The bbPress Integration Add On turns bbPress or BuddyBoss forums into members-only discussion spaces. Choose the membership levels that can view each forum, and visitors without those levels can’t read its topics or replies. It’s for membership sites that want to add a private community forum to a course, coaching program, or paid membership.
This documentation walks you through restricting forums by membership level and what non-members see, then covers the general forum settings and how to assign forum roles and reply colors by level. We’ve also included a reference for the member activity shortcode and the filter hooks developers can use to customize the Add On.
Works with the free Paid Memberships Pro plugin. No paid plan needed. Create a free account or log in to download it and read the documentation.
Installation
You must have the Paid Memberships Pro plugin installed and activated to use this Add On.
- Navigate to Memberships > Add Ons in the WordPress admin.
- Locate the Add On and click “Install Now“.
- Or, to install this plugin manually, download the .zip file above.
- Upload the compressed directory (.zip) via the Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin screen in the WordPress admin.
- Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in the WordPress admin.
Note: This Add On requires Paid Memberships Pro and either bbPress or BuddyBoss Platform to be installed and activated.
Video Demo
Restrict Forums by Membership Level
Choose the membership levels that can view each forum. Once a forum requires a level, visitors and members without that level can’t view the forum, its topics, or its replies.
Continue ReadingConfigure the Forum Settings
The Forums settings screen holds the Add On’s general settings: the message non-members see, links to forums on the Membership Account page, and how membership levels and forum roles display in replies.
Continue ReadingAssign Forum Roles and Reply Colors by Level
Each membership level can assign a bbPress forum role to its members and highlight their topics and replies with a background color. Use these settings to give higher-tier members extra forum permissions or to make their posts stand out.
Continue ReadingShow Member Forum Activity With a Shortcode
The [bbp-user-activity] shortcode shows a list of the topics or replies a member has posted. Add it to the Membership Account page or a member dashboard so members can get back to their recent forum conversations.
Continue ReadingFilter Hooks
For developers who need to customize the Add On beyond its settings, the bbPress Integration Add On offers filter hooks to change where non-members are redirected, change the no access message, and control its search filtering.
Continue ReadingGet Support From Our Team of Experts
Have a question about how to use this feature? Our Support Page outlines three ways to get support.
Our Max plans include hands-on help customizing your membership site and implementing new features. Upgrade to PMPro Max now »
Last updated on November 12, 2026
