Ready to get your hands on Ultimate Member? You’ve come to the right place. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly where to find the plugin, how to download it, and what options are available to you.
Whether you’re looking for the free version or considering premium extensions, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know. Let’s get started!
Where to Download Ultimate Member
Ultimate Member is available in a few different places, depending on what you’re looking for. Let me break down your options:
Free Version from WordPress.org
The core Ultimate Member plugin is completely free and available directly from the WordPress plugin directory. This is perfect if you’re just getting started or want to test things out before investing in premium features.
You can find it at wordpress.org/plugins/ultimate-member. The free version includes all the essential features like user profiles, registration forms, login pages, member directories, and content restriction.
Premium Extensions
If you need advanced features like Stripe payments, social login, private messaging, or groups functionality, you’ll want to check out the premium extensions. These are available from the Ultimate Member website.
There are over 20 premium extensions available, each adding specific functionality. You can buy them individually or get them all with a bundle plan. More on that in a bit.
Downloading the Free Version
Let’s start with the free version since that’s what most people begin with. Here’s how to get it:
Option 1: Direct Download
If you want to download the plugin file directly (maybe for manual installation), here’s how:
- Visit the WordPress plugin page
- Click the big blue “Download” button on the right side
- Save the zip file to your computer
- The file will be named something like “ultimate-member.2.10.6.zip”
Once downloaded, you can upload it manually to your WordPress site if needed. For most users though, I recommend installing it directly through WordPress, which we cover in our installation guide.
Option 2: Install via WordPress Dashboard
This is the easiest method and what I recommend for most people:
- Log into your WordPress admin dashboard
- Go to Plugins → Add New
- Search for “Ultimate Member”
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate”
WordPress handles the download and installation automatically. No need to mess with zip files or FTP. Pretty convenient, right?
Understanding Version Numbers
When you download Ultimate Member, you’ll notice version numbers like 2.10.6. Here’s what those mean:
- Major version (2) – Big updates with significant changes
- Minor version (10) – New features and improvements
- Patch version (6) – Bug fixes and security updates
Always try to use the latest version for security and feature improvements. WordPress will notify you when updates are available, and you can update with just one click.
If you’re curious about what’s new in recent versions, check out the changelog on the plugin page. It’s always interesting to see what the developers have been working on.
Premium Extensions Download
If you’ve purchased premium extensions, downloading them works a bit differently:
Step 1: Log Into Your Account
Head over to ultimatemember.com and log into your account. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll need to create one when you make your first purchase.
Step 2: Access Your Downloads
Once logged in, navigate to your account dashboard. You’ll see a “Downloads” section where all your purchased extensions are listed. Each extension will have a download link next to it.
Step 3: Download the Extension
Click the download link for the extension you want. You’ll get a zip file that you can upload to your WordPress site. The file will be named something like “ultimate-member-stripe.zip” or “ultimate-member-social-login.zip”.
Step 4: Install the Extension
After downloading, go to your WordPress dashboard → Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin. Choose the zip file you just downloaded and click “Install Now”. Then activate it like any other plugin.
Some popular extensions you might want to check out include the Stripe integration for payments, or the Social Login extension for easier user registration.
What’s Included in Each Download?
It’s helpful to know what you’re getting when you download Ultimate Member. Let me break it down:
Free Version Includes:
- User registration forms
- User login and logout
- User profiles
- Member directories
- Content restriction
- Custom user roles
- Email notifications
- Form builder
That’s a lot of functionality for free! The core plugin is really powerful on its own. You can build a complete membership site with just the free version.
Premium Extensions Add:
Premium extensions add specialized features. For example:
- Stripe Extension – Accept payments and subscriptions
- Social Login – Let users sign in with Facebook, Google, etc.
- Private Messages – Direct messaging between users
- Groups – Create user groups and communities
- WooCommerce Integration – Connect with your online store
You can see a full list of extensions on the Ultimate Member website. Most sites don’t need all of them – just pick the ones that match your needs.
System Requirements
Before downloading, make sure your site meets the requirements. Here’s what you need:
- WordPress: Version 6.2 or higher
- PHP: Version 7.0 or higher (PHP 8.0+ recommended)
- MySQL: Version 5.6 or higher
- Memory: At least 128MB PHP memory limit
Most modern hosting providers meet these requirements, but it’s worth checking. If you’re unsure, our requirements and compatibility guide has more details on checking your setup.
If your hosting doesn’t meet these requirements, you might want to consider upgrading. Modern PHP versions are faster and more secure anyway.
Downloading for Development
Are you a developer? You might want to get the source code from GitHub instead. The Ultimate Member team maintains a GitHub repository where you can:
- Download the latest development version
- Contribute code improvements
- Report bugs
- See upcoming features
If you’re planning to customize the plugin or contribute to its development, GitHub is the way to go. Just be aware that development versions might be less stable than the official releases.
After Downloading: What’s Next?
Once you’ve downloaded Ultimate Member, you’ll want to install it. If you haven’t already, check out our installation guide for step-by-step instructions.
After installation, I recommend:
- Running through the initial setup wizard
- Reviewing the default forms and pages
- Testing the registration process
- Exploring the settings options
Our setup tutorial for beginners will walk you through all of this. It’s designed to get you up and running quickly, even if you’re new to WordPress plugins.
You might also want to check out the configuration guide to learn how to customize everything to match your site’s needs.
Final Tips
Before I wrap up, here are a few tips to make your download and installation experience smoother:
- Backup first – Always backup your site before installing new plugins
- Test on staging – If possible, test on a staging site first
- Check compatibility – Make sure Ultimate Member works with your theme and other plugins
- Read the docs – The documentation is really helpful, especially for advanced features
Ultimate Member is a well-maintained plugin with regular updates, so you can download it with confidence. The developers are active and responsive, which is always a good sign.
Ready to get started? Download Ultimate Member and begin building your membership site today. If you have any questions along the way, there’s plenty of documentation available, including our comprehensive plugin review that covers everything you need to know.