ChatGPT answers, unedited

If your main requirement is “affiliate referrals should automatically connect to membership purchases and access”, my first choice is affiliatewp.com.

It has native integrations with the major WordPress membership systems, including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. AffiliateWP AffiliateWP

My recommendation

1. AffiliateWP — best overall

I'd choose this if you're building a serious affiliate program.

• Automatically tracks affiliates who refer new members.
• Can set different commission rates for different membership levels.
• Supports coupon-based affiliate attribution.
• Supports recurring commissions with its Recurring Referrals add-on.
• Keeps the affiliate program inside WordPress rather than sending you to an external affiliate network. AffiliateWP AffiliateWP

For example, you could have:

Affiliate sends visitor → visitor purchases “Gold Membership” → WordPress grants Gold access → AffiliateWP records the referral → affiliate receives 30% commission → future recurring payments can also generate commissions.

2. SliceWP — good alternative

If you want something somewhat simpler, SliceWP is worth considering, particularly with Paid Memberships Pro. PMPro specifically documents its integration and says it can handle subscription commissions, membership-level commission rules, and affiliate coupon codes. Paid Memberships Pro Paid Memberships Pro

3. Your membership plugin's native affiliate functionality — best for basic needs

If you're using Paid Memberships Pro, it has its own Lightweight Affiliate Tracking add-on. It's suitable if you just need basic referral tracking and don't need a sophisticated affiliate-management/payment system. Paid Memberships Pro

What I'd pick

One important detail: the membership plugin you're already using matters a lot. AffiliateWP has particularly strong native integrations with MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro, including membership-specific referral rates. AffiliateWP AffiliateWP

Tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Ultimate Member, LearnDash, etc.), and I can tell you the best affiliate plugin for that exact setup, including whether recurring membership payments and cancellations are handled correctly.

For a WordPress membership site, the best affiliate plugin depends mostly on which membership plugin you already use and how advanced your affiliate program needs to be. The affiliate system needs to understand when someone becomes a member, renews, upgrades, cancels, or refunds.

My top picks:

My usual recommendation

For most paid membership businesses:

1. MemberPress + Easy Affiliate → easiest, cleanest setup if you are starting fresh. athemes.com
2. Paid Memberships Pro + AffiliateWP → best if you want flexibility and customization. PMPro is designed to integrate with affiliate systems. www.paidmembershipspro.com
3. WooCommerce Memberships + AffiliateWP → best if your business already runs on WooCommerce. wpwizzy.com

Before choosing, check these features:

• ✅ recurring commissions (important for monthly memberships)
• ✅ commission tracking after renewals
• ✅ coupon/affiliate attribution
• ✅ refund handling
• ✅ affiliate dashboard
• ✅ Stripe/PayPal payout workflow
• ✅ integration with your membership plugin

If you tell me which membership plugin you use now (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, LearnDash, etc.) and whether your memberships are one-time or recurring, I can narrow it to the best choice.

If your main requirement is “affiliate referrals should automatically tie into membership purchases/access”, my first choice would be AffiliateWP.

It has native integrations with the major WordPress membership systems, including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. affiliatewp.com

My recommendation

1. AffiliateWP — best overall

• Automatically records a referral when someone joins through an affiliate link.
• Supports membership-specific commission rates.
• Can handle recurring commissions with its Recurring Referrals add-on.
• Works directly with MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro. affiliatewp.com
• Good choice if you expect your affiliate program to become a significant part of your business.

AffiliateWP official site

2. SliceWP — good alternative

• Particularly worth considering if you want a simpler WordPress-native affiliate interface.
• Paid Memberships Pro specifically lists SliceWP as an affiliate integration. www.paidmembershipspro.comwww.paidmembershipspro.com

3. Native/lightweight affiliate functionality — best for a small program
If you're using Paid Memberships Pro, it has a Lightweight Affiliate Tracking add-on. It's suitable for basic referral tracking, but you'll have less automation around reporting and payouts. www.paidmembershipspro.comwww.paidmembershipspro.com

The important part: which membership plugin are you using?

The answer changes slightly depending on whether you're using MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Restrict Content Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, or something else.

If you tell me which membership plugin you currently use + whether memberships are recurring subscriptions, I can recommend the exact affiliate plugin/setup and explain how commissions should work when a member renews, upgrades, cancels, or gets a refund.

If your main requirement is “affiliate referrals should automatically connect to membership purchases/access”, my top pick is AffiliateWP.

It has native integrations with the major WordPress membership plugins, including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. affiliatewp.com

My recommendation

1. AffiliateWP — best overall

• Tracks affiliate referrals directly into your membership checkout.
• Can assign different commission rates by membership level with Paid Memberships Pro. affiliatewp.com
• Supports recurring commissions for subscription memberships.
• Includes affiliate dashboards, referral tracking, payouts, coupon tracking, and fraud prevention.
• If you're using MemberPress, AffiliateWP also has a dedicated integration that records referrals when someone purchases/registers through an affiliate link. affiliatewp.com

2. If you're using Paid Memberships Pro: AffiliateWP is particularly compelling. PMPro itself specifically lists AffiliateWP as a supported third-party affiliate system. www.paidmembershipspro.com

3. If you're using MemberPress: I'd still choose AffiliateWP if you want a serious affiliate program. The integration supports membership-specific settings and affiliate referral tracking. affiliatewp.com

One important distinction

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.), I can tell you the best affiliate plugin for that exact setup, including whether it can handle:

• recurring membership commissions
• commissions on renewals
• different commissions for different membership tiers
• lifetime commissions
• affiliate coupon codes
• free trials
• upgrades/downgrades
• affiliate access/dashboard

Those details can change which plugin is the best choice.

If your main requirement is “affiliate referrals should automatically connect to membership purchases/access”, my first choice would be AffiliateWP.

🥇 My recommendation: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is particularly strong for membership sites because it has native integrations with the major WordPress membership plugins, including:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• MemberMouse
• Restrict Content Pro
• Paid Member Subscriptions

It can create referral records when someone signs up for a membership through an affiliate link, and it supports recurring referral commissions for membership subscriptions. affiliatewp.com

That's important because you don't just want an affiliate plugin that tracks a WooCommerce order—you want it to understand that Member A purchased Membership Level B, and then attribute that recurring revenue to Affiliate C.

Other good options

AffiliatePress is worth considering if you want a broader all-in-one integration layer. It specifically supports MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Restrict Content Pro, Ultimate Membership Pro, Simple Membership, and Paid Member Subscriptions. www.affiliatepressplugin.com

Solid Affiliate is excellent if your membership system is built around WooCommerce + WooCommerce Subscriptions. However, I wouldn't choose it for a membership plugin like MemberPress or PMPro because its native integrations are primarily WooCommerce-based. solidaffiliate.com

What I'd choose

If you tell me which membership plugin you're using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, LearnDash, etc.) and whether memberships are one-time or recurring, I can tell you exactly which plugin I'd use and how I'd configure the affiliate → membership → commission flow.

Yes — the membership plugin you use is the deciding factor. For a WordPress membership site, I’d narrow it to AffiliateWP and SliceWP.

My pick: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the safest choice if your priority is deep membership integration and a mature affiliate system.

It has native integrations with:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• MemberMouse
• Restrict Content Pro
• Paid Member Subscriptions

It can create affiliate referrals when someone signs up for a membership, and it supports things particularly useful for membership businesses such as recurring commissions and lifetime commissions. affiliatewp.com

Strong alternative: SliceWP

SliceWP is worth considering if you want a simpler, more modern-feeling affiliate dashboard.

It currently integrates directly with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions, and supports lifetime commissions and membership-specific commission rates. slicewp.com

What I'd choose

One important distinction: Solid Affiliate wouldn't be my choice for a membership-first site. Its current native integrations are primarily WooCommerce/WooCommerce Subscriptions, rather than the major membership plugins. solidaffiliate.com

If you tell me which membership plugin you're using (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, etc.), I can tell you exactly which one I'd install and how I'd configure the affiliate → membership → recurring commission flow.

Yes — the best choice depends heavily on which membership plugin you’re already using. If membership access is the key requirement, I’d narrow it to these:

My top pick: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the safest all-around choice for a serious WordPress membership site.

It has native integrations with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions. It can automatically create referral records when someone purchases/registers through an affiliate link. affiliatewp.com

That makes it particularly good if you want:

• Affiliates earning commissions on membership purchases
• Recurring commissions for subscription renewals
• Membership-specific commission rules
• Affiliate dashboards and referral tracking
• A mature plugin with lots of WordPress integrations
• Room to expand into courses, WooCommerce, forms, etc.

If you're using MemberPress

I'd strongly consider AffiliateWP or Easy Affiliate.

MemberPress itself lists Easy Affiliate as its recommended affiliate plugin, while also officially recognizing AffiliateWP and several others. memberpress.com

If you're using Paid Memberships Pro

I'd again lean toward AffiliateWP. PMPro specifically documents AffiliateWP as a third-party integration, and AffiliateWP supports PMPro membership referrals. www.paidmembershipspro.com

One I'd not choose for a membership-first site

Solid Affiliate is excellent if your site is fundamentally a WooCommerce store, including WooCommerce Subscriptions. But its official integrations are currently centered on WooCommerce rather than directly integrating with membership plugins like MemberPress or PMPro. solidaffiliate.com

There is also AffiliatePress, which is interesting if you want broad membership-plugin compatibility: it explicitly supports MemberPress, PMPro, Restrict Content Pro, Simple Membership, Paid Member Subscriptions, Ultimate Membership Pro, and others. www.affiliatepressplugin.com

So my ranking would be:

1. 🥇 AffiliateWP — best overall for a membership business
2. 🥈 Easy Affiliate — especially attractive if you're on MemberPress
3. 🥉 AffiliatePress — worth considering if you use a less-common membership plugin
4. Solid Affiliate — best if WooCommerce is the actual engine behind your memberships

If you tell me which membership plugin you're using (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.) and whether memberships are recurring subscriptions, I can tell you exactly which one I'd install and how I'd configure the affiliate commissions.

For a WordPress membership site, I would usually start with AffiliateWP or Easy Affiliate. The best choice depends on your membership plugin and how advanced you want your affiliate program to become. wpforms.comaffiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

My top picks

1. AffiliateWP — Best overall choice

AffiliateWP official site

Choose this if you want a serious affiliate program that can grow.

Pros:

• Integrates with many membership systems, including MemberPress and other WordPress payment/membership tools. wpforms.comaffiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com
• Handles:
  • affiliate registrations
  • referral tracking
  • commissions
  • coupon tracking
  • payouts
  • affiliate dashboards
• Good if you may later add courses, WooCommerce, downloads, or multiple revenue streams. wpforms.comaffiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

Best fit:

• Paid communities
• SaaS-style memberships
• Courses + memberships
• Sites with recurring subscriptions

2. Easy Affiliate — Best if you use MemberPress

Easy Affiliate official site

If your membership plugin is MemberPress, this is the one I would strongly consider because it comes from the same company ecosystem. It is designed around membership-style affiliate programs and recurring commissions. wpforms.comaffiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

Best fit:

• MemberPress membership sites
• Simple affiliate programs
• Creators who want fewer moving parts

3. SliceWP — Good budget-friendly option

SliceWP official site

Good if you are starting small and want a lighter affiliate system. It has a free version and paid upgrades. wpforms.comaffiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

I would avoid:

• Solid Affiliate if your business is primarily memberships rather than WooCommerce. It is excellent for WooCommerce stores, but membership integrations are not its main strength. www.wpallimport.com
• Link-management plugins like Pretty Links or ThirstyAffiliates if you want other people promoting your membership. Those are better for managing links you publish yourself, not running an affiliate network. attowp.com

My recommendation by membership plugin

If you tell me which membership plugin you use (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, LearnDash, etc.) and whether you need recurring commissions on monthly renewals, I can narrow it down to the best fit.

If your main requirement is “affiliate referrals should automatically understand who bought a membership and what membership they bought,” I’d narrow it to AffiliateWP and SliceWP.

My recommendation: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the best choice if your membership site is a serious revenue channel and you want a mature affiliate system.

It has direct integrations with major WordPress membership plugins including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. affiliatewp.com

It can also handle recurring commissions, which is particularly important if your memberships are subscriptions. For example, its Lifetime Commissions add-on supports MemberPress and Paid Memberships Pro. affiliatewp.com

I'd choose AffiliateWP if you need:

• Affiliates to earn commissions on membership signups
• Recurring commissions on subscription renewals
• Affiliate-specific dashboards and tracking
• Coupon/referral tracking
• More sophisticated commission rules
• A solution you can grow into

Strong alternative: SliceWP

SliceWP is worth serious consideration if you want something a little more straightforward.

It explicitly integrates with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions, and can set different commission rates for individual subscription plans. slicewp.com

For a membership business, I particularly like that SliceWP can:

• Set different commissions by membership/subscription
• Disable commissions for particular membership levels
• Connect PMPro discount codes to affiliates
• Run the affiliate program directly inside WordPress www.paidmembershipspro.com

Which I'd pick

One important detail: which membership plugin are you currently using? If you tell me whether it's MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, or something else, I can tell you exactly which affiliate plugin I'd use and which license/add-ons you actually need (so you don't overpay).

If you’re running a WordPress membership site, my default recommendation is AffiliateWP—especially if affiliates are an important part of your growth strategy.

My recommendation

1. AffiliateWP — best overall

• Direct integrations with major membership plugins including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. affiliatewp.com
• Automatically records referrals when someone signs up through an affiliate link. affiliatewp.com
• Supports membership-specific commission settings.
• Its Lifetime Commissions functionality can be particularly useful for memberships, where you may want an affiliate to keep getting credit from the same customer over time. affiliatewp.com
• Mature ecosystem and lots of integrations if you later add courses, WooCommerce, forms, etc.

2. SliceWP — best if you want something simpler

• Integrates directly with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Paid Member Subscriptions, and Restrict Content Pro. slicewp.com
• Cleaner, more lightweight experience than some of the larger affiliate platforms.
• Supports affiliate dashboards, referral links, coupons, commissions, and reporting.
• Particularly attractive if you don't need a huge collection of advanced affiliate features.

3. AffiliatePress — worth considering for broader membership support

• Supports MemberPress, PMPro, Restrict Content Pro, Paid Member Subscriptions, Simple Membership, Ultimate Membership Pro, ARMember, and others. www.affiliatepressplugin.com
• Good option if your particular membership plugin isn't one of the mainstream choices.

What I'd choose

One important distinction: the membership plugin matters a lot. You want the affiliate system to hook directly into the membership checkout/subscription events, rather than merely tracking clicks. That lets it properly attribute a membership purchase and, where supported, recurring payments. PMPro, for example, specifically documents both AffiliateWP and SliceWP integrations. www.paidmembershipspro.com

Tell me which membership plugin you're using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.) and whether your memberships are recurring subscriptions, and I can tell you which one I'd pick and how I'd configure the commission structure.

If your WordPress site already has a membership system, my default recommendation is AffiliateWP.

It’s particularly strong because it integrates directly with the major membership plugins, including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, and Restrict Content Pro. It can create referral records when someone signs up through an affiliate link, and it supports recurring referral commissions. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

My recommendation by membership plugin

If you're using MemberPress specifically, there's an interesting alternative: MemberPress recommends its own Easy Affiliate, because it's built to work within the MemberPress ecosystem. MemberPress also officially supports AffiliateWP. memberpress.com

Why I'd lean AffiliateWP

You get:

• Affiliate signup/approval
• Affiliate links and tracking
• Referral and commission tracking
• Recurring commissions
• Affiliate dashboards
• Affiliate payouts
• Integration with membership purchases
• Good compatibility if you later change/add ecommerce or LMS plugins affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com

The important thing is that the affiliate system should hook into the membership transaction, rather than merely tracking clicks. AffiliateWP's MemberPress integration, for example, automatically generates a referral when a customer successfully registers after coming through an affiliate link. affiliatewp.com

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, etc.), I can recommend the exact setup and tell you which affiliate plugin is best for your particular site, including pricing and whether it handles recurring membership commissions.

If your WordPress site already has a membership plugin, I’d narrow it to AffiliateWP or SliceWP rather than choosing a generic affiliate plugin.

My top pick: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the safest choice if your affiliate program is important to your business.

It has native integrations with major membership plugins including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions. affiliatewp.com

It can handle things like:

• Affiliate links and referral tracking
• Commissions when someone purchases a membership
• Recurring commissions
• Affiliate registration/approval
• Affiliate dashboards and reporting
• Affiliate coupon tracking
• Payout management

For example, the MemberPress integration automatically creates a referral when someone becomes a member through an affiliate's link. affiliatewp.com

Another strong option: SliceWP

SliceWP is particularly attractive if you want something that feels very "WordPress-native" and straightforward.

It integrates directly with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Paid Member Subscriptions, and several ecommerce plugins. slicewp.com For Paid Memberships Pro specifically, it supports recurring commissions, membership-level-specific commission rates, and affiliate coupon tracking. slicewp.com

Which I'd choose

One interesting alternative if you're using MemberPress: MemberPress itself lists Easy Affiliate as its recommended/official affiliate plugin, so that's also worth considering. memberpress.com

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, MemberMouse, etc.), I can tell you which affiliate plugin I'd use for that exact setup, including the best option for recurring commissions.

If your membership site is already running on WordPress, AffiliateWP would be my first choice—especially if you're using MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, or Restrict Content Pro.

My recommendation: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP integrates directly with several major membership plugins, including MemberPress, MemberMouse, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Memberships Pro. affiliatewp.com

For example, with MemberPress, AffiliateWP can:

• Track an affiliate when they refer a new member.
• Set different commission rates for different membership levels.
• Pay commissions on recurring membership payments.
• Associate affiliate referrals with coupon codes.
• Disable affiliate commissions for particular membership levels. affiliatewp.com

That last part is particularly useful for a membership business because you can have something like:

Basic membership → 20% commission
Pro membership → 30% commission
Annual membership → 40% commission
Free membership → no commission

One important caveat

If your membership system is WooCommerce-based, I'd look at Solid Affiliate instead. It is designed specifically around WooCommerce and WooCommerce Subscriptions, whereas AffiliateWP is the more compelling choice when your membership plugin itself is the source of truth. solidaffiliate.com

There are also newer options such as AffiliatePress that support a broad range of membership plugins and offer recurring/lifetime commissions. www.affiliatepressplugin.com

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, etc.), I can recommend the exact plugin and explain how I'd configure the affiliate → signup → membership → recurring commission flow.

If your main requirement is “affiliate tracking tied directly to membership purchases/access”, I’d shortlist these:

🥇 My first choice: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the best fit if you already have your membership system in place.

• Direct integrations with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, Restrict Content Pro, Paid Member Subscriptions, and others. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com
• Tracks an affiliate referral when someone becomes a member.
• Supports recurring commissions, which is particularly important if your memberships are monthly/annual subscriptions. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.com
• Affiliate dashboards, referral links, coupons, commission rules, payouts, etc.
• You don't have to replace your existing membership plugin.

If you're using MemberPress, for example, AffiliateWP has a dedicated integration that automatically creates referral records when someone registers after following an affiliate link. affiliatewp.commemberpress.com

🥈 Easy Affiliate

If you're using MemberPress, I'd also seriously consider Easy Affiliate. It's made by the MemberPress team and is specifically positioned as its affiliate-program solution. memberpress.com

I'd lean toward this if you want the simplest MemberPress + affiliate setup rather than the broadest affiliate ecosystem.

What I'd choose

One important distinction: the affiliate plugin doesn't normally control membership access itself. Your membership plugin remains responsible for deciding whether someone has access; the affiliate plugin tracks who referred the signup/purchase and calculates the commission.

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, MemberMouse, etc.) and whether your memberships are monthly/annual recurring or one-time, I can tell you which one I'd use and exactly how I'd configure it.

If your site is a WordPress membership site, I’d narrow it down to AffiliateWP and SliceWP. Both integrate directly with major membership plugins rather than treating membership purchases like generic WooCommerce orders.

My recommendation: AffiliateWP

AffiliateWP is probably the best choice if you want a serious, scalable affiliate program.

It has native integrations with:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Restrict Content Pro
• Paid Member Subscriptions
• MemberMouse

It can track referrals when someone purchases a membership, support membership-specific commission rates, handle recurring commissions, and track affiliate coupons. affiliatewp.com

SliceWP is the other one I'd consider

SliceWP is particularly attractive if you want something that feels very WordPress-native and relatively straightforward to administer.

It integrates with MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions, including recurring membership commissions. slicewp.com

Its current Pro pricing is also lower than AffiliateWP's listed pricing: SliceWP Pro is currently shown at $169/year for one site, while AffiliateWP's pricing page currently shows its Growth Bundle at $349.50/year. slicewp.com

Which I'd pick

One important question: which membership plugin are you currently using—MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, or something else?

If you tell me that, I can recommend the exact plugin + add-ons, including how I'd set up recurring commissions, refunds, coupons, and affiliate access.

If your priority is an affiliate program that understands your membership purchases/subscriptions, my first choice is AffiliateWP.

AffiliateWP integrates directly with several major WordPress membership systems, including MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, MemberMouse, Restrict Content Pro, and Paid Member Subscriptions. affiliatewp.com

My recommendation

1. AffiliateWP — best overall

• Tracks affiliates when someone purchases a membership.
• Supports membership-specific commission rates with Paid Memberships Pro. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.commemberpress.com
• Supports recurring referrals, which is particularly important if your memberships are monthly/yearly subscriptions. affiliatewp.com
• Handles affiliate registration, referral tracking, commissions, and payouts within WordPress.
• Has integrations for both MemberPress and PMPro. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.commemberpress.com

AffiliateWP official site

2. If you're using MemberPress: I'd also consider Easy Affiliate, because MemberPress offers it as an add-on specifically for running an affiliate program. memberpress.com

3. If you're using Paid Memberships Pro: AffiliateWP is particularly compelling because PMPro has an explicit AffiliateWP integration, including membership-level commission settings and handling refunded orders. affiliatewp.comaffiliatewp.commemberpress.com

The important part

The membership plugin you're already using changes my recommendation. I wouldn't choose an affiliate plugin in isolation—you want the affiliate system to know when a membership is purchased, renewed, cancelled, or refunded.

If you tell me which membership plugin you're currently using (MemberPress, PMPro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.), I can tell you the best affiliate plugin for that exact setup, including the likely cost and whether recurring commissions work.

The best choice depends mainly on which membership plugin you're already using. If you tell me that (for example, MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.), I can recommend the best fit.

In general, here are the strongest options:

My top recommendation: AffiliateWP

If you're looking for the most mature affiliate system for WordPress memberships, AffiliateWP is usually the safest choice.

It supports many popular membership plugins, including:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Restrict Content Pro
• WooCommerce (for membership products)
• LearnDash
• Many others

Typical features include:

• Automatic referral tracking when someone buys a membership
• Recurring commissions (if you want affiliates paid on renewals)
• Coupon attribution
• Affiliate dashboard
• Payout exports or integrated payouts
• Fraud prevention
• REST API and numerous add-ons

If you use MemberPress

I'd consider Easy Affiliate first because it's built by the same team. It understands MemberPress memberships well and setup is usually straightforward.

If you need more advanced affiliate features (multi-tier commissions, deeper reporting, more extensions), AffiliateWP is generally stronger.

If you want the easiest setup

Solid Affiliate has become popular because it:

• Installs quickly
• Has a polished admin interface
• Handles referrals automatically
• Includes good reporting
• Works well with many WordPress membership and e-commerce plugins

If you're on a tighter budget

SliceWP offers a capable free version and paid upgrades if you need more advanced features later.

My overall ranking

1. AffiliateWP — best overall for most membership sites
2. Solid Affiliate — best balance of simplicity and features
3. Easy Affiliate — best if you're already using MemberPress
4. SliceWP — best value

If you tell me:

• Which membership plugin you're using
• Whether you sell recurring subscriptions
• How many affiliates you expect (10, 100, or 1,000+)

I can narrow it down to the single plugin I'd recommend for your setup.

If your site is built on WordPress and memberships are your core business, the best affiliate plugin depends on how tightly you want it to integrate with your membership system.

Here are the strongest options:

My recommendation: AffiliateWP

If you're using a popular membership plugin like:

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Restrict Content Pro
• WooCommerce Memberships
• LearnDash
• LifterLMS

then AffiliateWP is usually the safest choice because it supports:

• Automatic commission tracking when memberships are purchased
• Recurring commissions (for subscription memberships)
• Referral links and coupon attribution
• Affiliate dashboards
• Payout exports
• Fraud prevention
• Custom commission rates
• Affiliate approval workflows

It's also well supported and widely used.

If you're using MemberPress

AffiliateWP is especially strong with MemberPress because you can:

• Track membership purchases automatically
• Pay affiliates on recurring renewals
• Set different commission rates by membership level
• View referrals inside WordPress

If you're using Paid Memberships Pro

AffiliateWP and SliceWP are both excellent. SliceWP is often easier to configure, while AffiliateWP has more advanced features and add-ons.

If recurring subscriptions matter

Make sure whichever plugin you choose supports recurring commissions, if that's part of your affiliate program. Not every plugin includes this in its base license.

Questions that would narrow the recommendation

Which membership plugin are you using?

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• Restrict Content Pro
• WooCommerce Memberships
• SureMembers
• Wishlist Member
• Something else

Also, approximately how many affiliates do you expect (10, 100, or 1,000+)? That can influence which plugin will scale best.

If your membership site is on WordPress, the best affiliate plugin depends mainly on which membership plugin you're using. Here are the strongest options:

Best overall: AffiliateWP

If you want the smoothest experience with membership sites, AffiliateWP is usually the first recommendation.

Pros

• Deep integrations with major membership plugins:
  • MemberPress
  • Paid Memberships Pro

If your membership site is on WordPress, the best affiliate plugin depends on which membership plugin you're using. Here are the strongest options:

My top recommendation: AffiliateWP

For most membership businesses, AffiliateWP is the easiest recommendation because it offers:

• Automatic referral tracking
• Integration with major membership plugins
• Recurring commissions (if you bill members monthly or annually)
• Affiliate dashboard
• Coupon tracking
• Fraud prevention tools
• PayPal and Stripe payout support
• Easy approval and management of affiliates

It's a premium plugin, but it's stable and widely used.

If you're on a budget: SliceWP

SliceWP is an excellent alternative.

Pros:

• Lower cost
• Modern interface
• Supports recurring commissions
• Good integrations with WooCommerce, MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, and others
• Easy setup

For many small-to-medium membership sites, it's all you need.

If you want affiliates to manage links and creatives

Consider Solid Affiliate if you want:

• A polished affiliate portal
• Good onboarding
• Simple commission management
• One-time purchase instead of a higher annual subscription

It's especially popular with course creators and membership businesses.

My recommendations by site size

• New membership site (<500 members): SliceWP
• Growing business (500–5,000 members): AffiliateWP
• Large membership business: AffiliateWP
• Need multi-level/MLM commissions: Ultimate Affiliate Pro (only if you specifically need those advanced commission structures)

A few questions that would narrow it down

1. Which membership plugin are you using? (MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro, SureMembers, WooCommerce Memberships, Restrict Content Pro, etc.)
2. Are your memberships recurring subscriptions or one-time purchases?
3. Which payment processor do you use (Stripe, PayPal, WooCommerce, etc.)?

With those details, I can recommend the plugin that will require the least setup and have the best integration for your site.

If your membership site is on WordPress, the best affiliate plugin depends on which membership plugin you're using. Here are the strongest options:

1. AffiliateWP (Best overall)

If you want the most seamless WordPress experience, AffiliateWP is usually the top choice.

Pros:

• Integrates with major membership plugins:
  • MemberPress
  • Paid Memberships Pro
  • Restrict Content Pro
  • WooCommerce Memberships
  • WishList Member
• Automatically tracks membership purchases.
• Can pay recurring commissions for subscription renewals (with the appropriate add-on/license).
• Excellent reporting and affiliate portal.
• Easy coupon-to-affiliate attribution.

Best for: Most membership businesses that want a reliable, well-supported solution.

2. SliceWP (Best value)

A modern affiliate plugin that's easier on the budget.

Pros:

• Supports:
  • MemberPress
  • Paid Memberships Pro
  • WooCommerce
  • Easy Digital Downloads
• Clean interface.
• Lifetime commissions.
• Recurring commissions.
• Good automation.

Best for: Smaller membership sites that want premium features without the higher cost.

3. Solid Affiliate

Designed specifically for WooCommerce.

Pros:

• Excellent if your memberships are sold through WooCommerce.
• Great dashboard.
• One-time pricing (depending on current licensing).
• Automatic affiliate approval.
• Coupon tracking.

Best for: WooCommerce Memberships or WooCommerce Subscriptions.

4. Easy Affiliate

Built by the creators of MemberPress.

Pros:

• Excellent integration with MemberPress.
• Affiliate dashboard included.
• Fraud detection.
• Simple setup.

Best for: Sites already using MemberPress.

My recommendations by membership plugin

If you want advanced affiliate features

Choose AffiliateWP if you need things like:

• Recurring commissions
• Tiered commission rates
• Affiliate coupons
• Payout integrations
• Referral links and QR codes
• Multi-currency support
• Zapier/webhook integrations

It's generally the most capable affiliate system in the WordPress ecosystem.

Before recommending one

Which membership plugin are you using?

• MemberPress
• Paid Memberships Pro
• WooCommerce Memberships
• Restrict Content Pro
• WishList Member
• SureMembers
• Paid Member Subscriptions
• Another plugin

Knowing that will let me recommend the best integration and point out any compatibility considerations.