# Paid Memberships Pro: Free Open Source Alternative to Memberful, Memberstack

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/fork/paid-memberships-pro
Last updated: 2026-08-10

Paid Memberships Pro (Open Source, GPL-2.0) replaces Memberful, Memberstack. A WordPress membership paywall with recurring Stripe and PayPal billing; free software, paid in plugin upkeep.

## Tool Specifications
- **Tool Name**: Paid Memberships Pro
- **Type**: Open Source Project
- **License**: GPL-2.0
- **Official Website**: https://www.paidmembershipspro.com
- **GitHub Repository**: https://github.com/strangerstudios/paid-memberships-pro
- **GitHub Stars**: ★ 528
- **Runs On**: Self-host
- **Maintenance Status**: jul 2026
- **Platforms**: web, self-hosted, self-host, real ops
- **Data Storage**: WordPress users/usermeta plus PMPro membership, order and discount tables; card credentials remain with the payment gateway
- **Installation**: Install the WordPress plugin, create membership levels/pages, then connect a supported payment gateway
- **Setup Requirements**: A maintained WordPress/HTTPS site, payment gateway, webhooks and reliable email delivery are prerequisites
- **The Catch / Limitation**: Paid Memberships Pro adds WordPress, plugin, gateway, webhook and server upkeep that Memberful manages as a service.

## Paid SaaS Applications Replaced (2)
Replacing these paid tools with Paid Memberships Pro saves up to $78/mo ($936/yr) in software subscriptions:

| Replaced Software | Category | SaaS Price | Comparison Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Memberful](https://caniforkit.com/memberful) | [creator commerce](https://caniforkit.com/category/creator-commerce) | $49/mo | [Compare Memberful vs Paid Memberships Pro](https://caniforkit.com/vs/memberful-vs-paid-memberships-pro) |
| [Memberstack](https://caniforkit.com/memberstack) | [creator commerce](https://caniforkit.com/category/creator-commerce) | $29/mo | [Compare Memberstack vs Paid Memberships Pro](https://caniforkit.com/vs/memberstack-vs-paid-memberships-pro) |

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is Paid Memberships Pro free and open source?
Paid Memberships Pro is an open source tool licensed under GPL-2.0 that runs on self-host. A WordPress membership paywall with recurring Stripe and PayPal billing; free software, paid in plugin upkeep.

### What is the trade-off or limitation of using Paid Memberships Pro?
Paid Memberships Pro adds WordPress, plugin, gateway, webhook and server upkeep that Memberful manages as a service.

## Related

- [Self-Hosted Open Source Directory](https://caniforkit.com/self-hosted)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)
- [Software Categories Directory](https://caniforkit.com/categories)
- [Homepage](https://caniforkit.com)