- Level: MasterPosts: 222
Hi Brajesh and Buddydev Team,
On my existing Concrete5 websites I have a paid membership system. It has three tiers but I might want to add a couple more. Currently I have FREE, 1 Year Membership and Lifetime Membership.
Free Members have access to many downloads around the sites.
1 Year VIPs have access to many more downloads.
Lifetime VIPs have access to the same as 1 Year VIPs, plus additional files.I also sell other downloads and a few physical products. I’ll probably extend my physical products.
I’ve been trying to decide whether to use Woocommerce Paid Memberships Pro or Easy Digital Downloads Pro for my WordPress multisite multiblog.
It is important that the files can only be downloaded by the member when they have the right permissions and they can’t share them with strangers by sharing hyperlinks, so I’ve also been looking at how to make the downloads secure.
I would like the members to be able to access their downloads from their profile, as a sort of personal library. I think your Buddycommerce plugin already helps with that.
I’ve also been considering this plugin, to make a sort of personal library:
https://giribaz.com/wordpress-file-manager-plugin/
But maybe Mediapress could work too. The files are usually zips or proprietary formats. Not many audio/video or usual formats.
I’ve already set up Woocommerce on my multisite but I have no problem with deleting it if it won’t be the best system for my use-case. I tried Easy Digital Downloads free version but it crashed my site, so I have to do a little bit more reasearch if I’ll use that. I like the look of it and all the addons that are included with the pro version but still reasearching it.
My request is whether you can give me some advice about whether to choose Woocmmerce Paid Memberships Pro or Easy Digital Downloads (or something else) for the basis of my paid membership system.
I ask because I value your advice highly.
Many thanks,
Mike - (BuddyDev Team)Posts: 24599
Hi Mike,
Thank you for the topic.Let us see some comparisons in our context.
WooCommerece:-
Pro:-
– Huge eco system, very flexible
– Easy to extend and developers available easily
– You have multiple alternatives to achieve same task. Handles physical/digital goods well.
Con:-
– SpeedEDD:-
Pro:-
– Lighter than WooCommerce
– Handles digital goods well, have limited support for physical goodsCons:-
– Very Limited eco system
– Though it is easy to extend, you won’t find too many developers for it(not as easily as WooCommerce)For membership, both the plugin will need extra plugins(WooCommerce Memberships or Restrict Content Pro for EDD)
Both of them will only work on individual sites of multisites. You may not have a global store whose products are available on all sites(like BP Multis blog).
The decision depends on how much change you foresee in future. If you don’t see much changes to your current requirement, EDD and its eco system will be good. If you may want to keep exploring and extending in future, WooCommerce will be better.
For files:-
MediaPress does not make the actual file private. It is not suitaed for secure downloads yet. We did not go that route and our purpose was a bit different. We may have it in future. Currently, private means the media page is inaccessible but if someone knows the actual media url(direct link to file), they are not prohibited. The reason was efficiency.Hope that helps to decide.
Regards
Brajesh - Level: MasterPosts: 222
Than you for your excellent and considered advice.
I’m almost decided on woocommerce. I’m setting the sites up with it and I’ll make the final decision soon.
I appreciate the detail you went into. Thanks again.
- (BuddyDev Team)Posts: 24599
You are welcome. I hope that WooCommerce works for you.
Regards
Brajesh - Level: MasterPosts: 222
Thanks Brajesh,
Actually I’m still doing research because my site has thousands of downloads. Some are free for regular members, some are free for paid members. And of course I want the files to be secure, even when they are free.
I considered making all files go through woocommerce checkout, even if there is no cost. Because that would put the downloads in the member’s buddypress profile, right? So they could easily access their downloads.
Also, if I administer downloads that way, I would be able to change particular downloads from free to paid anytime in the future.
Members can build build up a library of hundreds of downloads.
This was the link I intended to send you, I put an incorrect link before:
https://www.wpdownloadmanager.com/
It looks like it does many things I want but I would need to use woocommerce for any physical sales perhaps, when i didn’t want two shopping carts.
At the moment I feel that I don’t know how to start uploading my free downloads so I’m still looking into it further. It is hard for me to decide because I chose the wrong CMS many years ago I find myself with a huge amount of work migrating to WordPress now and I hope to get it right the first time.
Thanks for your consideration. Joining Buddydev has given me much more confidence in preparing my sites.
I emailed you about developing a ‘migration’ plugin (using your form), did you get it? Shall I open a separate thread about it?
And I think I’ll want some other plugins later but more simple than that one.
Many thanks,
Mike - (BuddyDev Team)Posts: 24599
Hi Mike,
Thank you.The WP Download Manager seems to have a lot of features. They don’t seem to have integration with WooCommerce though.
Please allow me to check and get back to you about the development of the plugin today.
Thank you
Brajesh - Level: MasterPosts: 222
Hi Brajesh,
I decided to go with WP Download Manager. It has payment systems, access to files via membership levels and other great features.
I’ll concern about physical products later. I don’t sell many physical products, digital are the most important. I can even use simple Paypal buttons if I need to for those, or maybe woocommerce.
I expect I’ll ask you to make some linked-up features for me in due course.
In the meantime, I have some ideas for more simple plugins. I’ll think through them further and let you know when my ideas are more consolidated.
Thanks again for your invaluable support.
Mike - (BuddyDev Team)Posts: 24599
Hi Mike,
all the best. I hope that WPDM works for you.Sure, if you need any addon/extension, I and my team will be glad to assist.
Thank you
Brajesh
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