11 Best Free WordPress Form User Management Plugins 

Looking for a free WordPress form user management plugin to help you securely manage multiple users on a website? 

Whether you’re running a membership site, a multi-author blog, or an online store, user management plugins can simplify how you control permissions, monitor activity, and customize user roles. In this article, we’ll explore the top free WordPress user management plugins that offer powerful features without breaking the bank. From managing user registrations to creating custom user roles, these plugins will help you keep your WordPress site running smoothly and securely.

Key Elements of WordPress User Management Plugins

WordPress user management plugins come with various features. Here are the main components to look for when choosing the right plugin:

1. User role management
At the core of any user management plugin is the ability to create and manage user roles. WordPress has default roles like Administrator, Editor, and Subscriber, but with the right plugin, you can customize roles, assign specific capabilities, and create new roles tailored to your site’s needs.

2. Registration and login customization
Many plugins offer features that allow you to customize the user registration and login processes. This includes creating custom registration forms, adding CAPTCHA for security, allowing social logins, and even redirecting users to specific pages after login or registration.

3. User profiles and dashboards
User profile customization is another key feature. With the right plugin, you can allow users to update their profiles, add custom fields, and view personalized dashboards. This is particularly useful for membership sites or platforms with multiple user types.

4. User role switching
For sites managed by multiple administrators or editors, the ability to quickly switch between user roles without logging in and out can save a lot of time. Plugins that offer user role switching let you temporarily view the site from a different role’s perspective.

5. User activity tracking
Keeping track of user activity is crucial for security and management, especially on large sites. User management plugins often include features for monitoring login times and user actions and even sending notifications when specific activities occur.

6. Content restriction
Many user management plugins come with content restriction capabilities. This allows you to limit access to certain parts of your website based on user roles. It’s essential for membership sites, online courses, or premium content.

7. Email notifications and messaging
Some plugins offer built-in tools for communicating with users directly through email notifications or private messaging. Whether it’s notifying users of updates, sending password reset links, or personalized messages, this feature helps improve user engagement.

8. Membership and subscription integration
For membership sites or those offering paid content, the ability to manage subscriptions, payments, and member access is vital. Many plugins support integration with popular payment gateways, allowing for seamless membership management.

9. Security features
User management plugins often include security features such as two-factor authentication, CAPTCHA for registration forms, and role-specific access restrictions. These help prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive information.

10. Bulk user management
Managing users one by one can be tedious, especially on large websites. Look for plugins that offer bulk user management tools like mass role assignments, bulk deletions, or mass email notifications. These features simplify site administration and save time.

These key aspects will help you choose the right WordPress user management plugin that aligns with your site’s needs.

Comparing Top 11 Free WordPress User Management Plugins

JetFormBuilder

💁 Best for creating after-submit actions using a single button on the front end without the actual form.

The plugin has various features, allowing you to manage your users easily. With its help, you can enable users to share your content, create different types of forms, and even accept recurring payments. The Formless Actions Endpoints Addon helps create a secure environment for data transfer and restricts users according to their roles.

Key features: 

• AI-powered form generation;
• ability to add user-generated content to the site and edit it;
• possibility to manage form data via REST API;
• conditional logic.

Pricing: JetFormBuilder is free but has a premium version and paid add-ons. The cost starts from $49/year for one website.  

Pros:

• drag-and-drop form creation;
• possibility to build secure forms and integrate payment gateways;
• 12 available after-submit actions.

Cons: 

• it’s not easy for newbies.

WPForms

💁 Best for creating registration forms.

Primarily a form builder, WPForms is useful for creating user registration forms. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to design custom registration processes, making it ideal for membership sites or community platforms.

Key features:

• drag-and-drop form builder;
• plugin has pre-built form templates;
• SEO-friendly;
• possibility to easily customize any form.

Pricing: there’s a free version and a PRO one, which starts from $99. 

Pros:

• forms optimized for conversions;
• mobile responsive;
• spam protection features.

Cons:

• some users mention that the free version is limited. 

Ultimate Member

💁 Best for creating online communities.

Ultimate Member is a powerful plugin for building online communities. It allows you to manage user roles, registration, and profiles with ease. Customizable profile fields, member directories, and front-end forms make it perfect for community-driven sites.

Key features:

• possibility to customize user profiles, registration, and login forms;
• custom form fields;
• member directories;
• possibility to add content restriction.

Pricing: it has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $249 annually.

Pros:

• possibility to show author posts and comments;
• ability to set user emails;
• conditional logic.

Cons:

• some users mention a lack of support. 

Members

💁 Best for setting permissions to restrict content on the website.

The Members plugin is a simple yet effective tool for managing user roles and permissions. It offers role creation, editing, and content restriction options, making it suitable for membership sites or sites with multiple user levels.

Key features:

• role editor;
• possibility to set multiple user roles;
• capability to deny specific capabilities to specific user roles;
• shortcodes to control who has access to content.

Pricing: it is free.

Pros:

• possibility to create a hierarchical roles system;
• ability to hide or show blocks based on user logged-in status;
• capability to create a login form.

Cons:

• some users mention a lot of ads on the dashboard. 

WP User Manager

💁 Best for setting different user roles.

WP User Manager offers robust user profile and registration form customization. It also includes user directories, email notifications, and the ability to restrict content based on user roles, making it great for community-focused websites.

Key features:

• possibility to create register and login forms;
• roles editor;
• ability to set avatars for users;
• capability to create user profiles.

Pricing: the plugin has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $149 annually.

Pros:

• custom email notifications;
• user directories;
• content restriction.

Cons:

• very limited free version. 

User Registration and Membership

💁 Best for creating membership websites. 

As the name suggests, the User Registration and Membership plugin helps you create custom registration forms with drag-and-drop functionality. It’s lightweight, allowing for easy setup and management, and is perfect for websites needing a simple yet effective user registration process.

Key features:

• drag-and-drop builder;
• possibility to use custom form fields;
• ability to make WordPress user profile accounts for all registered users;
• inbuilt login form.

Pricing: the plugin has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $99 annually.

Pros:

• smart tags;
• possibility to import and export forms;
• form templates.

Cons:

• very limited free version. 

Simple Membership

💁 Best for adding protected content to the website.

Simple Membership allows you to create and manage membership sites easily. It supports multiple membership levels, offers content restriction options, and integrates with payment gateways for paid memberships, making it great for creating gated content.

Key features:

• possibility to set up unlimited membership levels;
• ability to protect the post or page for the members;
• capability to set free and paid memberships;
• possibility to set one-time and recurring payments.

Pricing: it’s free.

Pros:

• ability to protect photo galleries;
• possibility to customize the content protection message;
• shortcode for adding the login form.

Cons:

• some users mention a lack of support. 

WPFront User Role Editor

💁 Best for creating time-based role assignments.

The WPFront User Role Editor plugin allows you to assign specific capabilities to users and create custom roles. It also supports time-based role assignments, which can be useful for temporary or subscription-based access.

Key features:

• possibility to create, edit, or rename existing roles;
• ability to clone existing roles;
• capability to add or remove capabilities.

Pricing: the plugin has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $89/per year.

Pros:

• ability to assign multiple roles;
• possibility to add different permissions;
• multisite support.

Cons:

• some users mention a lack of support. 

User Switching

💁 Best for quickly swapping between user accounts.

User Switching is a lightweight plugin that allows administrators to switch between user accounts quickly. This is particularly useful for testing user experiences or managing multiple accounts on large, multi-role sites.

Key features:

• possibility to switch to any user account from the Users screen;
• compatible with Multisite, WooCommerce, BuddyPress, and bbPress;
• the cookie authentication system;
• compatible with most membership and user management plugins.

Pricing: it is free.

Pros:

• implements the nonce security system;
• compatible with most membership and user management plugins.

Cons:

• some users mention problems when switching between user accounts. 

LoginPress

💁 Best for login page customization.

LoginPress is a login management plugin that helps you customize your login pages visually. It offers customization of login forms, error messages, and redirection, making it a great option for improving user experience on membership or subscription sites.

Key features:

• possibility to use customization fields to change the layout of the login page of WordPress;
• ability to set social login;
• login redirecting feature.

Pricing: the plugin has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $79/per year.

Pros:

• possibility to change the login logo;
• mobile responsive.

Cons:

• some users mention that the free version is very limited. 

Restrict User Access

💁 Best for restricting access to different parts of the website. 

This plugin provides a simple and intuitive way to restrict access to different sections of your site based on user roles. It’s ideal for sites with multiple user levels where you want to limit access to premium content or specific resources.

Key features:

• possibility to set different levels of membership;
• ability to redirect unauthorized users to different URLs;
• capability to restrict content from other plugins.

Pricing: the plugin has a free and a PRO version, which starts from $79/per year.

Pros:

• possibility to restrict content via shortcodes;
• ability to hide the admin bar for select levels.

Cons:

• some users mention bugs after auto-updating. 

Conclusion

Selecting the right user management plugin for your WordPress site depends on your specific needs, whether it’s managing roles, customizing registration forms, or restricting content. The top free plugins highlighted in this article offer a wide range of features, from role editing and profile customization to advanced security and membership management. 

By integrating one of these plugins, you can streamline user interactions, improve site security, and enhance the overall user experience without the need for costly premium solutions.