26 tools to supercharge your membership site

You know that creating a membership site is a no-brainer for your business.

But there are so many tools and platforms out there that deciding which direction to go in is overwhelming.

You simply don’t have the time to try them all out.

This is why we’ve put together the ultimate membership site tools list. It will help you find the perfect fit for your needs in record time so you can start selling memberships online .

We’ve got 26 tools to dive into, so without further ado, let’s get started.

Video recording and editing tools

CloudApp

CloudApp is a screen recording app for Mac and Windows. Use it to screen record and download the footage as a video or GIF. You can also record from your webcam.

Add annotations to your GIFs to make your point more easily understood.

CloudApp is free for up to 90-second videos. The Pro plan is $9.95 a month .

Loom

Record from your browser with Loom  — you can choose to screen record, webcam record, or both simultaneously.

Loom is an easy recording option that’s best for short videos.

Loom is free for videos of up to five minutes. The Business plan is $8 a month (paid annually).

Kapwing

Kapwing is a browser video editor that lets you pick and choose your tasks, such as resizing your video or adding subtitles .

It’s perfect if you don’t want a complete video editor but just need to fix one thing before publishing your video.

Kapwing has a free version for up to three hours of footage a month. If you have larger requirements, upgrade to the Pro plan at $17 a month .

Apowersoft

Apowersoft is a cross-device screen recorder and editor for Windows, Mac, and iOS/Android.

Bring together media files from different sources and edit them together. Add transitions, music, voiceovers, captions, and more.

Apowersoft is $59.95 a year for the full version. You can buy the editor as a standalone for $29.95 a year. You can also try it for free first.

OpenShot

OpenShot is an open-source video editor that works on Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Easy to use, OpenShot is also incredibly flexible. Create complex videos with as many audio and video tracks as you want. Various effects are available, from removing backgrounds to animation.

OpenShot is free to use.

FilmoraPro

FilmoraPro is a sophisticated and intuitive video recorder and editor for Windows and Mac. It also has a mobile app version if you need to edit on the go.

Its features include color correction, audio editing, green-screen effects, and more.

FilmoraPro has a free version, but it includes a watermark. The lifetime cost of FilmoraPro is $149.99 or $89.99 annually .

HitFilm Express

If you need a video and visual effects editor, it doesn’t get much better than HitFilm Express .

This software is ideal for experienced creators. There are also free masterclasses and tutorials to help beginners upskill.

Free to download and use, you can purchase add-ons to support the project.

Audio recording tools

WavePad

WavePad is a professional audio recording and editing software tool for Mac.

You can also add effects like amplification and noise reduction. It’s perfect if you’re creating podcasts or music files for your members.

There are various paid plans, starting at $5.50 a month on the quarterly plan.

Audacity

Audacity is an open-source audio editor and recorder for Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems.

Upload files or record live from your computer. Edit and add effects, including echos and noise reduction.

Audacity is completely free to download and use.

Design Tools

Canva

Canva is a graphic design tool you can use to design checklists, ebooks, and other digital download ideas for your membership site.

Canva has a drag and drop editor, hundreds of thousands of templates, and download options. It takes the effort out of your design work.

There is a free plan available. The Pro plan is $12.99 a month .

Venngage

If you need to create infographics and reports for your membership site, then you’ll love Venngage .

Create a brand kit to speed up your creative process and quickly create assets for your membership site.

Venngage is free for up to five images. The Premium plan is $19 a month per user.

Email marketing

Podia

If you want to create email newsletters without spending hours learning how then Podia is made for you.

Simple yet powerful, send automated drip campaigns and newsletters to your subscribers. You can also create lead magnets to grow your subscriber base.

Watch this quick video to find out more about how it works.

Email marketing is a feature available to all Podia users, and it integrates seamlessly with your membership site. On a Shaker plan ($89 a month), you can send unlimited emails to up to 15,000 recipients.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a robust email marketing platform that’s best suited for experienced marketers. Build landing pages, social media ads, and pop-ups in one place. Thorough analytics, templates, and automation tools make it a strong all-rounder.

You can also A/B test your emails. This is when you try out two versions of an email to see which one performs best. For example, they could have different subject lines or CTAs.

Mailchimp is particularly well suited to ecommerce businesses, as it can track each email’s return on investment (ROI) in real-time.

Mailchimp is free for up to 2,000 contacts. But if you want to make the most of its features, such as A/B testing, then prices start at $9.99 a month for 500 contacts.

Social media posting

Buffer

Buffer is a social media scheduling tool that can help you plan and publish your posts for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Unlike many schedulers, you can directly publish to Instagram, including Stories.

Buffer’s interface is intuitive and clean to use and additionally offers powerful analytics and engagement options.

Buffer is free for up to three social media accounts and ten scheduled posts. Prices then start from $15 a month . Its optional analytics tool starts from $35 a month.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a flexible social media management tool that helps you source and schedule your content from one place. Using a multiple streams system, you can see at a glance what you’ve planned.

Keep an eye on your mentions, particular topics, and your competitors using Hootsuite’s monitoring function.

Pricing plans start at $49 a month for up to 10 social media accounts.

Editorial content management

CoSchedule

CoSchedule lets you manage your content projects in one calendar: from social media posts to membership posts and more. Create in-app a social media campaign for each piece of content you publish.

CoSchedule integrates with WordPress, Google Docs, Dropbox, as well as various email marketing platforms.

Prices start at $29 a month if paid annually or $39 on a month-by-month basis.

Airtable

Airtable is like a supercharged spreadsheet that lets you plan and collaborate on projects, including content calendars. Schedule, publish, and track the results of your publications.

With hundreds of templates available, you can build the perfect editorial calendar for your membership site.

Airtable’s free plan includes up to 1,200 records. If you need more, paid plans start from $10 a month .

So far, we’ve covered creating and promoting your membership site, but one crucial thing is missing from this list: how to keep and manage your members.

Video conferencing

Zoom

Zoom is one of the best-known video conferencing tools out there, and for a good reason. It’s easy to download and use from any device and comes with great features such as breakout rooms for smaller group discussions.

Zoom is ideal for event management, including webinars, training sessions, and meetings. It handles event registration and integrates with your CRM and automation tools.

Zoom is free for group meetings of up to 40 minutes. If you need more, it’s worth upgrading to the Pro plan at $149.90 for the year. The video webinar plan is $690 a year.

Google Meet

Don’t want to download any software? Then Google Meet is your in-browser solution. With one click of a button, you can launch or schedule virtual events for up to 100 people.

But just because it’s easy to set up doesn’t mean it’s not secure. You have control over who is allowed in your room and can mute and ban participants if needed.

Google Meet is free to use.

Community

Slack

Slack is a communication tool that can keep your members connected.

With Slack, you can create channels dedicated to specific themes (for example, a job board channel).

Easily connect Slack to your member database as well as many other tools like Zoom and Google Meet.

There is a free plan for Slack, but if you want more integrations, then there’s a Pro plan at $6.67 per month per person .

Discord

Discord is a group chatting platform for communities. Use a mixture of text, video, and voice to discuss topics.

One great feature is the option for “voice channels” where members drop in and talk live. It makes this virtual environment feel a bit more like real life.

Discord is free to use.

Discourse

Discourse is an open-source discussion platform. It can be used as an email list, an online forum, or a chat room.

Discourse runs on your web browser and is optimized to work on any device.

It’s completely free to use. To customize it further, you can purchase hosting for $100 per month. There’s a 50% discount if you’re a non-profit organization and 85% for educational institutions.

Customer service

Intercom

Intercom is a solid choice if you’re looking for a customer service system that focuses on live chat.

Intercom provides heaps of functionality. You can handle multiple conversations, build bots, and capture visitors’ contact information. Additionally, you can add a help center and provide membership information.

Prices start at $59 a month for basic live chat and outbound messaging.

Zendesk

Zendesk is a powerful customer support management system. Support your customers throughout their journey, whether they want to tweet you or call a phone number.

Track, prioritize, and organize your incoming messages to make sure no customer is left behind.

The Suite Team plan is $49 a month .

Tracking

Google Analytics

To understand the behavior of your members and potential customers better, use Google Analytics .

There’s a bit of a learning curve, but once you’ve set up the tracking code on your site and understand the basics, you’ll be able to track your marketing efforts. We’ve created a guide to Google Analytics reports to get you started.

Google Analytics is free to use.

Facebook Pixel

If you’re using Facebook ads to advertise your membership site, then you’ll want to use the Facebook Pixel to track your results. It’s a code snippet you add to your site , and it’ll show you what happens after visitors click on your ad.

Here’s a guide to Facebook ads for creators if you need it.

Facebook Pixel is free.

Focus on the membership tools that matter

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the membership site tools available; this is why we’ve focused on the essential ones. Each of the tools covered here can have a significant impact on the success of your business.

To run a successful membership site, here’s what you need to know about tools:

• A key part of building a successful membership site is creating valuable content for your members. Tools can help you build this content, whether you’re an experienced content creator or fresh in the game.

• Save time with your marketing by choosing tools that automate your messages, and help you organize your calendar.

• Grow your community with tools focused on involving your members. This could be through meetings, discussions, or A+ customer support.

Once you’ve made your choice, all that’s left to do is implement them and watch the effect they have on your growing business. You can do it!