Curious to see what plugins everyone uses on almost every WordPress site. I’m still figuring things out and usually install WP Code, File Manager, .htaccess Editor, and Duplicator for backups.
What are your go-to plugins?
Curious to see what plugins everyone uses on almost every WordPress site. I’m still figuring things out and usually install WP Code, File Manager, .htaccess Editor, and Duplicator for backups.
What are your go-to plugins?
ASE (Admin Site Enhancements) is a solid choice.
Vinnie said:
ASE (Admin Site Enhancements) is a solid choice.
It’s useful but doesn’t fully replace dedicated plugins like SMTP or ACF. Good enough for simpler sites though.
Be careful with file manager plugins. If you need to edit files, it’s safer to do it through cPanel instead of inside WordPress.
If something breaks, you could lose access to your site completely. It’s even riskier if clients have access after you hand over a project.
@Wynn
Agreed. A single typo in a file could take down the entire site, and then you’re locked out.
@Wynn
A lot of these plugins have security risks too. If permissions aren’t set right, attackers can mess with important files.
Also, making live edits on a production site is just asking for trouble.
@Finch
Yep, totally agree.
Here are my must-haves:
Depending on the project:
I personally just use FTP or my hosting panel for file management.
@Tory
FluentSMTP is worth looking into. It’s free and includes features you’d normally have to pay for in WP SMTP.
Emerson said:
@Tory
FluentSMTP is worth looking into. It’s free and includes features you’d normally have to pay for in WP SMTP.
Had issues with FluentSMTP randomly losing API keys. Switched to Post SMTP and it’s been solid. Comes with an email log too.
@Oakley
You can store the API keys in wp-config.php to avoid that issue.
Emerson said:
@Tory
FluentSMTP is worth looking into. It’s free and includes features you’d normally have to pay for in WP SMTP.
WP SMTP’s free version works fine for me, but I’ll check out FluentSMTP.
@Tory
Yeah, FluentSMTP is free because they make money on their other plugins. WP SMTP is solid, but charging $99 a year for a basic feature seems like a stretch.
@Tory
Post SMTP is a good alternative—email logs included for free.
@Tory
Email should NOT rely on mail()
. That function has caused more headaches than anything.
@Tory
I’d swap Google Site Kit for Microsoft Clarity. It’s free and includes heatmaps, plus you can still link it with Google Analytics if needed. Once I started using Clarity, I barely checked Google’s dashboard anymore.
@Haven
How do you handle both GA and Clarity? If you’re using AdWords, you probably still need GA, and Clarity might trigger GDPR issues.
Briley said:
@Haven
How do you handle both GA and Clarity? If you’re using AdWords, you probably still need GA, and Clarity might trigger GDPR issues.
I don’t use AdWords, so it’s not an issue for me.
@Tory
Super useful list, thanks!
These are always on my list: