Restrict Content Pro (now under the Kadence Memberships name) is the clean-code membership plugin from StellarWP/Nexcess: content restriction, unlimited membership levels, recurring payments, and member management with a deliberately smaller surface than heavyweight suites. Its audience is developers and agencies who want membership logic that stays out of the way — RCP’s hooks and code quality are the reason it’s specified for custom builds where a wizard-driven suite would fight the architecture. Against MemberPress’ assembled polish and membership subscriptions‘s add-on ecosystem, RCP’s pitch is the middle path: complete core, moderate cost, code you can actually extend.
The 4.0.3 release fixed real revenue bugs — Stripe renewals now record payments and extend membership expiration correctly, and currency decimal mismatches no longer record wrong amounts. Combined with the 4.0.1 password-recovery security hardening, the 4.0.x line is worth tracking closely for any subscription site.
Competitive Features
- Unlimited membership levels — tiered access with subscription lengths and trial periods
- Content restriction engine — posts, pages, and partial content by level
- Recurring payments — Stripe and PayPal with automatic renewals
- Clean developer surface — documented hooks for custom integrations
- Member management — profiles, payments, and expiration from the admin
- Discount codes — with usage limits and expiration
- Payment history — complete member billing records
Key Features
- Prorated upgrades — level changes billed fairly mid-cycle
- Email notifications — payment receipts and expiration reminders
- Member emails — customizable templates per event
- Reports — revenue and signup analytics
- CSV export — member data portability
- Group accounts — corporate seat management
- Free/paid level mixing — trial and free tiers alongside paid
Comparison with Competitors
Restrict Content Pro vs Paid Memberships Pro
| Aspect | Restrict Content Pro | Paid Memberships Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Cost model | License | Free core + add-ons |
| Code quality | Clean, documented | Documented, larger surface |
| Add-on count | Focused set | Largest in category |
| Checkout polish | Good | Functional |
| Complexity | Moderate | Higher |
| Best for | Lean custom builds | Feature-assembled sites |
Bottom line: PMM assembles features from a big ecosystem; RCP provides a lean core you extend with code. Developer-led projects with specific requirements lean RCP; site owners wanting pre-built features lean PMM.
Restrict Content Pro vs MemberPress
| Aspect | Restrict Content Pro | MemberPress |
|---|---|---|
| Setup speed | Developer-oriented | Wizard-fast |
| Feature breadth | Core-focused | Bundled breadth |
| Courses | Via integrations | Built-in Courses |
| Pricing | License | Higher license |
| Customization | Code-first | Options-first |
Bottom line: MemberPress ships the assembled product; RCP trusts you (or your developer) to build the last mile. Time-to-launch picks MemberPress; architectural fit picks RCP.
Recommended Stack — memberships pair with course delivery: connect RCP with structured course delivery so membership levels gate enrollment for training-based membership businesses.
Official Changelog
Version 4.0.3
Release Date: August 20, 2026
- Fix: Stripe subscription renewals now record a renewal payment and extend the membership expiration.
- Fix: Stripe payments in a currency with a different number of decimals than the store currency were recorded with the wrong amount.
- Fix: Free trials on paid membership levels.
Version 4.0.2
Release Date: July 15, 2026
- New: Added Chinese Yuan (元) to the list of available currencies.
Version 4.0.1
Release Date: June 10, 2026
- Security: Strengthened security measures for password recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the plugin rename to Kadence Memberships?
Version 4.0.0 updated branding from StellarWP to Nexcess ownership — the product, codebase, and data remain the same Restrict Content Pro that sites and developers know.
What was fixed in 4.0.3 for Stripe sites?
Two revenue-critical bugs: renewal payments weren’t recording and membership expiration wasn’t extending, and currencies with different decimal counts recorded wrong amounts. Stripe-based subscription sites should update immediately.
Is RCP suitable for developers building custom membership logic?
That’s its position — documented hooks, clean classes, and a leaner surface than wizard suites. Custom member flows, unusual gating rules, and integration-heavy builds are where RCP’s architecture pays off.
Can members manage their own accounts?
Yes — the member dashboard covers profile, billing history, and subscription management, with email receipts and expiration reminders configurable per event.
Does it support trial periods?
Yes — free trials on paid levels and time-limited trial memberships are supported, with the 4.0.3 release fixing trial handling on paid levels.
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