Two ways to run SocietyPress
The software is free either way. The only question is who takes care of the website.
Host it yourself
Free
plus whatever your web host charges, usually $5–15 a month
- You pick a web host and pay them
- You upload the installer and run it
- You install updates and keep backups
- Help comes from the docs and forums
Best if someone in your society is comfortable running a website.
Download freeWe host it for you
From $15 a month
hosting, updates, backups and support included
- No web host to find or pay
- We install and set it up
- We install updates and keep daily backups
- You email us when you need help
Best if you’d rather never think about servers.
See hosting plansWho does what?
Same software either way. The only difference is who takes care of the website.
| Option A Host it yourself | Option B We host it for you | |
|---|---|---|
| The SocietyPress software | Free | Free |
| Find and pay a web host | You | Us |
| Install SocietyPress | You, with the one-click installer | Us |
| Install updates | You | Us |
| Daily backups | You, or your host | Us |
| Security certificate (the padlock) | You, or your host | Us |
| Help when something goes wrong | Documentation and community forums | Us, by email |
| Who owns your data | You | You |
| What you pay | Your web host, usually $5–15 a month | From $15 a month, all in |
| Download free | See hosting plans |
Option A · Host it yourself
Download SocietyPress
Free. Open source. No account required. You’ll need your own web host — or let us host it for you.
One-Click Installer
Recommended. Upload one small file to your site and point your browser at it. The installer handles the rest.
Download sp-installer.phpFull Platform (.zip)
The complete bundle: plugin and all six themes. For manual uploads via SFTP or your host's file manager.
Download .zipWhat's in the Download
Everything you need to get your society's website running.
SocietyPress Plugin
The core of the platform. Manages members, events, dues, the research library, genealogical records, donations, newsletters, the page builder, and the design system. Install it like any other WordPress plugin.
- 18 toggleable feature modules
- Page builder with 40 widget types
- Design system with live preview
- Member directory with privacy controls
- CSV, GEDCOM, and GENRECORD import & export
- Full-site export in one click
SocietyPress Theme + 5 Child Themes
A clean, responsive parent theme and five ready-to-use child themes, each with its own color palette and typography. Every style is controlled from the plugin's design panel — no code required.
- Heritage — classic serif, rich browns and antique gold
- Coastline — airy blues, sans-serif
- Prairie — earthy greens and tans
- Ledger — editorial, archival feel
- Parlor — stately and traditional
Quick Start
From zero to a running society site in a few minutes.
Point your browser at the installer
Upload sp-installer.php to a fresh WordPress site, then
visit yoursite.com/sp-installer.php. The installer pulls
this .zip, sets up the plugin and theme, and drops you at the setup
wizard — no SSH, no FTP, no cPanel gymnastics.
Run the setup wizard
Three short steps: your society's name and contact details, your membership tiers, and your colors and logo. You can change everything later — this just gets you to a usable site fast.
Import your members (optional)
If you're coming from a spreadsheet, ENS, or another platform, use the CSV importer under Members > Import. Organizational members are auto-detected, and duplicate detection keeps a second run from creating copies.
Pick a theme and go live
Activate Heritage, Coastline, Prairie, Ledger, or Parlor — or stay on the parent theme and tune colors from the design panel. Publish your homepage, add your upcoming meetings, and you're done.
Prefer to upload manually?
Unzip the download. Upload the societypress folder to
wp-content/plugins/ and each theme folder to
wp-content/themes/ via your host's file manager or SFTP.
Activate the plugin first, then your chosen theme. The plugin creates
its database tables on activation and you'll land on the setup wizard.
Before you install
Make sure your hosting environment meets the minimum requirements. Short version: PHP 8.1+, WordPress 6.0+, and MySQL 8.0+ (or MariaDB 10.6+). If your host runs a current version of WordPress, you're almost certainly fine.