diff --git a/api/functions.php b/api/functions.php
index 67f884f..1aa62d5 100644
--- a/api/functions.php
+++ b/api/functions.php
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ function rua_get_user($user = null)
 /**
  * @since 2.1
  * @param WP_Post|int $post
- *
  * @return RUA_Level_Interface
  * @throws Exception
  */
@@ -48,22 +47,69 @@ function rua_get_level($post)
  * @since 2.1
  * @param RUA_Level_Interface|WP_Post|int $level
  * @param RUA_User_Interface|WP_User|int|null $user null or omit for current user
- *
  * @return RUA_User_Level_Interface
+ * @throws Exception
  */
 function rua_get_user_level($level, $user = null)
 {
+    _deprecated_function(__FUNCTION__, '2.5', 'rua_get_user_levels()');
+
     if (!($level instanceof RUA_Level_Interface)) {
         $level = rua_get_level($level);
     }
+    if (!($user instanceof RUA_User_Interface)) {
+        $user = rua_get_user($user);
+    }
+    return $user->level_memberships()->get($level->get_id());
+}
 
+/**
+ * @param RUA_User_Interface|WP_User|int|null $user null or omit for current user
+ * @return RUA_Collection
+ */
+function rua_get_user_levels($user)
+{
     if (!($user instanceof RUA_User_Interface)) {
         $user = rua_get_user($user);
     }
 
-    $user_level = new RUA_User_Level($user, $level);
-    $user_level->refresh();
-    return $user_level;
+    $entities = get_comments([
+        'type'    => 'rua_member',
+        'user_id' => $user->get_id()
+    ]);
+
+    $user_levels = new RUA_Collection();
+    foreach ($entities as $entity) {
+        $user_level = new RUA_User_Level($entity);
+        $user_level->refresh();
+        $user_levels->put($user_level->get_level_id(), $user_level);
+    }
+    return $user_levels;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @param RUA_Level_Interface|WP_Post|int $level
+ * @param array $query
+ * @return RUA_Collection
+ * @throws Exception
+ */
+function rua_get_level_members($level, $query = [])
+{
+    if (!($level instanceof RUA_Level_Interface)) {
+        $level = rua_get_level($level);
+    }
+
+    $query['type'] = 'rua_member';
+    $query['status'] = [RUA_User_Level::STATUS_ACTIVE, RUA_User_Level::STATUS_EXPIRED];
+    $query['post_id'] = $level->get_id();
+    $entities = get_comments($query);
+
+    $user_levels = new RUA_Collection();
+    foreach ($entities as $entity) {
+        $user_level = new RUA_User_Level($entity);
+        $user_levels->put($user_level->get_user_id(), $user_level);
+    }
+    return $user_levels;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -84,7 +130,7 @@ function rua_get_level_by_name($name)
  */
 function rua_get_level_caps($level_id, $hierarchical = false)
 {
-    $levels = [ $level_id ];
+    $levels = [$level_id];
     if ($hierarchical) {
         $levels = array_merge($levels, get_post_ancestors((int) $level_id));
         $levels = array_reverse($levels);
diff --git a/db_updates.php b/db_updates.php
index f85a0b2..ab339d6 100644
--- a/db_updates.php
+++ b/db_updates.php
@@ -18,6 +18,77 @@
 $rua_db_updater->register_version_update('2.2.1', 'rua_update_to_221');
 $rua_db_updater->register_version_update('2.4', 'rua_update_to_24');
 $rua_db_updater->register_version_update('2.4.2', 'rua_update_to_242');
+$rua_db_updater->register_version_update('2.5', 'rua_update_to_25');
+
+function rua_update_to_25()
+{
+    global $wpdb;
+
+    $level_id_lookup = array_flip((array)$wpdb->get_col("
+        SELECT ID FROM $wpdb->posts WHERE post_type = 'restriction'
+    "));
+    $existing_user_level_lookup = array_flip((array)$wpdb->get_col("
+        SELECT CONCAT(user_id, ':', comment_post_ID) FROM $wpdb->comments WHERE comment_type = 'rua_member'
+    "));
+
+    $blog_prefix = $wpdb->get_blog_prefix();
+    $query = <<<QUERY
+SELECT um.user_id, um.meta_key, um.meta_value
+FROM $wpdb->usermeta um
+INNER JOIN $wpdb->usermeta u ON um.user_id = u.user_id AND u.meta_key = '{$blog_prefix}capabilities'
+WHERE um.meta_key LIKE '_ca_level%'
+QUERY;
+
+    $usermeta = $wpdb->get_results($query);
+
+    $data_new = [];
+    $data_meta_map = [];
+
+    foreach ($usermeta as $meta) {
+        if ($meta->meta_key === '_ca_level') {
+            if (!isset($level_id_lookup[$meta->meta_value])) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            //prevent dupe
+            if (isset($existing_user_level_lookup[$meta->user_id . ':' . $meta->meta_value])) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            $data_new[] = [
+                'comment_approved' => 'active',
+                'comment_date'     => '',
+                'comment_type'     => 'rua_member',
+                'user_id'          => $meta->user_id,
+                'comment_post_ID'  => $meta->meta_value,
+                'comment_meta'     => [],
+            ];
+        } else {
+            $data_meta_map[$meta->user_id . ':' . $meta->meta_key] = $meta->meta_value;
+        }
+    }
+
+    foreach ($data_new as $data) {
+        $user_id = $data['user_id'];
+        $level_id = $data['comment_post_ID'];
+        $insert = $data;
+
+        //start date
+        if (isset($data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_' . $level_id])) {
+            $insert['comment_date'] = date_i18n('Y-m-d H:i:s', $data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_' . $level_id]);
+        }
+        //status
+        if (isset($data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_status_' . $level_id])) {
+            $insert['comment_approved'] = $data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_status_' . $level_id];
+        }
+        //expiry date
+        if (isset($data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_expiry_' . $level_id])) {
+            $insert['comment_meta']['_ca_member_expiry'] = $data_meta_map[$user_id . ':_ca_level_expiry_' . $level_id];
+        }
+
+        wp_insert_comment($insert);
+        wp_update_comment_count($level_id);
+    }
+}
 
 /**
  * Enable legacy date module and
diff --git a/level.php b/level.php
index b5a5ab3..9a62c03 100644
--- a/level.php
+++ b/level.php
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ protected function add_actions()
             'user_register',
             [$this,'registered_add_level']
         );
+        add_action(
+            'parse_comment_query',
+            [$this, 'exclude_comment_type']
+        );
     }
 
     /**
@@ -72,10 +76,40 @@ protected function add_filters()
             add_action('auth_redirect', [$this, 'authorize_admin_access']);
         }
 
+        add_filter(
+            'pre_wp_update_comment_count_now',
+            [$this, 'update_member_count'],
+            10,
+            3
+        );
+
         add_filter('get_edit_post_link', [$this,'get_edit_post_link'], 10, 3);
         add_filter('get_delete_post_link', [$this,'get_delete_post_link'], 10, 3);
     }
 
+    public function update_member_count($new, $old, $post_id)
+    {
+        $post = get_post($post_id);
+        if ($post->post_type !== RUA_App::TYPE_RESTRICT) {
+            return $new;
+        }
+
+        global $wpdb;
+        return (int) $wpdb->get_var($wpdb->prepare("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM $wpdb->comments WHERE comment_post_ID = %d", $post_id));
+    }
+
+    public function exclude_comment_type($query)
+    {
+        $type = 'rua_member';
+        if (in_array($type, (array) $query->query_vars['type']) ||
+            in_array($type, (array) $query->query_vars['type__in'])) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $query->query_vars['type__not_in'] = (array) $query->query_vars['type__not_in'];
+        $query->query_vars['type__not_in'][] = $type;
+    }
+
     /**
      * @param int $user_id
      * @return void
diff --git a/list-members.php b/list-members.php
index d67dadf..8bc2d15 100644
--- a/list-members.php
+++ b/list-members.php
@@ -305,13 +305,33 @@ public function prepare_items()
 
         $per_page = $this->get_items_per_page('members_per_page', 20);
         $current_page = $this->get_pagenum();
-        $user_query = new WP_User_Query([
-            'meta_key'   => RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level',
-            'meta_value' => $this->level_id,
-            'number'     => $per_page,
-            'offset'     => ($current_page - 1) * $per_page
+
+        $user_ids = '';
+        if (!empty($_GET['s'])) {
+            $query_params['fields'] = 'ID';
+            $query_params['count_total'] = false;
+            $query_params['search'] = '*' . $_GET['s'] . '*';
+            $query_params['orderby'] = 'ID';
+            if (false !== strpos($_GET['s'], '@')) {
+                $query_params['search_columns'] = ['user_email'];
+            } elseif (is_numeric($_GET['s'])) {
+                $query_params['search_columns'] = ['user_login', 'ID'];
+            } else {
+                $query_params['search_columns'] = ['user_nicename', 'user_login', 'display_name'];
+            }
+            $user_query = new WP_User_Query($query_params);
+            $user_ids = $user_query->get_results();
+        }
+
+        $total_items = get_comments([
+            'number'  => 0,
+            'offset'  => 0,
+            'user_id' => $user_ids,
+            'count'   => true,
+            'post_id' => $this->level_id,
+            'type'    => 'rua_member',
+            'status'  => [RUA_User_Level::STATUS_ACTIVE, RUA_User_Level::STATUS_EXPIRED]
         ]);
-        $total_items = (int)$user_query->get_total();
 
         $this->set_pagination_args([
             'total_items' => $total_items,
@@ -319,10 +339,11 @@ public function prepare_items()
             'per_page'    => $per_page
         ]);
 
-        $this->items = [];
-        foreach ($user_query->get_results() as $user) {
-            $this->items[] = rua_get_user_level($this->level_id, $user);
-        }
+        $this->items = rua_get_level_members($this->level_id, [
+            'number'  => $per_page,
+            'offset'  => ($current_page - 1) * $per_page,
+            'user_id' => $user_ids
+        ])->all();
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/models/user.php b/models/user.php
index 1aea495..d03e6ea 100644
--- a/models/user.php
+++ b/models/user.php
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class RUA_User implements RUA_User_Interface
     private $wp_user;
 
     /**
-     * @var RUA_Collection<RUA_User_Level>|RUA_User_Level[]|null
+     * @var RUA_Collection<RUA_User_Level_Interface>|RUA_User_Level_Interface[]|null
      */
     private $level_memberships;
 
@@ -65,22 +65,7 @@ public function has_global_access()
     public function level_memberships()
     {
         if (is_null($this->level_memberships)) {
-            $user_id = $this->get_id();
-            $level_ids = [];
-
-            if ($user_id) {
-                $level_ids = (array)get_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level', false);
-            }
-
-            $this->level_memberships = new RUA_Collection();
-            $level_ids = array_unique($level_ids);
-            foreach ($level_ids as $level_id) {
-                $level_id = (int)$level_id;
-                try {
-                    $this->level_memberships->put($level_id, rua_get_user_level($level_id, $this));
-                } catch (Exception $e) {
-                }
-            }
+            $this->level_memberships = rua_get_user_levels($this);
         }
         return $this->level_memberships;
     }
@@ -122,20 +107,26 @@ public function get_level_ids(
      */
     public function add_level($level_id)
     {
-        if($this->level_memberships()->has($level_id)) {
+        if ($this->level_memberships()->has($level_id)) {
             /** @var RUA_User_Level_Interface $user_level */
             $user_level = $this->level_memberships()->get($level_id);
+            $user_level->update_status(RUA_User_Level::STATUS_ACTIVE);
+            $event = 'extended';
         } else {
-            add_user_meta($this->get_id(), RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level', $level_id, false);
-            $user_level = rua_get_user_level($level_id, $this);
-            $user_level->update_start(time());
+            $user_level = new RUA_User_Level(get_comment(wp_insert_comment([
+                'comment_approved' => RUA_User_Level::STATUS_ACTIVE,
+                'comment_type'     => 'rua_member',
+                'user_id'          => $this->get_id(),
+                'comment_post_ID'  => $level_id,
+                'comment_meta'     => [],
+            ])));
             $this->level_memberships()->put($level_id, $user_level);
+            $event = 'added';
         }
 
-        $user_level->update_status(RUA_User_Level::STATUS_ACTIVE);
         $user_level->reset_expiry();
         $this->reset_caps_cache();
-        do_action('rua/user_level/added', $this, $level_id);
+        do_action('rua/user_level/' . $event, $this, $level_id);
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -145,15 +136,14 @@ public function add_level($level_id)
      */
     public function remove_level($level_id)
     {
-        $user_id = $this->get_id();
-        $this->reset_caps_cache();
-        $deleted = delete_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level', $level_id);
-
-        delete_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level_' . $level_id);
-        delete_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level_status_' . $level_id);
-        delete_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . 'level_expiry_' . $level_id);
+        $level = $this->level_memberships()->get($level_id);
+        if (!($level instanceof RUA_User_Level_Interface)) {
+            return false;
+        }
 
+        $deleted = $level->delete();
         if ($deleted) {
+            $this->reset_caps_cache();
             $this->level_memberships()->remove($level_id);
             do_action('rua/user_level/removed', $this, $level_id);
         }
diff --git a/models/user_level.php b/models/user_level.php
index c291a4e..6c364b2 100644
--- a/models/user_level.php
+++ b/models/user_level.php
@@ -11,35 +11,25 @@ class RUA_User_Level implements RUA_User_Level_Interface
     const STATUS_ACTIVE = 'active';
     const STATUS_EXPIRED = 'expired';
 
-    const KEY_STATUS = 'level_status';
-    const KEY_START = 'level';
-    const KEY_EXPIRY = 'level_expiry';
-
-    /**
-     * @var RUA_User_Interface
-     */
+    /** @var RUA_User_Interface */
     private $user;
-
-    /**
-     * @var RUA_Level_Interface
-     */
+    /** @var RUA_Level_Interface  */
     private $level;
+    /** @var WP_Comment */
+    private $wp_entity;
 
     /**
-     * @since 2.1
-     * @param RUA_User_Interface $user
-     * @param RUA_Level_Interface $level
+     * @param WP_Comment $wp_entity
      */
-    public function __construct(RUA_User_Interface $user, RUA_Level_Interface $level)
+    public function __construct(WP_Comment $wp_entity)
     {
-        $this->user = $user;
-        $this->level = $level;
+        $this->wp_entity = $wp_entity;
     }
 
     public function refresh()
     {
         if ($this->is_active() && $this->is_expired()) {
-            $this->update_meta(self::KEY_STATUS, self::STATUS_EXPIRED);
+            $this->update_status(self::STATUS_EXPIRED);
         }
     }
 
@@ -48,7 +38,7 @@ public function refresh()
      */
     public function get_user_id()
     {
-        return $this->user()->get_id();
+        return (int)$this->wp_entity->user_id;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -56,6 +46,9 @@ public function get_user_id()
      */
     public function user()
     {
+        if (!($this->user instanceof RUA_User_Interface)) {
+            $this->user = rua_get_user($this->get_user_id());
+        }
         return $this->user;
     }
 
@@ -64,7 +57,7 @@ public function user()
      */
     public function get_level_id()
     {
-        return $this->level()->get_id();
+        return (int)$this->wp_entity->comment_post_ID;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -80,6 +73,9 @@ public function get_level_extend_ids()
      */
     public function level()
     {
+        if (!($this->level instanceof RUA_Level_Interface)) {
+            $this->level = rua_get_level($this->get_level_id());
+        }
         return $this->level;
     }
 
@@ -88,15 +84,7 @@ public function level()
      */
     public function get_status()
     {
-        $status = $this->get_meta(self::KEY_STATUS);
-
-        //fallback to calc
-        if (is_null($status)) {
-            $status = $this->is_expired() ? self::STATUS_EXPIRED : self::STATUS_ACTIVE;
-            $this->update_status($status);
-        }
-
-        return $status;
+        return $this->wp_entity->comment_approved;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -104,7 +92,21 @@ public function get_status()
      */
     public function update_status($status)
     {
-        $this->update_meta(self::KEY_STATUS, $status);
+        if ($this->get_status() === $status) {
+            return $this;
+        }
+
+        global $wpdb;
+
+        $updated = $wpdb->update($wpdb->comments, ['comment_approved' => $status], ['comment_ID' => $this->wp_entity->comment_ID]);
+        if (!$updated) {
+            return $this;
+        }
+
+        clean_comment_cache($this->wp_entity->comment_ID);
+        wp_update_comment_count($this->get_level_id());
+        $this->wp_entity->comment_approved = $status;
+
         return $this;
     }
 
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ public function update_status($status)
       */
     public function get_start()
     {
-        return (int)$this->get_meta(self::KEY_START, 0);
+        return strtotime($this->wp_entity->comment_date_gmt);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -121,7 +123,19 @@ public function get_start()
      */
     public function update_start($start)
     {
-        $this->update_meta(self::KEY_START, (int) $start);
+        if ($this->get_start() === $start) {
+            return $this;
+        }
+
+        $date = date_i18n('Y-m-d H:i:s', $start);
+        $updated = wp_update_comment([
+            'comment_ID'   => $this->wp_entity->comment_ID,
+            'comment_date' => $date
+        ]);
+        if ($updated) {
+            $this->wp_entity->comment_date = $date;
+            $this->wp_entity->comment_date_gmt = get_gmt_from_date($date);
+        }
         return $this;
     }
 
@@ -130,9 +144,9 @@ public function update_start($start)
      */
     public function get_expiry()
     {
-        $expiry = $this->get_meta(self::KEY_EXPIRY);
-        if ($expiry) {
-            return (int) $expiry;
+        $unixtime = get_comment_meta($this->wp_entity->comment_ID, '_ca_member_expiry', true);
+        if (!empty($unixtime)) {
+            return (int) $unixtime;
         }
 
         //fallback to calc
@@ -140,7 +154,7 @@ public function get_expiry()
         $duration = RUA_App::instance()->level_manager->metadata()->get('duration')->get_data($this->level()->get_id());
         if (isset($duration['count'],$duration['unit']) && $time && $duration['count']) {
             $time = strtotime('+' . $duration['count'] . ' ' . $duration['unit'] . ' 23:59', $time);
-            $this->update_meta(self::KEY_EXPIRY, $time);
+            $this->update_expiry($time);
             return $time;
         }
 
@@ -152,7 +166,7 @@ public function get_expiry()
      */
     public function update_expiry($expiry)
     {
-        $this->update_meta(self::KEY_EXPIRY, (int) $expiry);
+        update_comment_meta($this->wp_entity->comment_ID, '_ca_member_expiry', $expiry);
         return $this;
     }
 
@@ -189,33 +203,17 @@ public function can_add()
     /**
      * @return bool
      */
-    private function is_expired()
-    {
-        $time_expire = $this->get_expiry();
-        return $time_expire && time() > $time_expire;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * @since 1.0
-     * @param string $key
-     * @param mixed|null $default_value
-     *
-     * @return mixed|null
-     */
-    private function get_meta($key, $default_value = null)
+    public function delete()
     {
-        return $this->user()->get_attribute(RUA_App::META_PREFIX . $key . '_' . $this->get_level_id(), $default_value);
+        return wp_delete_comment($this->wp_entity, true);
     }
 
     /**
-     * @param string $key
-     * @param mixed $value
-     *
      * @return bool
      */
-    private function update_meta($key, $value)
+    private function is_expired()
     {
-        $user_id = $this->get_user_id();
-        return (bool)update_user_meta($user_id, RUA_App::META_PREFIX . $key . '_' . $this->get_level_id(), $value);
+        $time_expire = $this->get_expiry();
+        return $time_expire && time() > $time_expire;
     }
 }