Whether you are an experienced developer or a newbie who is trying to set up their first WordPress website, choosing the right plugins is incredibly crucial and can make or break the deal. Plugins can make setting up a WordPress website a piece of cake, however, selecting the right plugins is not an easy feat. Particularly, when you are looking for a good registration plugin which can help you in converting your visitors to members and in lucky cases, paid members. This article will highlight some of the key features that should be present in a good registration plugin and if you are looking for a quick guideline, you have reached the right place.
How to Choose the Right WP Registration Plugin
There are a bunch of features that you should look for when selecting a WordPress registration plugin and we have listed some of the most important ones which can help you set up and manage your registration forms without much hassle.
1) Customizable Forms
When selecting a registration plugin, looking at the ability to create customized forms is the key. It is imperative that a plugin lets you do that with ease and doesn’t limit you in terms of adding custom fields and validations, as well as styling elements. Go to the list of features available and see what they offer in terms of customized forms, you need to make sure that their offerings match your requirements and the plugin is fit for YOUR purpose.
2) Role-Based Redirection
Role-Based redirection of users is a very essential feature for WordPress. This feature can do wonders if you have multiple types of users that will register on your website. Redirecting users based on their roles can make your site more user-friendly and can open new business avenues for you (hint: Multiple users depending upon subscription type).
3) Services & Apps Integration
A registration form creation plugin should offer integration capabilities with various apps and services. Make sure the plugin supports integration with popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe and Authorize.net, etc. Additionally, the plugin should also offer integration capabilities with popular marketing & communication platforms like MailChimp, SendGrid and Twilio.
4) Social Logins
Look for plugins that offer social login capabilities as allowing your user to login via pre-existing accounts will buck up your site’s usability. Popular logins like Facebook, Twitter, and Google are a must-have.
5) Conditional Logic for Complex Registration Forms
If you are looking to build registration forms that change based on user selection or input then be sure to look out for conditional logic feature in the plugin. The one you select should be able to create forms that can show or hide fields and elements based on user input and the process shouldn’t require you to write any code. This will allow you to create complex customizable forms that are more suited to your needs.
6) Data Import and Export Capabilities
One of the most important features of a WP registration plugin is Data Import and Export capability. The plugin should have this feature as built-in so you can easily move your data when required. Import and Export features of user data are essential for any site that has registration forms, so be sure to select a plugin that has them.
7) Registration Verification, Moderation, & Confirmation
The registration plugin should allow moderation of all user registrations. Admins should be able to accept or reject registrations and block users as and when required. This would ensure that only legit users are registered. Email verification on registration feature is also essential to avoid bots and spammers.
8) Captcha, Bot Prevention, & Timed Submissions
Bot prevention on forms is an absolute necessity and a good registration plugin should have Captcha, re-Captcha and math Captcha support. Having timed submissions is also a good feature and helps restrict bots and unwelcomed registrations. Make sure your plugin has these features so that you don’t have to worry about having spam coming through your forms.
9) Forums, Support & FAQs
Good support and a quick turnaround time is everything in tech business, make sure you get a plugin with excellent tech and customer support. They should also have community forums so if any issues arise with setup or use of the plugin there would be someplace to turn and ask for help. Look for FAQ sections, support ticket’s turnaround time and engagement on the community forums to know more about it.
Aside from all the functionalities listed above, you should also look out for small but essential features, including, block users by email address, IP, username, etc., Invite-only registration, auto login on login forms, custom form creation, shortcodes for easy form setups, and customizable security features.
It is also important to keep into consideration what other users have to say about it (ratings and reviews). You should also see how many active installs are there and if they have been mentioned or reviewed by any notable websites/techies.
These were all the features and capabilities you should keep in mind when selecting a login and registration plugin.
And if you are wondering where to find a plugin with all these capabilities, try Pie Register. It is an all in one WordPress Registration plugin which is easy to use and has a superb rating. You can effortlessly create multiple forms that are widely customizable, use built-in form templates, and apply conditional logic to your forms. The plugin also offers integration with various Payment Gateways, Apps, and Services. To know more about the plugin, view its Features and Addons here.
P.S. Never buy a plugin without documentation!
