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Blog/Tutorials·March 15, 2026

Getting Started with SmartMembers

Learn how to set up your first membership site in under 30 minutes with SmartMembers.

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Sarah Chen
Getting Started with SmartMembers

Installing the Plugin

Getting SmartMembers up and running is straightforward. Head to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Plugins → Add New, and search for SmartMembers. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Once activated, you’ll see a new SmartMembers menu in your sidebar. The setup wizard will walk you through the initial configuration in just a few steps.

Creating Your First Membership Plan

Navigate to SmartMembers → Plans and click Add New. Give your plan a name, set a price, and choose a billing interval — monthly, yearly, or one-time.

You can create as many plans as you need. Common setups include a free tier for lead generation and a paid tier for premium content.

Protecting Content

With your plan created, it’s time to restrict content. Edit any post or page and look for the SmartMembers panel in the sidebar. Select which membership plans can access this content.

Non-members will see your customizable access denied message with a prompt to sign up.

Setting Up Payments

Connect your Stripe account under SmartMembers → Settings → Payments. Enter your API keys and you’re ready to accept payments. PayPal is also supported if you prefer.

SmartMembers never charges transaction fees — you keep 100% of every payment.

Next Steps

With the basics in place, explore features like drip content scheduling, member directories, and the built-in affiliate program. The documentation covers each feature in depth.

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