Do you want to decide who can view specific pages on your WordPress website?
Many businesses using WordPress need to manage which users can access certain parts of their sites.
In this guide, we’ll explain how you can easily limit access to certain pages on your WordPress site based on user roles.
Why You Should Control Access to WordPress Pages?
When you run a WordPress site, you might need to restrict access to certain areas and pages based on the roles of your users. For example, on a site with multiple authors, you might want to limit access to certain pages only to writers and editors.
Restricting pages by user roles is essential for membership sites. You can ensure that only users with specific membership levels, like subscribers, can access premium content such as videos or online courses.
By default, WordPress provides basic tools like private or password-protected posts, but these don’t allow you to control access based on user roles.
Fortunately, there are several WordPress plugins designed specifically for this purpose. These plugins allow you to restrict pages to particular users, user groups, or roles, enabling you to create membership sites, subscription-based content, or even private family blogs where only certain members can access certain content.
Now, let’s explore three effective methods to properly restrict access to WordPress pages based on user roles:
1. Using MemberPress to Restrict Pages
MemberPress stands out as one of the top WordPress plugins for creating membership sites with paid subscriptions. It allows you to set up restrictions on content, ensuring only specific user roles can access it.
To get started with MemberPress, you’ll need to sign up for an account on their website. Once signed up, install and activate the MemberPress plugin on your WordPress site. After activation, enter your license key in the MemberPress settings.
Next, configure your payment methods through MemberPress (supports PayPal, Stripe, and more), and set up membership plans by specifying pricing, billing cycles, and user roles. You can even create custom user roles if needed.
Once your membership plans are set up, create rules in MemberPress to restrict access to specific pages or content based on user roles. This involves setting conditions such as membership levels or specific user roles that can access restricted content.
2. Limiting Page Access with Restrict Content Pro
Restrict Content Pro is another excellent plugin for controlling access to your website’s content and integrating paid subscriptions. Begin by signing up for a free account on the Restrict Content Pro website and downloading the plugin.
Install and activate the plugin on your WordPress site. Configure general settings and payment gateways (PayPal, Stripe, etc.) through the plugin settings in your WordPress dashboard.
To restrict specific pages by user roles, edit the pages or posts you want to restrict. Using the ‘Restrict this content’ meta box, select the option to limit access to users with specific roles. You can choose from existing user roles or create new ones depending on your needs.
3. Blocking Access to Course Pages using LearnDash
LearnDash is a powerful WordPress plugin designed for creating and selling online courses. It includes features for managing course access through built-in subscriptions.
To start using LearnDash, sign up for an account on their website and install the LearnDash plugin on your WordPress site. Configure settings such as payment gateways and course creation through the LearnDash settings in your WordPress dashboard.
Create your courses using the LearnDash course builder, specifying whether the course will be open to the public, free, or available only to users who purchase a subscription. You can set a price for courses that require payment, ensuring only enrolled users can access course content.
