How to Expertly Set Up Recurring Payments on WordPress (4 Methods)

As an experienced webmaster with over 15 years in the industry, I‘ve seen firsthand how recurring billing has become crucial for monetizing websites through memberships and subscriptions.

In fact, research shows recurring revenue has grown over 300% in the last 6 years as more businesses adopt subscription models.

The reason is simple – recurring payments mean consistent, predictable revenue. Rather than relying on one-time purchases, you get automatic monthly or yearly income from subscribers.

This allows you to forecast, grow, and scale your business in powerful ways.

So in this comprehensive guide, I‘m going to share the 4 best methods for accepting recurring payments on WordPress, as an expert webmaster to you.

I‘ll provide data-backed insights, best practices, and hard-won advice to set you up for recurring billing success.

Let‘s dive in!

1. Using WPForms + Stripe Addon (Great for Creating Custom Payment Forms)

WPForms is my top choice Forms plugin for WordPress. I‘ve used it on dozens of client sites over the years because of its ease-of-use, customization, and integrations.

The WPForms Stripe addon makes setting up recurring payments a breeze. Here‘s how it works step-by-step:

Install and Activate

You‘ll need WPForms Premium ($39 per year) to unlock addons like Stripe integration. After purchase and install, input your license key in WPForms » Settings.

Connect Stripe

In WPForms » Settings » Payments click "Connect with Stripe". Follow prompts to link accounts.

Create Custom Form

I advise starting from the "Billing / Order Form" template. Edit fields and add a Stripe Credit Card field for collecting payments.

Recurring Settings

In Payment settings enable "Recurring Payments" and configure billing interval, plan name, trial period, etc.

Publication

Use WPForms block or shortcode to embed the form anywhere on your site. I recommend placing it prominently on pricing and product pages.

Benefits

• Simple form customization and Stripe integration
• No coding required
• Collect billing details onsite for seamless recurring transactions

Downsides

• Additional Stripe fees per transaction
• Limited subscription management features compared to a dedicated membership plugin

WPForms is great for sites looking to add a customized recurring payments form quickly and easily.

2. Using MemberPress (Best for Membership Sites and Selling Access)

MemberPress shines when it comes to managing memberships and restricting access to premium content. It‘s my top pick for membership sites.

It brings rock-solid Stripe integration with powerful subscription management and content restriction tools.

Here‘s an overview of how to set it up:

Install and Activate

MemberPress costs $199 per year. After install, input license key.

Connect Stripe

Go to MemberPress » Settings » Payments. Click "Add payment method" then "Stripe". Follow prompts to connect accounts.

Membership Creation

Build subscription levels with pricing, billing intervals, optional trials, signup fees, etc. "Simple" or "Variable" options available.

Publish and Display

Use MemberPress widgets and shortcodes to present membership levels. I recommend showcasing them prominently above locked content areas.

Benefits

• Very customizable subscription management
• Integrated Stripe recurring billing
• Can restrict access to content by subscription level

Downsides

• Complex to setup and manage
• Must build separate "membership" pages on your site

If you‘re running a membership site, MemberPress is an excellent choice with robust recurring payment capabilities.

3. Using WP Simple Pay (Great Stripe Integration for Payment Forms)

WP Simple Pay offers super clean Stripe integration through a shortcode-driven payment form builder.

While not a full membership management solution, its rigorous focus on Stripe payments makes setup nearly effortless.

Let me walk through a high-level setup overview:

Install and Activate

WP Simple Pay costs $99 per year. Input license key after installing.

Connect Stripe

Follow prompts to securely link Stripe account after activation. Takes just minutes.

Build Payment Form

Add custom fields and enable recurring billing with desired interval, trial period, currency etc.

Embed Form

Copy shortcode for form and paste into any post, page or widget. I recommend adding it to checkout pages for easy recurring transactions.

Benefits

• Dead simple recurring payment form creation
• Robust Stripe integration out of the box
• Lightweight plugin with no unnecessary features

Downsides

• Limited subscription management functionality
• Must be rebuilt if design needs change

For an easy way to quickly integrate Stripe and accept recurring payments through a customized form, WP Simple Pay is a great choice.

4. Using WooCommerce Subscriptions (Ideal for Selling Subscription Products)

If you want to sell subscription products or services through an online store, WooCommerce Subscriptions gives you powerful recurring billing capabilities.

It brings full-featured subscription management without needing a separate membership plugin.

Here are the key steps to get it running:

Install and Activate

You‘ll need the WooCommerce base plugin (free) and WooCommerce Subscriptions extension ($199/year).

Connect Stripe

Install the WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway plugin. Go to Payments settings and follow prompts to add your Stripe account.

Configure Subscription Product

Make a new "Simple" or "Variable" subscription product. Set pricing, billing interval, sign-up fee, trial period, variations etc.

Publish

Buyers can now purchase the subscription product through checkout with automated recurring Stripe billing.

Benefits

• Full subscription management features
• Support for subscription products, variations, trials etc
• Integrates with existing WooCommerce store

Downsides

• Additional cost for subscriptions extension
• Can be overly complex for simple payment scenarios

If you need robust recurring payments for a WooCommerce store or product site, the combination of WooCommerce Subscriptions and Stripe is extremely powerful.

Which Recurring Billing Method is Best For You?

The right recurring payments solution depends primarily on your specific business needs:

• WPForms – Adding a customized Stripe payment form to an existing site.

• MemberPress – Creating an advanced membership site with subscription packages.

• WP Simple Pay – Quickly integrating Stripe payments into a WordPress site.

• WooCommerce Subscriptions – Selling subscription products or services through a store.

My recommendation is to choose the solution that most closely aligns with your goals. All support seamless Stripe integration for managing recurring billing and subscriptions.

Prioritize simplicity at the start – it‘s easy to get overwhelmed with complex configurations that become maintenance headaches down the road. Start lean and expand capabilities over time if needed.

The most important part is getting your initial recurring revenue stream up and running quickly. You can fine-tune from there.

I hope this guide has provided an expert overview of the top options for integrating recurring payments into your WordPress site. Don‘t hesitate to reach out with any questions!