Hi Liam,
In my case, I initially paid for the PMI membership simply because the member discount lowered the overall cost of sitting for the exam. But once I passed and started exploring the member portal, I realized that keeping the subscription was one of the best moves I made.
I decided to take full advantage of the membership by completing the free online courses offered directly through PMI—specifically focusing on the AI courses. Because these courses offer high-value training that aligns across the PMI Talent Triangle, their PDUs doubled up toward my PMP renewal cycle. To be completely frank, the courses were genuinely great, and I learned a tremendous amount along the way while staying current with modern tools.
Thanks to those free member resources, I already knocked out all the required PDUs needed to renew my certification in three years.
Even if your employer covers the initial test fee, having full access to the free digital library (including the PMBOK Guide, Agile Practice Guide, and Process Groups guides), along with a frictionless path to complete all your renewal requirements through relevant, high-quality courses, makes the membership well worth the investment.
Best of luck on your exam!