Plugin Updated Mar 26, 2025

bbPress Addon

by Paid Member Subscriptions cozmoslabs.com v1.0.2 Unlimited sites

The Paid Member Subscriptions bbPress Addon is a WordPress plugin by Paid Member Subscriptions that connects its membership system to bbPress forums. It lets you limit access to forums and individual topics based on membership level, so paying members get discussions others cannot see.

Version: 1.0.2
Released: Jun 7, 2020
Developer: Paid Member Subscriptions
Type: WordPress plugin
Requires: Paid Member Subscriptions
Licence: GPL
Included in: Every plan, or $4.79 a year on its own
Topics: Membership Plugins

What’s new in bbPress Addon 1.0.2

Version 1.0.2 · Jun 7, 2020 Latest

What it does

Running a forum alongside a membership site raises an obvious question: how do you keep members-only discussions away from visitors who have not subscribed? This addon answers it by linking the subscription plans you already manage in Paid Member Subscriptions with your bbPress forums. You choose which membership levels can reach a given forum or topic, and everyone else is kept out. It requires the Paid Member Subscriptions plugin, since it extends that plugin's membership features into the forum area of your site.

Restrictions can be set at two levels. You can lock an entire forum for selected membership tiers, or restrict specific topics inside a forum that is otherwise open. For restricted content, you decide how much non-members see: hide the topic and its replies completely, or show the topic while hiding the replies. Visitors who hit a restricted area see a custom message you write, which can explain what the content is and which membership gives access. Configuration happens in the WordPress dashboard.

Best for

Membership sites running bbPress community forums
Course creators offering members-only discussion boards
Communities with several paid subscription tiers

Features

Forum-level restrictions

Limit access to individual bbPress forums so only members on the membership tiers you select can view and take part in those discussions.

Topic-level restrictions

Restrict single topics within a forum, letting you keep some threads open to everyone while reserving others for specific subscription plans.

Custom restriction messages

Write your own message that non-subscribers see when they try to open a restricted forum or topic, such as a note about which plan grants access.

Hide topics and replies

Choose to hide a restricted topic entirely, including all of its replies, so non-members do not see the discussion at all.

Show topics, hide replies

Alternatively, display the topic itself while concealing its replies, giving visitors a preview of the subject without exposing the members-only conversation.

Uses your existing memberships

Works with the membership levels you already manage in Paid Member Subscriptions, so forum access follows the same subscriptions as the rest of your site.

Dashboard configuration

Set up forum and topic restrictions from the WordPress dashboard without writing code or editing template files.

Questions about bbPress Addon

Do I need Paid Member Subscriptions for this to work?

Yes. This addon extends the Paid Member Subscriptions plugin, using its membership levels to decide who can access your bbPress forums and topics. You also need bbPress running on the site, since the restrictions apply to bbPress forums.

Can I restrict only certain topics instead of a whole forum?

Yes. You can lock an entire forum for selected membership tiers, or restrict individual topics inside a forum. That lets you keep general threads public while reserving specific discussions for members on particular plans.

What do visitors without access see?

You choose. Restricted topics can be hidden entirely along with their replies, or the topic can stay visible while its replies are hidden. In both cases you can show a custom message to non-subscribers explaining that the content is restricted.

Can different membership levels see different forums?

Yes. Restrictions are tied to membership levels, so you can give one tier access to a set of forums or topics and reserve others for a different tier, matching forum access to each subscription plan.

Is bbPress Addon free?

The code of bbPress Addon is licensed under the GPL, so anyone may use, change and share it. GPL Feast is a paid service: a plan or a single purchase gives you the download and automatic updates. The developer's own support, licence key and online services are not included.

Which version of bbPress Addon is this?

Version 1.0.2, released Jun 7, 2020. New versions appear here when the developer publishes them, and members get them as automatic updates.

How do I update bbPress Addon?

Install the free GPL Feast Updater on your site and connect it with your API key. It installs new versions of bbPress Addon automatically and keeps a backup, so you can roll back.

What does bbPress Addon need?

bbPress Addon needs Paid Member Subscriptions installed and active.