How to Build a WordPress Membership Download Website with EDD All Access

Easy Digital Downloads All Access lets customers buy a pass that unlocks eligible products for a defined period and download limit. A successful membership store requires accurate category scope, customer accounts, protected files, clear renewal rules and tested payment workflows.

Beginner visual action plan

The steps below turn the main advice into a simple process you can follow. Complete one step, check the expected result, and only then continue.

Before you start: Use test mode and test accounts before selling membership access to real customers.

Step 1: Organize eligible products

Create clear categories for products included and excluded from each pass.

What you should see: Every product should belong to the correct access category.

Step 2: Create All Access products

Choose categories, duration, limit and receipt link that match the public plan.

What you should see: The saved All Access tab should show the promised access rules.

Step 3: Require customer accounts

Provide registration, login, password reset, purchase history and Member Downloads.

What you should see: A logged-out buyer should be asked to create or sign in to an account.

Step 4: Test access and expiry

Test active, expired, refunded and limit-reached states without using a real payment.

What you should see: Members should see only eligible products and lose access when the pass expires.

Plan the membership promise

Define exactly what members receive, which categories are excluded, how long access lasts and whether renewal is manual or automatic. Marketing copy must match the configured pass.

Organize eligible products

Use EDD categories to separate themes, plugins, templates or other libraries. An All Access pass can target one or more categories, so taxonomy design directly controls entitlement.

Create the All Access products

Set the product type to All Access, select only eligible categories, choose the access period and configure a daily or total limit. Use zero only when the plan is intentionally unlimited.

ThemeSite’s Premium Membership plans demonstrate separate Monthly, Yearly and Lifetime products, while the Elementor Template Kit Bundle targets a different library.

Require and support customer accounts

A pass must be tied to a customer profile so the system can track expiry and usage. Provide registration, login, password reset, purchase history and a clear Member Downloads page.

Manual versus automatic renewal

Manual renewal is simpler when the payment gateway does not integrate with EDD Recurring Payments. Explain expiry dates before checkout and send reminders before access ends. Automatic renewal requires a supported gateway and correctly configured webhooks.

Launch checklist

• Test eligible and excluded categories.
• Test the daily limit reset.
• Test active and expired passes.
• Confirm direct file URLs remain protected.
• Review receipt and account links.
• Test refunds and revoked access.
• Document how administrators edit plans.