Members join a plan by buying a product linked to it. That product can be any simple or variable product for a one-time or manually renewed membership, or a Recurring billing product that renews automatically. Create the plan first, then the product that sells it (Create membership plans in Constellation).
When you’d use this
- Sell a lifetime membership for a one-time price.
- Sell a yearly membership that members renew by buying again.
- Bill members monthly or yearly, with an optional free trial or sign-up fee.
- Offer tiers with a variable product, one plan per variation.
- Give memberships away free.
How to use it
1. Choose the product type
Go to Products » Add New:
- Simple product or Variable product for a one-time payment or a manual renewal. Pair it with a plan whose Membership length is unlimited (one-time) or specific length (members buy again to renew).
- Recurring billing or Variable recurring billing for automatic renewals. Set the price, billing period, and any free trial or sign-up fee in the product’s General tab.
2. Link the product to a plan
Tick Grant membership access next to the product type, open the Grant Access tab, and pick the plan under Membership plans. You can pick more than one plan. On Recurring billing products, Grant membership access is ticked for you.
For a variable product, every variation grants the parent’s plans by default. To give each variation its own plan (Basic, Plus, VIP), set Grants access to membership plans on each variation. The plan’s Products list on its General tab updates to match when you save.
3. Set the plan’s length for recurring billing
For a plan sold with recurring billing, open the plan and set Subscription-tied Membership length to subscription length, so access lasts as long as members keep paying. Create membership plans in Constellation covers the other choices.
4. Make sure non-members can buy it
If a plan restricts all products, or the category your membership product is in, non-members can’t buy their way in. Open the product’s Constellation box and turn on Disable restrictions to keep it public.
5. Place a test order
In a private browser window, buy the product as a new customer. When the order reaches Processing or Completed, check that the customer appears under Constellation » Members and that the order shows on their membership.
When memberships are created
- A membership is created when the order becomes Processing or Completed, including orders you create in the admin.
- Every membership needs a customer account. When a membership product is in the cart, checkout requires creating an account, on both the classic checkout and the checkout block, even if your store allows guest checkout.
- If the customer already holds the plan, the purchase renews or extends that membership instead of adding a second one.
- Refunding the order (status Refunded) cancels the membership it created.
Renewals and extensions
Manual renewals
For a specific length plan, members renew by buying the product again, from the shop or the renewal link in the membership emails. The purchase renews their existing membership.
Buying several periods at once
With Allow cumulative purchases on (Constellation settings), a quantity of 2 of a one-year membership gives two years. With it off, the order grants one period whatever the quantity.
Recurring billing and membership status
A recurring billing membership follows its billing status:
| Recurring billing | Membership |
|---|---|
| Active | Active (or Free Trial during a trial) |
| On hold (a failed or late payment) | Paused |
| Pending cancellation (the member cancelled) | Pending Cancellation, with access until the paid period ends |
| Expired | Expired |
Members manage their billing, payment method and cancellation from My Account; see What Constellation members see in My Account. Recurring billing records are listed under Constellation » Recurring Billing, with a Memberships column linking each to its membership. Renewal settings, such as early renewal and reminder emails, are on Constellation settings.
Automatic renewals need a payment gateway that supports recurring payments. When the cart holds a recurring billing product, checkout only offers the payment methods that do, so check your gateway’s documentation before you launch.
Changing plans
Without WooCommerce Subscriptions, members can’t switch plans by themselves. They cancel and buy the other plan’s product, or you change the plan on their membership under Constellation » Members.
With WooCommerce Subscriptions
If WooCommerce Subscriptions is active, it runs recurring billing instead of Constellation’s built-in engine. Use its Simple subscription and Variable subscription product types and its settings under WooCommerce » Settings » Subscriptions, and link the products to plans the same way. Upgrades and downgrades between subscription products then move the member to the matching plan.
Free memberships
- Set the plan’s Grant access upon to user account registration, so everyone who creates an account joins.
- Or sell a product priced at 0, linked to the plan, so customers join through checkout.
Recipes
- Give members recurring store credit with Constellation: pair a recurring billing membership with an Account Funds cashback reward, so members get store credit with every payment.
Common issues
Customers bought the product but aren’t members
Check that the order is Processing or Completed, that it belongs to a customer account rather than a guest, and that the product (or the variation they bought) is linked to the plan. For past orders, use Grant Access.
Non-members can’t buy the membership product
A product restriction rule covers it. Turn on Disable restrictions in the product’s Constellation box.
A recurring billing membership was paused after a renewal
The renewal payment failed or is waiting, so the recurring billing is on hold. When the payment goes through, the membership becomes Active again.