What I need is a platform or process that will allow me to set up 3 levels of membership a) a free level of membership b) a paid level of membership c) a limited paid level of membership each level will provide access to new downloads that the lower ones didn't. I want a forum to be part of the 'mix' and ideally automate the paid membership in that it signs up those that pays to the right level of access and removes those that cancel their subscription - without me doing a thing. Now I have seen a few interesting solutions - most recently SocialSam (but I am put off there by a few bits and pieces). Does anyone have any ideas on the best way forward? Currently I am considering SocialSam and seeing if I can rig vBulletin to do the job (or any other forum software) - but whilst i can see that a forum software would be easy to allow access to users and give downloads in protected forums etc I am not sure how easy it would be to automate. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
One that i used a few years ago was MKPortal. For me it was the perfect membership CMS. It is a CMS that you attach to a forum. mkportal.it EDIT: I just noticed the support team has stopped working but it is still worth a try.
Seems using SMF 2.0+ (not SMF 1.anything) seems to do it, has the options for installing payments that put people into user groups, which allows them access to other types of the board. Useful as it is a free software! Still playing at the mo, so not set up the paid areas yet, but have set up on http://weightlossaffiliates.com/forum and you will see that you don't see a 'freebies' forum now, but if you were to sign up (and this isn't a plug so don't feel you should) you would see that board. same goes for the 'paid' levels of membership, though I have those turned off right now whilst I am still in 'open beta' with the site
what else should your site do? just provide access to downloads or will it provide more interactive stuff also?
You can use Joomla + Mighty Membership, the perfect solution for you. you can read more about this solution at their website mightyextensions.com/joomla-components/member-subscription.