How to Run Members-Only Events in WordPress (Free + Paid Options)

Running members-only events successful WordPress tin beryllium a powerful measurement to prosecute your community, make revenue, and connection exclusive experiences. By restricting entree to circumstantial contented and activities, you tin create a consciousness of exclusivity and loyalty among your members.

That said, WordPress doesn’t travel pinch a built-in action to create events and limit them to definite users. To group up members-only events, you will request to usage an arena almanac plugin alongside a rank plugin.

At WPBeginner, we’ve tested and utilized aggregate almanac and rank plugins. Based connected our experience, Sugar Calendar is nan champion action for adding events to your site. From there, you tin usage MemberPress aliases Paid Memberships Pro to restrict entree to events.

In this article, we will show you really to tally members-only events successful WordPress. We will spell complete some free and paid options to accommodate each budget.

Why Run Members-Only Events successful WordPress?

Adding exclusive events to your tract is simply a awesome measurement to fortify your narration pinch your assemblage and create a much loyal customer base. It encourages a consciousness of organization and belonging among members.

Plus, it helps boost engagement, arsenic you tin connection members unsocial contented and activities not disposable to nan public. This encourages users to support coming backmost to your tract and bask exclusive content.

Since only subscribers tin entree these events, you tin besides make further income done arena registrations and memberships. Besides that, you tin besides sell arena tickets that only your members tin access.

That said, let’s look astatine really to adhd exclusive events to your tract and restrict them to members only. We will screen different methods for creating memberships, truthful you tin click nan links beneath to quickly jump up to immoderate section:

Adding Members-Only Events to Your WordPress Website

The easiest measurement to adhd aggregate events to your tract and create a almanac is by utilizing Sugar Calendar.

It is nan best almanac plugin for WordPress and is beginner-friendly to use. Plus, it gives you tons of customization options. You’ll besides beryllium capable to create aggregate calendars, sync pinch Google Calendar, usage an addon for trading arena tickets, and more.

To study much astir its features, you whitethorn want to spot our Sugar Calendar review.

First, you’ll request to instal and activate nan Sugar Calendar plugin. If you request help, past please spot our guideline connected how to instal a WordPress plugin.

Note: For this tutorial we utilized nan Sugar Calendar Pro type arsenic it offers much features for illustration recurring events and addons. However, location is besides a Sugar Calendar Lite type you tin usage for free to create members-only events. If you take nan free option, past you won’t request a licence key.

Once that’s done, caput to Calendar » Settings from nan WordPress dashboard and participate your licence key.

You tin find nan licence cardinal successful your relationship area. After that, simply click nan ‘Verify Key’ button.

Next, you tin create a caller almanac for your exclusive events. However, Sugar Calendar adds a almanac by default to your site. You tin usage that aliases adhd a caller 1 for members-only events.

To get started, simply caput to nan Sugar Calendar » Calendars page and click nan ‘+ Add Calendar’ button.

Then, participate a sanction for your caller calendar.

There are besides options to alteration nan slug, adhd a description, prime a genitor calendar, and take a color.

Once you’ve vanished inputting this information, simply click nan ‘Add New Calendar’ button.

Next, you tin spell to nan Sugar Calendar » Events page and click nan ‘+ Add New Event’ button.

After that, you’ll request to participate nan specifications of your event.

Here, you tin adhd an arena name, start/end time, date, arena wave (‘Recurrence’), location, and value (if you’re selling arena tickets).

When you’re ready, simply prime nan almanac wherever nan arena will beryllium displayed and past click nan ‘Publish’ button.

Next, you tin adhd your almanac to a caller aliases existing page. Simply unfastened nan content editor and click nan ‘+’ icon to adhd nan ‘Events Calendar’ block.

You will now spot a preview of your almanac successful nan contented editor.

Go up and people aliases update your page. Then, you tin sojourn your website to spot nan events almanac successful action.

You whitethorn besides want to spot our guideline connected how to create a elemental arena almanac pinch Sugar Calendar to study astir much customization options.

Now that your events and calendars are ready, nan adjacent measurement is to restrict them to members only.

Restrict Events for Members Using MemberPress (Recommended)

Lots of membership plugins fto you restrict your events for subscribers. But MemberPress is nan champion action we’ve tested. It offers a complete level for trading unlimited rank levels and subscriptions.

You tin publication our complete MemberPress review to study each astir its features and benefits.

This method is awesome for anyone looking for an all-in-one rank plugin that has everything you request to create, sell, and negociate each kinds of memberships.

If you’re conscionable getting started, past you whitethorn want to spot our ultimate guideline to creating a WordPress rank site.

First, you’ll request to instal and activate MemberPress connected your site. If you request help, past please spot our guideline connected how to instal a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you request to spell to the MemberPress » Settings page and click connected nan ‘License’ paper action to participate your licence key.

You tin find nan cardinal successful your relationship connected nan MemberPress website. After entering nan key, simply click nan ‘Activate License Key’ button.

Next, you’ll request to group up a costs gateway for your members-only site. You tin do this by selecting nan ‘Payments’ tab and past clicking nan ‘Add Payment Method’ button.

After that, you tin prime different payment gateways for your tract to group up.

The plugin supports celebrated services, including Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net.

You tin simply prime a costs method from nan ‘Gateway’ drop-down. From here, you’ll request to supply nan required credentials aliases travel nan onscreen instructions to link your preferred gateway.

Next, you will request to create rank levels that users tin subscribe to and entree members-only events.

To create a rank level, you request to spell to the MemberPress » Memberships page from nan WordPress dashboard. After that, click nan ‘Add New’ fastener astatine nan top.

Next, you tin participate a title for your rank scheme and supply specifications successful nan station editor.

On nan correct manus side, you’ll spot an action to participate nan value for your rank plan. You tin besides prime nan scheme to beryllium either one-time aliases recurring.

After that, you tin scroll down and alteration different rank options.

For example, MemberPress lets you edit nan registration settings, for illustration nan fastener text, enabling a civilization thank you page, customized costs methods, and more.

If you move to nan ‘Price Box’ tab, past you’ll find options to edit nan quality of pricing plans.

You tin alteration nan title, adhd heading text, database nan benefits, and more.

After entering these details, you tin simply people nan rank plan. Now, repetition this measurement to create arsenic galore rank levels arsenic you want.

Next, you’ll request to caput to MemberPress » Rules from nan WordPress dashboard. Here, you tin create rules to restrict entree to events that only registered members tin see.

Start by clicking connected nan ‘Add New’ fastener astatine nan top.

On nan adjacent page, you’ll request to group nan conditions and subordinate them pinch a rank scheme to tally members-only events connected your site.

To start, you tin participate a sanction for your norm astatine nan top. After that, click nan dropdown nether ‘Protected Content.’

For this tutorial, we will prime nan ‘A Single Event’ action and fastener a circumstantial event. However, location is besides an action for ‘All Events,’ which will restrict each events to members only.

From here, you’ll request to prime an arena that only members tin view. Simply participate nan sanction of nan arena and prime it erstwhile it appears successful nan dropdown menu.

Next, you tin group nan conditions nether nan ‘Access Conditions’ section. You tin prime ‘Membership’ from nan dropdown paper and take nan rank users request to person to position nan events.

If you want much memberships to position nan event, past simply click nan ‘+’ icon and adhd different rank levels.

When you are done, don’t hide to click nan ‘Save Rule’ button.

That’s it! You’ve successfully created a rank tract wherever only subscribers tin position your events.

If personification who is not registered tries to position nan event, past they will spot an unauthorized entree page.

Restrict Events for Members Using Paid Memberships Pro (Free Option)

Another measurement you tin restrict entree to events connected your tract is by utilizing nan Paid Memberships Pro plugin. It offers an Events addon that lets you create members-only events. Plus, it integrates pinch celebrated almanac plugins, including Sugar Calendar.

This method is awesome for users who want a free solution to create elemental rank levels and fastener different events. However, if you’re looking for an all-in-one rank level pinch powerful rules for restricting content, past MemberPress is simply a amended solution.

For this tutorial, we will usage nan Paid Memberships Pro’s free version. There are besides premium pricing plans that you tin usage for further features and integrations.

First, you’ll request to instal and activate nan Paid Memberships Pro plugin. If you request help, past please spot our guideline connected how to instal a WordPress plugin.

Upon activation, you should spot nan plugins’ dashboard and invited screen.

Next, you tin spell to nan ‘Add Ons’ tab astatine nan top.

From here, simply navigate to nan ‘Events’ addon and click nan ‘Install’ button.

After that, you tin create caller rank levels by going to nan Settings » Levels tab successful nan plugin menu.

Go up and click nan ‘+ Add New Level’ button.

A caller popup model will now open, showing you different rank levels.

For instance, you tin create free, monthly, annual, lifetime, aliases one-time memberships. For this tutorial, we will take nan ‘Annual’ option.

Next, you’ll request to participate specifications for your rank level.

Start by entering a sanction and a description.

If you scroll down, past location are much options for your rank level.

You tin participate a confirmation message and adhd billing details.

The plugin offers much settings, for illustration protecting pages and posts, enabling rank expiration, disabling caller signups, and more.

When you’re done making changes, simply click nan ‘Save Level’ fastener astatine nan end.

You tin now repetition this measurement to create arsenic galore rank levels arsenic you want.

Next, you tin caput backmost to Sugar Calendar events and prime which rank levels tin position your events.

Simply spell to Sugar Calendar » Events from nan WordPress admin sheet and past click connected immoderate arena successful nan calendar. From here, click nan ‘Edit’ option.

After that, you should spot a ‘Require Membership’ meta container connected nan right-hand broadside successful nan arena editor.

Go up and prime nan rank levels that tin entree nan event.

When you’re done, simply click nan ‘Update’ button.

You tin now sojourn your website and cheque who tin entree nan event. If personification doesn’t person nan required membership, past they’ll beryllium asked to subscribe earlier viewing nan event.

We dream this article helped you study really to tally members-only events successful WordPress. You whitethorn besides want to spot our guideline connected how to big a virtual arena successful WordPress and how to adhd a free proceedings subscription successful WordPress.

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About nan Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff astatine WPBeginner is simply a squad of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi pinch complete 16 years of acquisition successful WordPress, Web Hosting, eCommerce, SEO, and Marketing. Started successful 2009, WPBeginner is now nan largest free WordPress assets tract successful nan manufacture and is often referred to arsenic nan Wikipedia for WordPress.