Learnomy vs MemberPress
MemberPress is exceptional at membership access control. If you also need a full LMS - structured courses, deep quizzes, certificates, and instructor commissions - Learnomy delivers all of that alongside memberships in a single plugin.
Course + membership in one plugin
No second LMS needed
6 quiz types + essay grading inbox
Free, no add-on
Certificates with public verification
Free, shareable URL
The short version
MemberPress is membership-first. Learnomy is course-first with memberships built in.
MemberPress has earned its reputation as one of the most powerful WordPress membership plugins available. Its access rule engine - protecting any post, page, or custom post type based on membership level - is genuinely best-in-class. Courses is a feature added to that foundation.
Learnomy was designed as an LMS first. Structured course creation, quiz depth, grading, certificates with public verification, and instructor commission management are the primary product. Memberships - including monthly, annual, and lifetime plans with built-in Stripe and PayPal - are bundled into that same plugin so you do not need to combine two separate tools.
Side by side
Learnomy vs MemberPress
MemberPress is a paid plugin with no meaningful free version for courses and payments. Learnomy Free includes all core LMS and membership features.
| Criteria | Learnomy Self-hosted WordPress | MemberPress Self-hosted WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Course platform + memberships LMS-first with built-in membership and payment features | Membership/access control + courses Membership-first; courses are an additional feature |
| Structured courses / sections / lessons | Yes, full drag-drop builder Curriculum builder, sections, lessons, prerequisites | Basic via Courses feature Course creation available but not the primary focus |
| Quiz types + grading | 6 types Free / 11 Pro + essay inbox Auto-grading, partial credit, essay grading inbox | Limited quiz types Basic quiz support; less depth in question types |
| Certificates + verification | Yes, Free Permanent public URL, QR code, PDF on completion | Limited / add-on Not a core feature in standard MemberPress plans |
| Memberships + access rules | Yes, Free Monthly, annual, lifetime plans; enrollment-based protection | Very strong - its core strength Best-in-class access rules for any post type, page, or CPT |
| Instructor revenue sharing | Yes, Free Configurable commission split + withdrawal queue | Not available No built-in multi-instructor revenue sharing |
| Price | Free + Pro from $104/yr Free covers payments, quizzes, certificates, memberships | Paid tiers, no meaningful free Basic + Plus + Pro plans; no free version for core features |
MemberPress features and pricing reflect current published tiers. Verify at their official site before purchasing.
Why creators pick Learnomy
When you need LMS depth, not just access control
01
Course-first architecture
Learnomy was built as an LMS from the ground up. The curriculum builder, quiz engine, grading inbox, certificate verifier, and progress tracking are all first-class features - not added on top of something else.
02
One plugin, not two
Running MemberPress alongside a dedicated LMS means two plugins to configure, two update cycles to manage, and potential conflicts. Learnomy puts courses, memberships, and payments in one place.
03
Quizzes with real grading depth
Six question types, partial credit, auto-grading for objective answers, and an admin inbox for essay grading. Instructors can score and give feedback on each essay attempt individually.
04
Certificates students can share
Every certificate gets a permanent public verification URL. Students paste the link in a LinkedIn profile or email signature. The verifier shows the course, completion date, and issuing academy.
Honest assessment
Where MemberPress is a better fit
MemberPress has genuine strengths. Here is where it has an advantage over Learnomy.
Best-in-class membership access control
MemberPress can protect any post, page, category, or custom post type based on membership level with fine-grained rules. If your site has a large amount of protected non-course content - articles, downloads, forums, directories - and you need tiered access rules across all of it, MemberPress's rules engine is deeper than Learnomy's enrollment-based protection.
Mature recurring subscription management
MemberPress has years of production use managing complex subscription lifecycles - upgrades, downgrades, proration, dunning, trial periods. If subscription billing edge cases are a priority, MemberPress's payment subscription infrastructure is well-tested at scale.
Large ecosystem of integrations
MemberPress has been around longer and has integrations with more third-party tools - email platforms, affiliate systems, CRMs, and learning tools. If you are building a complex funnel that connects many services, MemberPress's integration surface is broader.
If your primary goal is running structured courses with quizzes, grading, certificates, and instructor management - with memberships included - Learnomy handles that without a second plugin.
Common questions
Is MemberPress primarily a membership plugin or an LMS?
MemberPress is primarily a membership and access control plugin. Courses is a feature it offers, but structured course creation, quiz depth, and grading are not its core focus. If you need robust membership access rules, MemberPress is excellent at that. If you need a full LMS with quizzes, grading, and certificates as the primary function, Learnomy is built around that.
Do I need MemberPress and a separate LMS plugin together?
Many site owners do end up running MemberPress alongside a separate LMS plugin to get both strong access control and deep course management. Learnomy combines both in one plugin - course creation, quiz types, certificates, and membership plans all live in Learnomy without a second plugin.
How do quiz and grading features compare?
Learnomy ships six quiz question types in Free (true/false, single choice, multiple choice, short answer, fill-in-the-blank, essay) with auto-grading, partial credit, and an admin essay grading inbox. Learnomy Pro adds five more types. MemberPress Courses offers quizzes, but the depth and question variety is more limited.
Can Learnomy handle recurring membership subscriptions?
Yes. Learnomy Free includes monthly, annual, and lifetime membership plans with built-in Stripe and PayPal checkout. Members can subscribe, cancel, or renew from their account area.
Does Learnomy include content protection like MemberPress?
Learnomy protects course content by enrollment and membership status. MemberPress offers more granular access rules that can protect any post, page, or custom post type by membership level - that wider content protection is where MemberPress genuinely excels compared to Learnomy.
What is the pricing difference?
Learnomy has a free version that covers most LMS needs. Learnomy Pro starts at $104 per year for one site. MemberPress starts at a paid tier with no meaningful free version for course and payment features.
One plugin for courses and memberships
Learnomy Free includes structured courses, six quiz types, certificates, memberships, and built-in payments. No second plugin, no add-ons required.