommerce Subscriptions is the go-to. It integrates perfectly with WooCommerce, so you can sell subscriptions for physical products, services, or even digital downloads. The setup is straightforward, and you get tons of flexibility with billing schedules.

One thing I love? It handles all the tricky parts like failed payments and renewal reminders automatically. You can offer free trials, sign-up fees, or even limited-time discounts to attract more subscribers. Plus, it works with most payment gateways, so your customers have plenty of options.

Key Features of WooCommerce Subscriptions:

• Supports multiple billing schedules (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly)
• Works seamlessly with WooCommerce and existing products
• Automatic recurring payments via PayPal, Stripe, and other gateways
• Customers can manage their own subscriptions from their account page
• Built-in renewal notifications and retry logic for failed payments
• Flexible sign-up fees, free trials, and upgrade/downgrade options
• Sync subscriptions for consistent billing dates
• Detailed reporting and subscription analytics

Best for: Ecommerce store owners who already use WooCommerce and want to add recurring payments for products, memberships, or services.

3. WP Simple Pay

WP Simple Pay is perfect if you want to accept recurring payments without setting up a full online store. It’s built specifically for Stripe, and it’s incredibly easy to use. You can start taking subscriptions and one-time payments in just a few clicks—no shopping cart required.

It’s great for freelancers, consultants, or anyone offering services or digital products. The plugin offers clean, customizable payment forms and handles everything from coupon codes to invoice receipts. Plus, it works beautifully with WordPress, so you don’t need to worry about bloat or complex setups.

Key Features of WP Simple Pay:

• Seamless Stripe integration with support for recurring payments
• No need for WooCommerce or cart systems
• Drag-and-drop payment form builder
• Offer free trials, custom billing intervals, and setup fees
• Built-in support for coupon codes and discount handling
• Mobile-optimized checkout experience
• Supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, and ACH payments
• Works with global currencies and taxes
• Email receipts and payment confirmation built in

Best for: Freelancers, small businesses, or anyone who wants to accept Stripe-powered recurring payments without the weight of a full ecommerce plugin.

4. Paid Memberships Pro

Paid Memberships Pro is perfect if you need a flexible, no-frills solution. It’s lightweight but still packs all the essentials—recurring payments, member management, and content restrictions. Developers love it because it’s easy to customize with hooks and filters.

The free version covers the basics, but if you need advanced features like email integrations or discount codes, you’ll want the premium add-ons. It’s not as polished as MemberPress, but it gets the job done without breaking the bank.

Key Features of Paid Memberships Pro:

• Unlimited membership levels and customizable access rules
• Recurring billing with support for Stripe, PayPal, Authorize.net, and more
• Free and paid trial options for new members
• Drip content scheduling and member-only content access
• Built-in reports to track revenue, signups, and member activity
• Integrations with Mailchimp, WooCommerce, Zapier, and LearnDash
• Member dashboard for self-service subscription management
• Add-ons for features like group memberships, affiliate tracking, and more
• GDPR-ready and supports multiple languages and currencies

Best for: Creators, coaches, or communities who want a feature-rich, scalable membership plugin with solid recurring payment support.

5. Restrict Content Pro

Restrict Content Pro is another solid choice for membership sites. It’s built by the same team behind Easy Digital Downloads, so you know it’s reliable. The plugin focuses on simplicity—set up subscription levels, restrict content, and start earning.

What stands out? The clean interface makes managing members a breeze. You can see who’s active, who’s canceled, and even send manual renewal reminders. It’s not as feature-heavy as MemberPress, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

Key Features of Restrict Content Pro:

• Unlimited subscription levels with customizable pricing
• Built-in support for Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, and 2Checkout
• Easy-to-use content restriction rules for posts, pages, and more
• Discount codes and free trial options
• Member management dashboard for site admins and users
• Built-in reports for tracking revenue and signups
• Email notifications for member activity and renewals
• Add-ons for integrations with WooCommerce, Mailchimp, and Zapier
• Developer-friendly with clean code and lots of hooks

Best for: Bloggers, educators, and creators who want a lightweight yet powerful way to manage memberships and recurring payments.

6. Recurring Payments

Selling digital products? EDD’s Recurring Payments extension is tailor-made for you. It handles software licenses, eBook subscriptions, or any digital product with a recurring fee. The plugin integrates perfectly with EDD, so your existing customers can upgrade to subscriptions easily.

It’s built to work smoothly within the EDD ecosystem. You get full control over subscription terms, customer access, and renewal settings. Plus, it’s great if you want to offer trial periods, discounts, or even upgrade/downgrade options for your subscribers.

Key Features of Recurring Payments:

• Supports automatic recurring billing for digital products
• Seamless integration with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net
• Allows subscription upgrades, downgrades, and cancellations
• Offers free trials and signup fees for more pricing flexibility
• Built-in email notifications for renewals and payment receipts
• Includes detailed subscription reports and customer histories
• Full control over access restrictions and expiration rules
• Integrates easily with other EDD extensions for added power

Best for: Digital product sellers who want a simple yet powerful way to manage recurring payments inside Easy Digital Downloads.

7. s2Member

s2Member is a solid choice if you want a powerful membership plugin without the fuss. It lets you protect your content and set up recurring payments without needing to be a tech wizard. The plugin balances features and simplicity in a way that feels approachable.

One thing I like is how flexible it is with payment gateways, including Stripe and PayPal. Plus, you get detailed control over who sees what, and the plugin supports everything from simple membership sites to more complex setups with multiple levels and custom access rules.

Key Features of s2Member:

• Supports recurring payments with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net
• Flexible access control based on membership levels
• Content dripping and expiration options
• Built-in support for coupons and promo codes
• Integrates with popular email marketing tools like Mailchimp
• Customizable login and registration forms
• Protects posts, pages, categories, and files
• Developer-friendly with hooks and API access

Best for: Site owners who want a free or affordable membership solution that can scale with their needs.

8. WooCommerce PayPal Payments

WooCommerce PayPal Payments is a go-to plugin if you want to accept recurring payments with minimal hassle. It’s built to work smoothly with WooCommerce and gives customers the familiar PayPal checkout experience, which can really boost trust and conversions.

The plugin makes setup easy and supports subscriptions through PayPal. You don’t need to deal with complicated settings — just connect your account, and you’re ready to start selling products or memberships with automatic billing.

Key Features of WooCommerce PayPal Payments:

• Supports PayPal subscriptions and recurring payments
• Seamless integration with WooCommerce checkout
• Offers PayPal Smart Buttons for flexibility
• Supports Pay Later, Pay in 4, and other options
• Accepts major cards without extra setup
• One-click checkout experience
• Automatic updates and ongoing support
• No coding or complex setup needed

Best for: WooCommerce store owners who want to quickly enable PayPal subscriptions and recurring payments with an easy, reliable setup.

9. WP Full Stripe

WP Full Stripe makes it super simple to collect payments or subscriptions right from your WordPress site using Stripe. You don’t need a separate checkout page — forms can be placed directly into posts or pages, which keeps things smooth for your users.

It’s ideal if you’re looking for a clean, no-fuss solution to accept recurring payments. Whether you’re offering monthly plans or one-time services, this plugin gives you full control over how and when you bill your customers.

Key Features of WP Full Stripe:

• Accepts one-time and recurring payments via Stripe
• Inline payment forms that blend into your content
• Works with Stripe Elements for secure payment collection
• Easily set up subscription plans with trial periods
• Supports payment confirmation emails
• Responsive design for mobile-friendly checkouts
• Dashboard view to manage payments and subscribers
• No coding knowledge required to get started

Best for: Freelancers, small businesses, or creators who want to accept Stripe payments and subscriptions without leaving WordPress.

Still unsure? Think about what’s most important—ease of use, pricing, or specific features. The right plugin will save you time and keep your subscribers happy.

FAQs on Best WordPress Plugins for Recurring Payments

Let’s Summarize

Getting recurring payments right makes all the difference. Whether you’re selling memberships, digital products, or services, the right plugin keeps payments flowing smoothly while keeping customers happy.

From WooCommerce Subscriptions for online stores to MemberPress for courses, each option has its strengths. What matters most is picking the one that fits how you actually do business. The best choice isn’t always the most feature-packed—it’s the one that solves your specific problems without creating new ones.

Don’t overthink it. Start with what you need today, not what you might need someday. Most of these plugins offer free trials or demos, so you can test before committing. Once you see those automated payments coming in consistently, you’ll wonder why you waited.

Author: Garrett Lehman

Garrett Lehman is the Head of Technology at GappGroup, where he leads the charge on all things tech. Passionate about building smart solutions and scaling digital products, he’s always looking for ways to bridge the gap between innovation and real-world impact.