I’ve been trying to figure this out for a while and feel like I might be asking the wrong question or missing something basic. I want to set up a way for users to register, log in, create and edit their profiles, and post content in specific areas of the site. Ideally, they’d also be able to private message each other, though that’s not a top priority for now.
I also want the register and login forms to appear as pop-ups or tooltips rather than full pages.
I’ve tried plugins like Ultimate Member, MemberPress, ProfileGrid, UsersWP, and WSForm, but I keep running into issues. Registration emails don’t send, or the pre-built forms aren’t customizable enough for what I need. Am I looking at the wrong types of plugins? Should I be considering a different approach altogether? Is WordPress even the right platform for this kind of setup?
If anyone’s done something similar or has suggestions, I’d really appreciate the advice. It’s been frustrating trying to piece this together!
From my experience, what you’re describing might be better handled with custom solutions. WordPress can do registration and roles out of the box—just enable it in the General settings and assign a default role. For private messaging or advanced features, you’d need custom code, like adding a database table to handle messages.
For pop-up login forms, I’ve had to build those from scratch before because I couldn’t find a plugin that worked the way I wanted. You could get a good WordPress developer to create a plugin or custom code that matches your needs. They can also help lock down admin access and create a custom dashboard for users.
If you’re not a developer, you might want to find someone who specializes in WordPress APIs and custom plugins to handle this for you.
@Birch
I wouldn’t mind using two plugins to cover everything, as long as they work together. I’ve tried modifying some of the features myself, but I keep hitting roadblocks with functionality.
If I hire someone, what exactly should I ask them to do? Would they create a plugin for me or just modify my site directly?
@Blair
They’d probably build a custom plugin for you. That way, it’s easier to maintain and update without messing up your site. Just make sure they know how to work with WordPress APIs so everything integrates smoothly. If you need help finding someone, feel free to DM me!
You could set up custom fields for user profiles and allow users to edit them on the front end. Plugins like MemberPress or USP by Jeff Starr might help with user-submitted content. For private messaging, you can try SAC PRO.
It’s a bit of a puzzle to get all these pieces working together, but it’s doable!
@Kirby
I’ve used Ultimate Member before and got pretty close to what I wanted, but I had issues with verification emails and styling conflicts with my page builder. Maybe I need to try MemberPress instead. Thanks for the suggestion!
Our plugin, UsersWP, along with add-ons for front-end posting and private messaging, should cover most of your requirements. The messaging feature is similar to Facebook Messenger.
If you’ve had issues with email verification, let us know, and we’ll help you troubleshoot. It works fine on thousands of sites, so it’s likely a setup issue. Hope this helps!