Want to use Authorize.Net to accept payments on your WordPress site? As an ecommerce expert, I analyzed the top plugins to help you pick the right solution.
Accepting online payments is crucial for monetizing a website. Research shows global ecommerce sales reached $5 trillion in 2021. And over 60% of small businesses accept credit cards because of higher average transaction totals.
That‘s why finding the right WordPress plugin to integrate Authorize.Net for payments is key.
In this definitive guide, I‘ll compare the 6 best Authorize.Net plugins for WordPress across different needs:
| Plugin | Best For |
|---|---|
| WPForms | Forms Builder & Simplicity |
| MemberPress | Membership Sites |
| WooCommerce | Online Stores |
| Easy Digital Downloads | Selling Digital Goods |
| GiveWP | Donations |
| Restrict Content Pro | Content Locking |
Let‘s dive in…
Why Accept Payments Through Authorize.Net?
Before reviewing the top plugins, understanding why you should accept payments through Authorize.Net is useful:
- Seamlessly accept credit cards/debit cards on WordPress sites
- Competitive transaction fees vs alternatives like Stripe
- Integrates securely with your merchant bank account
- Significant presence in key English-speaking markets
- Currently serves merchants in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Europe
- Enterprise-grade performance and security
Now that the benefits are clear, let‘s explore the plugins.
1. WPForms {#wpforms}
WPForms is the best all-round WordPress forms plugin you can use to not only collect payments but also create contact forms, surveys, appointment booking, and more.
Over 5 million websites use WPForms to create various types of web forms. And their Authorize.Net payment integration allows you to easily collect one-time or recurring payments.
Key WPForms Features
With WPForms, you can:
- Create forms with an easy drag & drop form builder
- Process credit cards using Authorize.Net gateway
- Collect payments for physical/digital products or services
- Schedule Zapier automation to manage orders
- Send smart notifications to customers after purchase
- View in-depth analytics on conversions
- Offer coupons/discounts to incentivize purchases
It‘s the perfect balance between simplicity and powerful functionality.
WPForms pricing starts at $39 per month for the Pro plan which includes Authorize.Net payments. But they offer a free basic version to try first.
When to Use WPForms
WPForms is a great all-rounder plugin. It‘s our #1 recommendation for accepting payments via Authorize.Net because of how easy it is.
We‘d recommend WPForms for:
- Selling any type of product (physical, digital, services)
- Building online booking/reservation systems
- Creating highly customized order forms
- Collecting payments for events/webinars
- Gathering donations or tips
It‘s functionality suits a wide range of small business needs. The easy drag & drop builder makes WPForms perfect for beginners too.
Next up…
2. MemberPress {#memberpress}
MemberPress is the WordPress industry standard plugin for membership websites.
It makes it easy to accept recurring payments in exchange for premium content or subscriber benefits. Perfect for newsletters, online courses, communities and more.
MemberPress integrates directly with Authorize.Net for payment processing through your merchant account.
Let‘s look at some powerful features…
Key MemberPress Features
With MemberPress, you can:
- Configure unlimited subscription packages
- Process recurring payments securely
- Set up membership portals
- Layer membership access / restrict content
- Drizzle new content over time
- Manage thousands of members
- Integrate with email marketing platforms
Over 10,000+ sites trust MemberPress to monetize premium content and manage members.
And their Authorize.Net addon is free once you have an eligible MemberPress license (Developer plan +).
When Should You Use MemberPress?
We recommend MemberPress for membership sites primarily. For example:
- News & industry publications
- Online training courses
- Private networking communities
- Software/app members‘ areas
- Job boards or listings sites
It equips you with all the features needed to segment access while collecting payments. Things like content dripping and protected page templates allow you to tier levels of access.
The recurring payment options also make it easy to create predictable revenue.
Up next…
3. WooCommerce {#woocommerce}
You can‘t discuss ecommerce without mentioning WooCommerce. It‘s the world‘s most popular WordPress ecommerce plugin, powering over 6 million online stores.
To integrate Authorize.Net with WooCommerce, you can use a plugin like:
These connect WooCommerce to your Authorize.Net merchant account seamlessly.
Why Choose WooCommerce?
WooCommerce is packed with powerful ecommerce features, letting you build a fully-functional online store.
You get access to:
- Secure online payments
- Scalable shipping solutions
- Complex tax calculations
- Inventory & order management
- Hundreds of customization options
- Zapier and MailChimp integrations
With WooCommerce handling the back-end complexities of running an online store, you can focus on marketing and growth!
Ideal for All Types of Ecommerce Sites
Because WooCommerce equips you with enterprise-grade functionality, it suits almost any ecommerce model including:
- Physical/digital products
- Variable or grouped products
- Product variations and inventory tracking
- Bookings and appointments
- Subscriptions/memberships
In summary – if you need a complete store front and backend solution for selling online, WooCommerce paired with Authorize.Net is a smart choice.
Let‘s check out another popular alternative…
4. Easy Digital Downloads { #edd}
Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) offers a streamlined ecommerce solution specifically for selling digital products. For example – software, eBooks, courses, audio, PDFs, images, and more.
It provides complete order management tailored for digital goods while integrating directly with Authorize.Net for payments.
Key Features of Easy Digital Downloads
With EDD, sellers can:
- Create variable priced products
- Generate license keys
- Log download requests
- Create discount codes
- View detailed sales reporting
- Show related downloads
- Import/export products
EDD Authorize.Net will run you $79 per year for the payment add-on.
Best Option for Selling Digital Files & Software
We‘d strongly recommend EDD over full-featured WooCommerce only if you exclusively sell non-physical products including:
- eLearning courses
- Software licenses
- Digital books/magazines
- Stock imagery, audio, videos
- Web themes/templates
- Plugins, scripts & code
However, WooCommerce is generally a safer all-round choice supporting all product types.
5. GiveWP { #givewp }
GiveWP is one of the most popular WordPress donations plugins available. It provides you with customizable forms, advanced payment gateways, and donation management tools.
Over 30,000 non-profits, charities, and churches trust GiveWP to accept online contributions.
And their Authorize.Net Standard Gateway makes it easy to collect secure credit card donations through an existing merchant account.
Why Use GiveWP for Donations?
Key features include:
- Build custom online donation forms
- Easily view and export key metrics
- Accept recurring donations
- Display real-time progress bars
- Send automatic donation emails
- Record donor details
- Supports multiple campaigns
GiveWP cuts out the complexity of collecting online donations by equipping you with tailored tools in an easy-to-use plugin.
Perfect for Non-Profits & Charities
We‘d strongly recommended GiveWP specifically for:
- Registered non-profit organizations
- Churches and religious institutions
- Schools and educational programs
- Public community charities
- Animal/wildlife conservation groups
It streamlines the donation process for tax-exempt organizations providing philanthropic services.
The final plugin we recommend is…
6. Restrict Content Pro { #restrict }
Restrict Content Pro makes it easy to lock WordPress content behind paywalls and membership tiers.
It gives you access to features like:
- Multiple subscription plans
- Restrict full posts/pages
- Seamless WordPress integration
- Email customization
- Member profiles and messaging
Their Authorize.Net gateway connects directly to your merchant account for collecting membership fees.
Perfect for Content Locking
We specifically recommend Restrict Content Pro for:
- Newsletters and industry blogs
- Forums and private social networks
- Job boards
- Classifieds sites
- Directories sites
Basically – any site monetizing access to premium content will benefit. The ability to tier subscription packages for incremental payments gives Restrict Content Pro an advantage over similar plugins.
Key Takeaway
The best Authorize.Net WordPress plugin ultimately depends on your needs. In summary:
- WPForms – Best for forms/simplicity
- MemberPress – Purpose-built for memberships
- WooCommerce – Reliable ecommerce solution
- Easy Digital Downloads – Selling digital files
- GiveWP – Donations and charitable giving
- Restrict Content Pro – Content locking
Hopefully this detailed analysis of the top 6 Authorize.Net WordPress plugins assists you in finding the right solution! Let me know if you have any other questions.
