EDITS.WS

Category: elegantthemes.com

  • Download a FREE Blog Post Template for Divi’s Jewelry Designer Layout Pack

    Hey Divi Creators! Thanks for joining us for the next installment of our weekly Divi Design Initiative where each week, we give away brand new freebies. This time around we’re building upon the Jewelry Designer Layout Pack with a brand new blog post template that matches the rest of the pack perfectly. Hope you enjoy it!

    divi layout

    Check Out The Jewelry Designer
    Blog Post Template Below

    Get it for free today!

    Desktop View

    Jewelry Designer Blog Post Template

    Tablet/Mobile View

    Jewelry Designer Blog Post Template

    Download The Blog Post Template For The Jewelry Designer Layout Pack

    To lay your hands on the free Jewelry Designer Blog Post Template, you will first need to download it using the button below. To gain access to the download you will need to subscribe to our newsletter by using the form below. As a new subscriber, you will receive even more Divi goodness and a free Divi Layout pack every Monday! If you’re already on the list, simply enter your email address below and click download. You will not be “resubscribed” or receive extra emails.

    How to Upload The Template

    Go to Divi Theme Builder

    To upload the template, navigate to the Divi Theme Builder in the backend of your WordPress website.

    Getting started with the Divi Conference Layout Pack

    Upload Jewelry Designer Blog Layout Template

    Then, in the top right corner, you’ll see an icon with two arrows. Click on the icon.

    Importing the Header and Footer Layout into the Divi Theme Buidler

    Navigate to the import tab, upload the JSON file that you could download in this post, and click on ‘Import Divi Theme Builder Templates’.

    Import settings for the header and footer layout pack

    Save Divi Theme Builder Changes

    Once you’ve uploaded the file, you’ll notice a new template with a new body area that has been assigned to All Posts. Save the Divi Theme Builder changes as soon as you want the template to be activated.

    Save the imported blog post layout within the Divi Theme Builder

    How to Modify The Jewelry Designer Blog Layout

    Open Post Template

    To modify the template’s elements, start by opening the template.

    Begin editing the blog post body template within the Divi Builder

    Inside the Body Layout Editor, you can edit the design on the front end using the Divi Builder just like you would with a normal Divi page.

    We have assigned this template to all posts for the site, there is a post content module that is necessary for displaying the post content. You will need to keep that module in place, but you can adjust the post content module’s design elements, which will design the post content that is displayed dynamically.

    Edit or update the Post Content to suit your needs and branding

    About the Divi Jewelry Designer Blog Layout

    This blog post template has a number of dynamic elements that will work with your blog posts immediately. For example, the entire post header is made up of dynamic elements including a featured image, the post title, and some of the post metadata (date and author). This content won’t need updating, but you can tweak the design of each of those elements if needed. Here’s a quick illustration of the different modules and dynamic elements used within the Divi Jewelry Designer Blog Layout:

    An overview of the dynamic elements within the Divi Jewelry Design blog post template

    Dynamic Elements in the Divi Jewelry Designer Blog Layout

    1. Featured Image [Image Module]
    2. Post Publish Date [Text Module]
    3. Post Title [Text Module]
    4. Post Author [Text Module]
    5. Post Content [Post Content Module]
    6. Post Navigation [Post Navigation Module]
    7. Post Categories, Post Comment Count, Post Author and Post Publish Date [Multiple Blurb Modules]
    8. Comments [Comments Module]
    9. Related Posts [Blog Module]

    All of the modules listed above have and use Divi’s Dynamic Content feature. This means that they’ll automatically populate with the content referred within it.

    New Freebies Every Week!

    We hope you’ve enjoyed the Jewelry Designer Layout Pack and the blog post template freebie that goes along with it. We look forward to hearing your opinions in the comment section below. Make sure you check back next week for more freebies!

    The post Download a FREE Blog Post Template for Divi’s Jewelry Designer Layout Pack appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 10 Best WordPress Chat Plugins in 2023

    A WordPress chat plugin is a great way to communicate with customers through your website. Live chats are ideal for answering presales questions and providing live support. Customers can get answers quickly, which increases confidence. Fortunately, there are lots of chat plugins to choose from. In this article, we’ll look at the 10 best WordPress chat plugins to help you decide which is best for your needs.

    Why Use a WordPress Chat Plugin?

    Customers that have questions need an easy way to get answers. Many of those questions may be answered in an FAQ, but there’s always a question that isn’t answered on the website. Email communication is often a slow process.

    Plugins allow you to automate the communication between you and your customers. Chatbots can manage the communication and hand it off to you when needed. This is a great way to capture leads and increase customer satisfaction.

    A live chat feels more personal than an email. It’s easier than communicating over the phone. With phone conversations, it can be difficult to know when the other person has stopped talking, so you don’t talk over each other. Also, it can be difficult to understand someone. Customer support often needs a screenshot, a file, a link, etc., so the conversation needs to revert to a text-based conversation anyway.

    A WordPress chat plugin solves these issues by bringing a live chat feature to your website. Let’s take a look at some of the best live chat plugins available.

    1. HubSpot

    HubSpot logo

    HubSpot is a marketing behemoth; they provide live chat, CRM, and a ton of other content management system (CMS) functions.

    Live chat, help ticketing, automated bots, and much more are all included in the Service Hub package, which is available in the free HubSpot WordPress plugin. They have garnered 4.5/5 stars with over two hundred thousand active users.

    Hubspot's customizable chatbox

    This plugin is reliable and adaptable, and with its no-cost live chat plugin for WordPress, it’s a great choice, especially if you’re familiar with the Hubspot platform. HubSpot only has a downside if they offer more than you need in its entire feature set. Of course, sticking with HubSpot’s ecosystem make sense if you currently utilize its other services.

    Features:

    • Multiple services, including chat
    • Popups
    • Live chat
    • Lead generation
    • Lead capture
    • Chatbots
    • Lead management
    • Live support

    Price: Free | More Information

    2. Tidio

    Tidio logo

    Tidio is a WordPress chat plugin that includes email marketing tools to help grow your business. The customizable widget works with your branding. It includes templates and an editor. A mobile app lets you use iOS or Android to respond to customers. Notifications show you when customers come to your website. It notifies you when customers visit your site and provides a live typing preview. You can see the page your visitors are looking at to give them specific help. Email marketing tools help you stay in touch with your visitors.

    Tidio's customizable chat widget

    This plugin gives you all the tools you need to create aesthetically pleasing and functional chat boxes; it’s a lightweight and customizable solution and is 100% mobile-friendly. Additionally, a variety of third-party connectors are readily available for you to take advantage of.

    Features:

    • Customizable widget
    • Notifications
    • Live typing preview
    • See a list of viewed pages
    • Email marketing tools
    • Free mobile app
    • Templates

    Price: Free | More Information

    3. JivoChat

    Jivochat banner

    JivoChat is an all-in-one business messenger plugin that handles live chat, phone, email, and social media chatting platforms. Make and receive calls through the live chat widget. An offline message lets customers know when you’re available. Provide options to call the customer back. You can have multi-agent and team chats. A live typing indicator shows when someone is typing. The live chat will automatically translate into the language of the visitors and back into yours. It supports 25 languages.

    The pro version adds canned responses that can handle the chat automatically. You can transfer the chat between agents. Monitor the site in real time. It includes smart triggers and lots more.

    Features:

    • All-in-one business messenger
    • Live chat widget
    • Connects to social media chat apps
    • Make and receive calls
    • Offline message
    • Callback options
    • Multiple agents
    • Team chats
    • Reminders
    • Premade responses
    • Live typing indications
    • Automatic translator
    • Pro version available

    Price: Free, the pro version starts at $13 per month | More Information

    4. LiveChat

    LiveChat banner

    The LiveChat plugin is a flexible and effective solution for adding live chat to your WordPress website. It is simple and easy to implement because it is compatible with almost all WordPress site builders and themes. Additionally, LiveChat has agreements in place with important e-commerce programs like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and others, making this an ideal solution for those working with e-commerce.

    The plugin welcomes users with a pleasant chat window at the bottom of the page on the customer side. That box is constantly visible and easily accessible. Plus, canned auto-responses save you time by responding to your visitors in an instant.

    Features:

    • Ticketing system
    • Customizable
    • Connects with multiple websites
    • Canned responses
    • File upload
    • Ratings
    • Tracking
    • Transcripts
    • Reports
    • Translation ready

    Price: $20 per month and up | More Information

    5. Live Chat by Formilla

    Formilla live chat logo

    Live Chat by Formilla is a free and premium plugin that adds lots of services. Most of the features are available in the premium edition. Chat is done through a customizable mobile-ready widget. Real-time visitor monitoring lets you see the number of visitors on your website. Pro-active chat lets you trigger automatic chats. It has marketing automation for email and in-app messaging. You can add private comments, offline chats, custom attributes, etc. It also adds desktop and mobile apps, canned messages, blocking, file sharing, multiple live agents, and more. It integrates with hundreds of apps and it’s multilingual.

    Features:

    • Premium plugin
    • Mobile-ready widget
    • Real-time monitoring
    • AI chatbots
    • File sharing
    • Chat transfer
    • Customizable
    • Offline chat
    • Integration
    • Multilingual
    • Pro version available

    Live Chat example chat box

     

    Formilla is great if you’re looking for a solution that can easily integrate with the style of your website but is ideal for those with more modest site traffic. Chatting is made simple with tools like preset responses, smart responses, and bots.

    Price: Free, pro version starts at $15 per month | More Information

    6. Chaty

    Floating Chat Widget

    Chaty adds a floating chatbox and call-to-action messages to your website. Set the display trigger to determine when the chatbox displays. Choose from 8 different effects. Customize the icons, choose different buttons, and change the size of the widget. A pending messages icon works as a CTA. It connects to different channels so your visitors can use the chat apps of their favorite social networks and platforms. It also includes a contact form.

    The pro edition adds 25 different social channels and apps, widget customization, Google Analytics, page targeting, traffic source targeting, location targeting, and lots more.

    Features:

    • Floating widget
    • Custom CTA
    • Display trigger
    • Multiple visual effects
    • Customize icons
    • Pending messages icon
    • Contact Us form
    • Connect to multiple channels
    • Too many features to list
    • Pro version available

    Price: Free, the pro version starts at $49 per year | More Information

    7. Tawk.To Live Chat

    Tawk.To Live Chat

    Tawk.To Live Chat is a free WordPress chat plugin that lets you manage multiple websites and agents from a single dashboard. Agents can monitor and chat with visitors through computers and mobile devices using the free apps. The apps work with iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac OS; you can log in through any browser.

    tawk.to plugin settings

    With this WordPress plugin, you can control numerous websites and agents from a single dashboard making this an incredibly simple and easy plugin to use. Plus, you can customize where chat boxes are available on specific pages on your site.

    Features:

    • Use it on your computer and mobile devices.
    • Monitor visitors in real time.
    • Multiple agents and websites from one dashboard.
    • Apps for the most popular operating systems.

    Price: Free | More Information

    8. 3CX Live Chat

    3CX Live chat banner

    3CX Live Chat is a free plugin that works on its own, but you can also integrate it with the 3CX Communications Suite to add voice and video. This WordPress chat plugin has unlimited agents, and they can transfer the customer to another agent. You can set up departments to guide traffic to the right agent. Create offline messages to keep the customers informed.

    Options for Live chat

    You can customize the style of your chatboxes along with a ton of other features via the dashboard; this plugin is definitely a contender for the top free chat plugin available.

    It keeps records of chats so you can refer to them. You can set the chatbox to automatically pop up. Add photos and logos to the chats. Chats can also include surveys and polls. This one has more features than can be covered in a description.

    Features:

    • Unlimited agents
    • Transfer to another agent
    • Set up departments
    • Offline messages
    • Retains records
    • Automatic popup
    • Surveys and polls
    • Enterprise-level reports
    • Integrates with Communications Suite

    Price: Free | More Information

    9. Crisp

    Crisp banner logo

    Crisp is a WordPress chat plugin that was designed to grow your email list and generate leads. It includes desktop and mobile apps, real-time notifications, and an availability schedule. You can tag the conversation to build a contact list. It shows what your visitors are typing in real-time, so you don’t have to wait for them to finish and hit Send. The chatbot builder lets you create an automated chatbot.

    An example of the shared inbox from crisp

    You can also expand it with integrations that connect with other platforms. Integrate with Slack, Messenger, Twitter, Telegram, SMS, and your email. The pro version also adds triggers, blocking, canned responses, audio, customization, and lots more.

    Features:

    • Tag conversations
    • Mobile and desktop apps
    • Real-time notifications
    • Availability schedule
    • Real-time typing
    • Team inbox
    • Expandable with the pro version
    • Integrates with other platforms

    Price: Free, the pro version starts at $25 per month | More Information

    10. Olark

    Olark banner

    Olark is a less-known but equally strong live chat solution. It boasts one of the sleeker looks and functionalities of any live chat plugin currently available.

    You can use data gained from your encounters to improve your customer service moving forward. You can implement target support by creating comprehensive user profiles for more precise customer assistance, potential future sales, and other things.

    It enables you to organize the data you’ve collected from your users either within Olark or your preferred CRM.

    Olark settings

    This plugin is a fantastic solution for companies that depend on customer service interactions to support their sales plan. More so, you can translate information given in your chatbox to the language of your choice.

    Features

    • Customizable alerts
    • Easy automation configuration
    • Route chate to the right agents

    Price: Free. Pro features start at $29/month | More Information

    WordPress Chat Plugin Ending Thoughts

    Live chat usage is growing for a variety of reasons. It’s a terrific method to attract assistance-seeking clients, provide a way for them to self-resolve problems, and allow access to your support funnel in a way that you can manage. Looking for the best solution will be a unique journey for every website.

    We suggest trying one of the solutions with free trial runs, like HubSpot or JivoChat, and seeing if those work out before shelling out any money for a premium service.

    We want to hear from you. What’s your favorite WordPress chat plugin? Let us know in the comments.

    Featured Image Illustration via Yuliia Konakhovska / shutterstock.com

    The post 10 Best WordPress Chat Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 13 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins for WordPress in 2023

    Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money on your WordPress website. You can join companies’ affiliate programs and share links on your website or create your own affiliate program. Many WordPress plugins can help with affiliate marketing.

    Are you looking for ways to increase your income through affiliate marketing on your WordPress website? Look no further! In this post, we have rounded up the top 2023 WordPress plugins for affiliate marketing.

    What is Affiliate Marketing?

    Affiliate marketing is a mutually beneficial partnership between companies and affiliates. Companies offer affiliate programs that allow individuals to promote their products and earn commission on sales made through their unique links. This way, companies can expand their marketing efforts without increasing their own team.

    Best WordPress Affiliate Marketing Plugins for Affiliate Marketers

    There are numerous WordPress plugins available to support both affiliate vendors and marketers. However, they differ in the features they offer. To make your choice easier, we’ve chosen the top plugins specifically designed for affiliate marketers. These plugins will provide you with the tools you need to effectively promote products and boost your income.

    1. Pretty Links

    Pretty Links

    Do you struggle with overly long and complicated affiliate links? Not anymore! Pretty Links provides an easy solution to this problem and takes it a step further by helping you manage all your affiliate links. Say goodbye to those ugly and difficult links and say hello to a sleek and organized affiliate marketing strategy with Pretty Links.

    Key Features for Pretty Links:

    • Easy to use, even for beginners.
    • Integrates with Google Analytics and includes a dashboard for tracking.
    • Automatically links certain keywords.
    • Tests different links to see which performs better on the same website.

    Pretty Link UI Screen Shot

    As an added bonus, Pretty Links can turn your ugliest URLs into beautiful and trackable links.

    Pretty Links is for you if you…

    • Have a lot of affiliate links to manage
    • Want an easy way to update your website content with new or updated links
    • Need a way to track link clicks in your content with minimal setup

    Pretty Links Pricing: Free Lite version or $99.50/year for Beginner Pro | Learn More About Pretty Links

    2. Thirsty Affiliates

    Thirsty Affiliates Homepage Jan. 2023

    Thirsty Affiliates is an advanced Affiliate Link manager for the serious blogger. They take ugly and confusing affiliate links and create cloaked links that are easier to use.

    Key Features for Thirsty Affiliates:

    • Link management with location-based switching and categorization
    • Add images to affiliate links
    • Analytics report on the dashboard
    • Easy import of affiliate products using Amazon API

    Thirsty Affiliate UI Screen Shot

    Plus, Thirsty Affiliates provides advanced features for better link management, making it easier for marketers to increase their income. Whether you’re a pro at affiliate marketing or just starting out, Thirsty Affiliates is a good solution for a more successful monetization strategy.

    Thirsty Affiliates is for you if you…

    • Need advanced link rendering based on geo-location
    • Want a more flexible way to manage and add linked banner images
    • Have links that need to be imported via API or CSV import (bulk and automatic)

    Thirsty Affiliates Pricing: Free to starting at $79.50/yr | Learn More About Thirsty Affiliates

    3. AdSanity

    AdSanity Homepage Jan. 2023

    Our next product, AdSanity, employs a different method to assist website owners in generating monthly revenue from their affiliate marketing endeavors. As an Advertisement plugin, AdSanity is ideally suited for the display of banner images for your affiliate products.

    Moving on, we have AdSanity – a unique plugin that helps website owners generate consistent monthly income from their affiliate marketing efforts. AdSanity serves as an advertisement display plugin, specifically designed to display banner images for your affiliate products. With its ease of use and targeted approach, AdSanity is the perfect addition to your affiliate marketing strategy.

    Key Features for AdSanity:

    • Can easily group and deploy self-hosted banner ads
    • Deploy ads via shortcodes, widgets, and template tags
    • Light-weight plugin that doesn’t compromise on ability

    AdSanity UI Screen Shot

    Furthermore, AdSanity makes perfect sense for website owners who treat their affiliate banner images like ads with special placement throughout their site. Not only does it allow for the display of affiliate images, but AdSanity can also be utilized to showcase traditional ads for products that you are not affiliated with. Its versatility makes it a valuable asset for any website looking to effectively display ads.

    AdSanity is for you if you…

    • Want to show images and videos as your affiliate links
    • Want help while building your affiliate website
    • Want to add and remove ads on a schedule

    AdSanity Pricing: $59/year with a Lifetime offering as well | Learn More About AdSanity

    4. AffiliateWP

    AffiliateWP

    AffiliateWP is a popular WordPress plugin that makes it easy to create and run an affiliate program on your website. With a user-friendly interface, you can track referrals, manage commissions, and pay affiliates easily. It also offers features like custom coupon codes, an affiliate portal to monitor all referrals, and personalized landing pages to increase conversions.

    AffiliateWP is a good WordPress plugin for anyone looking to set up and manage an affiliate program on their website. With a user-friendly interface, tracking referrals, managing commissions, and paying affiliates have never been simpler.

    Additionally, there are convenient features such as custom coupon codes, an affiliate portal to keep an eye on all referrals, and personalized landing pages to boost conversions. AffiliateWP makes running an affiliate program a breeze.

    Key Features for AffiliateWP:

    • 14-day money-back guarantee
    • 17 free add-ons
    • Multiple payment gateway options
    • Works with popular plugins like WooCommerce and Gravity Forms.

    In addition, AffiliateWP is a great fit for those using WooCommerce, membership plugins, and payment gateways. You have the option to either automatically approve affiliates or manually set them up, and the plugin tracks referrals from payment forms.

    AffiliateWP is for you if you…

    • Want to set up multiple affiliates
    • Need an advanced portal to track referrals
    • Want to have the ability to design custom landing pages

    AffiliateWP Pricing: Starting at $149.50/yr | Learn More About AffiliateWP

    5. EasyAffiliate

    EasyAffiliate Homepage Jan. 2023

    Moving forward, we have EasyAffiliate – a WordPress plugin that turns your website into a powerhouse for affiliate marketing. Developed by the team behind popular plugins such as MemberPress, Pretty Links, and Thirsty Affiliates, EasyAffiliate helps you recruit marketers to promote your products with ease. Plus, beginners or professionals will benefit from all the features EasyAffiliate has to offer.

    Key Features for EasyAffiliate:

    • An affiliate dashboard to manage links and reports
    • Tracking for all affiliate traffic
    • Tax help for US-based affiliates

    Easy Affiliate UI

    Balancing technology and process can be a challenge when it comes to managing an affiliate program, but EasyAffiliates makes it easy. With its rich features and simple program management, you can ensure your affiliate program runs like a top.

    EasyAffiliate is for you if you…

    • Need a stable platform that has durability on its side
    • All the features of a complete affiliate management platform
    • Competitive pricing for the WordPress market

    EasyAffiliate Pricing: Starting at $99.50/year | Learn More About EasyAffiliate

    6. MonsterInsights

    Monster Insights Homepage Jan. 2023

    MonsterInsights is a top analytics tool for WordPress that aims to be the best. It’s widely recognized as one of the best analytics plugins for WordPress and provides valuable insights to help affiliate marketers keep track of their website’s traffic and performance. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your website or boost your affiliate marketing efforts, MonsterInsights is a must-have tool.

    Key Features for MonsterInsights:

    • Instant information on what’s happening on your website
    • Track success and areas for improvement
    • Use the benefits of Google Analytics
    • Track how affiliate content is performing

    MonsterInsights UI

    Additionally, Affiliate Marketing shares many similar traits with traditional digital marketing—the only difference being that the products being marketed belong to someone else. Given these similarities, MonsterInsights is a good tool for monitoring all of your inbound traffic data to assess its performance.

    Similar to traditional digital marketing, affiliate marketing involves promoting someone else’s products. To ensure the success of your efforts, it’s crucial to monitor your inbound traffic data. That’s where MonsterInsights comes in – as an important tool for monitoring all your affiliate marketing performance. With its advanced features, you can get the insights you need to optimize and improve your results.

    MonsterInsights is for you if you…

    • Need better tracking for your affiliate website
    • Have complex affiliate campaigns with multiple elements
    • Want a solution that works with Pretty Links or Thirst Affiliates

    MonsterInsights Pricing: Free for Lite Version and $99.50/year for Plus | Learn More About MonsterInsights

    7. SliceWP

    SliceWP Homepage Jan. 2023

    SliceWP is a new Affiliate Manager plugin for WordPress that has become popular because of its real-time reports, easy affiliate addition, and one-click Paypal payouts. Despite being new, it has become notable in a competitive market.

    Key Features for SliceWP:

    • Affiliate links and coupons for promotion
    • Reports and integration with WordPress WooCommerce
    • Customizable commissions and easy PayPal payments

    SliceWP UI Screen Shot

    With SliceWP, you can get started quickly and easily. It automatically tracks visits, commissions, and revenue growth, so you can focus on other aspects of your business. Plus, with its 30-day money-back guarantee, you can try it to see for yourself if it’s the right fit for you.

    SliceWP is for you if you…

    • Unhappy with other solutions
    • Prefer a modern look for your dashboard
    • Want a complete affiliate management tool
    • Like the idea of paying once for the software and never again

    SliceWP Pricing: $259/year with Lifetime plans available | Learn More About SliceWP

    8. YITH WooCommerce Affiliates

    YITH WooCommerce Affiliates Homepage Jan. 2023

    With YITH WooCommerce Affiliates, you can effortlessly transform your WooCommerce store into a thriving affiliate hub. This plugin is an excellent choice, especially for those who already use other YITH products.

    Moreover, it offers a free-to-premium pricing model, giving beginner affiliate managers the opportunity to try it out before fully investing. With the option to try it risk-free, it’s an excellent way to test the waters and see if it’s the right fit for your business.

    Key Features for YITH WooCommerce Affiliates:

    • Pay affiliates automatically based on set limits
    • Get updates on store progress
    • Easily manage affiliates with a simple dashboard

    YITH WooCommerce Affiliates UI Screen Shot

    For those using other YITH products, YITH WooCommerce is a great way to get your affiliate program off the ground.

    Additionally, it works with other YITH products, providing a streamlined and smart solution for managing your affiliate program. Whether you’re just starting out or an experienced affiliate marketer, YITH WooCommerce Affiliates is an ideal choice for those looking to take their affiliate marketing to the next level. With its user-friendly interface and flexible pricing options, it offers a way to manage your affiliates and increase your revenue.

    YITH WooCommerce Affiliates is for you if you…

    • Use WooCommerce for store and affiliate programs only
    • Satisfied with other YITH products for store operations
    • Need a free solution before paying for a premium one

    YITH WooCommerce Affiliates Pricing: Free for the Lite version and $139.99/year for Pro | Learn More About YITH WooCommerce Affiliates

    9. Affiliates

    iThinks affliliates

    Affiliates provides a dashboard for affiliates to share their links. It’s easy to navigate, and you can customize the dashboard to match your website. It also works with WooCommerce using an additional plugin. There are many free extensions available.

    Moreover, the pro version features a more easy-to-use dashboard with benefits such as referral rates, banner management, and notifications. Additionally, it offers advanced commission rates, exporting capabilities, integrations, and a ton of other useful features.

    Key Features for Affiliates

    :

    • Strong affiliate control panel
    • Easy-to-use interface
    • Personalizable designs
    • Manage affiliate marketing
    • Friend referral program
    • Available extra features for free
    • Upgrade option available

    Pricing: Free, pro version starts at $49 | Learn More About Affiliates

    10. Post Affiliate Pro

    Post Affiliate Pro

    Post Affiliate Pro is a tool for building and growing your affiliate programs. It has many features including tracking methods, commission types, promotional materials, and reports. It also works with many CMS and payment systems. The interface is detailed and can be customized.

    Plus, it includes themes, mass payments, Ajax, multiple affiliate styles, and fraud protection. Also, performance rewards, multiple pricing options, training, mobile apps, and lots more.

    Key Features for Post Affiliate Pro:

    • 9 tracking methods
    • 7 commission types
    • 13 promotional materials
    • 8 reports
    • 170 CMS and payment gateways
    • Customizable interface
    • Mass payments
    • Mobile apps
    • Training
    • Multilingual

    Pricing: $97 per month | Learn More About Post Affiliate Pro

    11. Auto Amazon Links

    Auto Amazon Links Homepage Jan. 2023

    Getting new products for your affiliate marketing campaigns can take up a lot of time. The Auto Amazon Links plugin can help by bringing fresh Amazon products to your product galleries.

    Key Features for Auto Amazon Links:

    • Choose product categories on Amazon to create your Auto Amazon Links galleries on your WordPress website.
    • Embed single products or galleries anywhere on your site using shortcodes, widgets, or auto-insert.
    • Set it and leave it function.

    In addition, Auto Amazon Links automatically grabs the newest products from Amazon categories and shows them on your site. This way, repeat visitors will see new products as they are updated on Amazon.

    Auto Amazon Links is for you if you…

    • Run a niche category site but don’t want the extra work of writing content for particular products
    • Have high-trafficked content that Ad-like affiliate links would work well with
    • Need a low-maintenance solution

    Auto Amazon Pricing: Free Lite version or $47.98/year | Learn More About Auto Amazon Links

    12. Affiliate Booster Blocks

    Affiliate Booster Homepage Jan. 2023

    Affiliate Booster Blocks is another block editor plugin that adds custom blocks specially curated for affiliate marketers.

    Key Features for Affiliate Booster Blocks:

    • Easily add in star ratings for product reviews
    • Optimized button and CTA blocks
    • Blocks that reduce the need for many standard blocks used together

    Add affiliate product

    Affiliate Booster works with the block editor and comes at a great yearly price. It isn’t quite as easy to use as AffiliateX but also comes at a lower cost.

    Affiliate Booster Blocks is for you if you…

    • Work with the native Block Editor and not a page builder plugin or theme
    • Need a way to make content creation easy
    • Are slower with page design than content creation

    Affiliate Booster Blocks Pricing: Free Lite version and $39/year for Pro | Learn More About Affiliate Booster Blocks

    13. WP Affiliate Manager

    WP Affiliate Manager Homepage Jan. 2023

    WP Affiliate Manager is a great plugin for managing affiliate programs on your website, and, it offers full customization so you can create the affiliate program that fits your needs and goals.

    Key Features for WP Affiliate Manager:

    • Host as many affiliates for your store
    • Create custom payout commissions
    • Customize the signup process to collect the data you need to
    • Lowest cost pro option in our list

    WP Affiliate Manager UI Screen Shot

    Of the plugins in our list, WP Affiliate Manager might have the most simple feature set for affiliate management—but that comes with its upsides as well.

    WP Affiliate Manager is for you if you…

    • Are starting out or have a smaller store but want to offer an affiliate program
    • Need all the basics while you learn and grow your site
    • Want a plugin that works with your WooCommerce store

    Pricing: $39 one time | Learn More About WP Affiliate Manager

    Ending Thoughts

    For the best results, we think Pretty Links is the top choice for WordPress affiliate plugins. This is mainly due to its simple design, helpful dashboard, and ability to link keywords automatically. With Pretty Links, you can make your less attractive URLs into attractive, trackable links that you can share.

    That’s our list of the top 10 plugins for affiliate marketing on WordPress. These plugins make the process of adding affiliate links to your website or creating your own program easier. They provide helpful tools to boost traffic and sales. Whatever type of affiliate plugin you’re looking for, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs and budget on this list.

    The post 13 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins for WordPress in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 7 Best WordPress Migration Plugins in 2023

    The famous 5-minute install for WordPress is a good marketing gimmick that only slightly exaggerates the ease with which WP can be installed. Users can very easily set up a site with no fuss in almost all circumstances. But when it comes to moving your site from one host to another, things get a little trickier. Thankfully, the WordPress ecosystem is based around plugins, and there are some truly stellar options for migration plugins to choose from.

    Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

    6 Best WordPress Migration Plugins

    Migration plugins come in a couple of varieties. The first being a backup, download, and restore migration. While another is the straight transfer, which moves one site to another host and server directly, perhaps by FTP or another file transfer method. We will be covering the pros and cons of the plugins that facilitate these migrations so that you can make the most informed choice possible.

    1. UpDraftPlus

    updraftplus migration

    UpDraftPlus is the top pick for WordPress migration plugins based on several factors. The plugin is renowned for the ease with which it lets users (even free ones) back up and restore their websites after calamity happens. You can save to remote storage, within your server itself, or even just download the site backups to your local machine for safekeeping.

    That also makes it one of the best migration plugins, too, because it gives you not only the option to restore a previous version of the same site, but you can also take that backup and use it as a clone on an entirely separate WordPress installation.

    Key Features for UpdraftPlus:

    • Cloud storage for all backups, even for free users
    • Restoration for the original site, but also allows for migration to new servers/hosts
    • Premium upgrade provides free storage, support, WP-CLI integration, free access to addons, and more.

    Free users have access to some of the smoothest migration software out there, but premium users also get a huge suite of quality-of-life improvements. If you just need a quick move, then the free version will absolutely work for you. But if you need to maintain the integrity of that migration and most effectively troubleshoot any snags that appear, the premium upgrade is the way to go.

    UpdraftPlus is for you if…

    • You want cloud storage for backups.
    • Cloning your website is a must.

    Pricing: Free to starting at $70/yr | Learn More About UpDraftPlus

    2. BackupBuddy

    Best WordPress Migration Plugin

    BackupBuddy is a premium-only migration solution that is worth every penny you pay for it. From iThemes, BackupBuddy lets you make a complete copy of your site, which is why it’s perfect for migration. You get a .zip file for your entire site, from media to database, and you can then restore it on any host or server you have.

    Key Features:

    • Off-site storage for site files, downloadable as a .zip as well.
    • Full support from iThemes
    • Built-in database search, URL and domain replacement, file exclusion, and more for customized migrations to new hosts

    iThemes offers incredibly quick and solid support for their customers, so being a member and BackupBuddy user means that your migration will happen no matter what, just to your specifications, with whatever customization you need. You can choose between annual subscriptions and lifetime memberships, too.

    BackupBuddy is for you if…

    • You need excellent support options.
    • You require downloadable zip files for your backups.

    Pricing: Starting at $99/yr | Learn More About BackupBuddy

    3. Duplicator

    Duplicator plugin

    Duplicator is a highly-regarded WordPress migration plugin for its user-friendly nature. It allows for quick and effortless backup, transfer, or migration of a WordPress website. All files, databases, and settings can be moved with just a few clicks to a new server. Its intuitive interface and straightforward step-by-step process make it a top choice for those looking for an easy migration experience.

    Key Features for Duplicator:

    • Schedule backups with recovery points
    • secure file encryption
    • cloud storage integrations
    • Smart migration wizard

    With Duplicator, you have access to a one-click smart migration wizard as well as various cloud storage options, including Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3. Additionally, for those who want to create a blueprint for sites with similar themes and configurations, Duplicator offers the ability to bundle settings into a package, saving time and effort in creating new WordPress sites.

    Duplicator is for you if…

    • You need multiple options for cloud storage
    • You aim to establish templates for building multiple websites with identical configurations.

    Pricing: Free to starting at $49.50/yr | Learn More About Duplicator

    4. All-in-One WordPress Migration

    all-in-one migration plugin

    With a name like All-in-One Migration, you’re setting the expectations high from the start. Luckily, ServMask follows through and offers one of the top migration plugins in the WordPress ecosystem. Because this plugin is designed for migration first and backup second, it brings first-rate features that you will need when moving to a new host. For example, All-in-One has settings to bypass many hosts’ default upload limit of 2mb. Which is a major issue when trying to move an entire WordPress database and media library.

    Key Features:

    • Upload size-limit bypass
    • No PHP requirements, which makes migrating from out-of-date hosts to current servers seamless
    • You can choose not to import certain files or media

    One downside to All-in-One Migration is that the free version is fairly limited. For free users, you only get 512 MB worth of backups or migrations. That’s much smaller than most existing sites. However, if you have a budget for migration, the $69 lifetime license is a solid investment.

    All-in-One WordPress Migration is for you if…

    • You want zero limitations on host or PHP requirements.
    • You require custom uploads, plugins, or theme folders.

    Pricing: Free to starting at $69/yr | Learn More About All-In-One Migration

    5. VaultPress (JetPack)

    VaultPress

    VaultPress is a JetPack integration. And that’s a good thing for many WP users looking to migrate their sites in the most seamless way possible. First, being integrated into JetPack means that VaultPress is backed by Automattic and available to every WordPress site out there, regardless of being on .com or .org installations. That alone makes it worth taking a look at.

    Key Features for VaultPress:

    • Integrated into JetPack’s security suite
    • Easy automation for backup, restoration/migration to any website or host
    • Excellent support and as part of a package, more features that just migration

    Some WordPress users don’t want to use JetPack on their site, so this won’t be an option for them. But for existing JetPack customers who want off-site backups and easy/simple migrations to any server they choose, the VaultPress integration for migration is a great option. It is a paid part of JetPack, though, so if you’re a free user and don’t want to upgrade, this isn’t for you.

    VaultPress is for you if…

    • You need more than just a migration tool.
    • You’re already a JetPack user.

    Pricing: Starting at $20/month | Learn More About VaultPress (JetPack)

    6. BlogVault

    BlogVault

    BlogVault offers an incredibly useful feature other migration plugins don’t: offline restoration. Things go haywire sometimes, and it’s easy to have something turned off before you need to. BlogVault has you covered. Inside the plugin, any migration you perform will be a cinch because it handles all URL rewrites, too, which is a huge boon when moving from one host or server to another.

    Key Features for BlogVault:

    • Offline migrations
    • Offsite storage
    • WPML support for multi-site network migration
    • Daily Backups
    • Integrated staging site

    Another feature that other migration plugins likely don’t support is WordPress multisite. So if you’re migrating your entire site network from host to host, check out BlogVault. You will be able to handle it all in one go instead of doing it one by one. That alone is worth checking BlogVault out, even if just for the free trial period.

    BlogVault is for you if…

    • You need WordPress multi-site support.
    • You require offline migrations and storage.
    • Daily backups are important.

    Learn More About BlogVault

    7. WP Migrate DB

    WP Migrate Lite migration plugin

    Delicious Brains makes good plugins, and WP Migrate DB is no different. Effective and full of features, but we do want to warn you that this plugin is not as user-friendly as some others. It is designed for server admins and devs to migrate sites, not the end user. You will export the database as SQL and import it using phpMyAdmin.

    Key Features:

    • Strong customization for site admins and developers
    • Migration from site to site that you can pause, resume, and edit in real-time
    • Database import and export via SQL
    • Push/pull files between different sites and servers

    The premium upgrade for WP Migrate DB opens up the plugin’s power even more. You get WP-CLI integration, and you can work with your multisite network as a single entity. For developers needing to control the minutiae of their WordPress migrations, WP Migrate DB offers the most under-the-hood features on our list.

    WP Migrate DB is for you if…

    • You know your way around databases.
    • You need real-time migration to start/stop capabilities.

    Pricing: Free to starting at $49/yr | Learn More About WP MIGRATE DB

    Wrapping Up with WordPress Migration Plugins

    Handling a server migration of your WordPress site can be terrifying. So many things can go wrong that many users leave it in the hands of their hosts and end up paying exorbitant prices for someone else to handle it. However, with any of the plugins on our list, you can be sure that your site can move from Server A to Host B with as few snags as possible.

    That being said, UpdraftPlus stands out among other WordPress migration plugins due to its exceptional features such as the ability to store backups in popular cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Amazon S3, and the option to keep backups in multiple locations for enhanced security. Additionally, migrations are made easy with UpdraftPlus’s one-click technology.

    Post featured image illustration by hanss / shutterstock.com

    The post 7 Best WordPress Migration Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 11 Best WordPress Contact Form Plugins in 2023

    Contact forms provide a quick and easy way for customers and potential clients to get in touch with you. Plus, they can do a lot more than that. They can also serve as a lead generation tool, there’s no limit to what you can use forms for. However, to add them to your site without manual coding, you’ll want to use a WordPress contact form plugin.

    In this post, we’ll look at the evolution of WordPress forms plugins. Then we’ll explore 11 of the best options and help you find the right one for your website.

    Let’s get started!

    The Evolution of WordPress Forms Plugins

    In the early days of the Content Management System (CMS), WordPress contact form plugins served a somewhat singular and straightforward purpose: to create basic forms on websites so that customers could contact businesses or bloggers via email. However, these forms have since evolved far beyond the contact page.

    Over the years, the once humble contact form plugins have grown to become fully functional form builders. Today they can be used to serve a wide range of purposes on just about any type of WordPress site. This includes, but is not limited to:

    • Lead generation
    • Email newsletter sign-ups
    • Membership Registration
    • E-commerce orders
    • Quizzes and surveys

    Thanks to WordPress contact form plugins, you can now easily build dynamic, aesthetically pleasing forms without having to manually code them. You can even create animations and special effects, such as pop-up forms. Plus, you can place them just about anywhere on your site and integrate them with payment, email, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms.

    The best WordPress contact form plugin for you to use will depend on a handful of factors. Some tools serve as all-in-one solutions that let you easily build and customize a variety of complex forms. Others are geared more toward beginners looking to create simple contact forms. So before beginning your search, it’s a good idea to know what you’re looking for and what kinds of features you’ll need.

    11 Best WordPress Contact Form Plugins in 2023

    Now that you understand a little more about WordPress forms and the kinds of content you can use to create on your website, it’s time to explore some of your options. In the following sections, we’ll introduce 11 of the best WordPress contact form plugins.

    To compile this list, we considered a handful of factors. This includes each plugin’s active installations and ratings, features and support, and pricing. No matter what you plan to use your WordPress contact form plugin for, one of these tools should be able to help you out.

    1. WPForms

    WPForms banner

    First up, WPForms is perhaps the most well-known WordPress contact form plugin and the all-around best option for many users. It lets you build beautiful, dynamic forms in minutes using its intuitive drag-and-drop interface:

    Conditional Logic Forms

    You can also choose from a library of pre-built templates to make the creation process that much quicker. This plugin is incredibly beginner-friendly, and it is offered in both a lite and premium version.

    You can use the free version on as many sites as you’d like. You can also leverage its impressive collection of handy features, including email notifications, spam protection, and more. If you want to upgrade to a premium plan, you can use advanced functions such as multi-page, payment, and order forms.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop interface
    • 150+ pre-built form templates
    • Entry management system
    • Smart conditional logic for creating high-performance forms
    • File uploads
    • Integration with Mailchimp, AWeber, PayPal, and more (premium)
    • Instant notifications
    • Login and user registration
    • Survey & polls add-on
    • Spam protection
    • Landing page forms

    WPForms is for you if…

    …… you’re looking for a reliable, flexible, and powerful WordPress contact form plugin. It can be used on everything from basic start-up sites to complex e-commerce sites.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $39.50 per year | More Information

    2. Gravity Forms

    Gravity Forms logo

    Next on our list, Gravity Forms is a premium WordPress contact form plugin that, like Formidable Forms, is also mostly aimed at developers and other advanced users. However, unlike many premium tools, it doesn’t offer a free version (aside from a Custom Post Types add-on).

    With the paid version, you can easily create complex forms, including ones with multiple pages. It also lets you schedule forms to limit when they’re displayed, limit entries (such as for contests), and export entry data as CSV files.

    Gravity Froms settings

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop form builder
    • More than 30 form fields
    • Advanced forms for quizzes, surveys, subscriptions, web directories, and more
    • CSV export
    • Built-in conditional logic
    • Entry Limitations
    • Paragraph fields
    • File uploads
    • Front-end user content submissions
    • Schedule forms
    • Tons of support, including a ticketing system and a knowledge base

    Gravity Forms is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a premium and sophisticated WordPress contact form plugin. It’s a solid option if you have a customer support website. Also, because you can incorporate schedule forms, it can help let your users book appointments via your site.

    Price: Licenses start at $59 per year | More Information

    3. Formidable Forms

    Formidable Forms banner

    Formidable Forms is a freemium WordPress contact form plugin that helps you quickly create and customize a variety of form types. As with WPForms, it offers a clean drag-and-drop interface that is suitable for beginners:

    Formidable Forms creation page

    Through this plugin, you’ll have the option of creating your own forms from scratch or selecting one of the ready-made templates. If you’re looking to build standard contact forms, the lite version is usually sufficient. However, if you want to expand your forms beyond the seven fields the free plugin offers, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium version.

    The premium plugin offers a wide range of features that are ideal for building complex forms. It’s focused largely on developers, making it an excellent tool if you plan on creating a range of forms for various websites.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • Unlimited email notifications
    • Over 17 paid add-ons for email and payment integrations
    • Import/export forms in XML format
    • Advanced forms, including quizzes, surveys, polls, registration, etc.
    • Advanced calculation fields and smart calculators
    • Highly extendable design
    • reCAPTCHA integration to prevent spam
    • Style editor that enables you to modify CSS

    Formidable Forms is for you if…

    … you’re a developer looking for an advanced, premium WordPress contact form plugin. While the free version is suitable for creating simple forms, the real value of Formidable Forms is in its premium tool, which is ideal for creating complex elements. It’s targeted at advanced users and developers. Therefore, if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly option, this may not be the best choice.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $49.50 per year | More Information

    4. Ninja Forms

    The NInja Forms WordPress plugin.

    Ninja Forms is a flexible freemium plugin that can be helpful whether you’re a developer or a beginner WordPress user. It boasts a modern, drag-and-drop interface that you can use to create unlimited forms and fields:

    Form builder interface

    Ninja Forms is simple enough for beginners to use. However, there are also plenty of customization features that make it helpful for developers as well.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop interface
    • Filters and custom field templates
    • Conditional logic add-on
    • Date picker feature
    • Unlimited number of forms, fields, and submissions
    • More than 40 extensions
    • Multi-part forms
    • Mailchimp, AWeber, and Campaign Monitor integration
    • Payment processor connections
    • Manage and export submissions
    • Save form fields for future use
    • Plenty of support documentation

    Ninja Forms is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a freemium option that lets you create unlimited forms. You can use the free version on as many sites as you wish, while the premium tool lets you access advanced features and paid add-ons.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $49.50 per year | More Information

    5. Form Maker

    The Form Maker plugin.

    If you want to create simple yet customizable contact forms, Form Maker is another freemium WordPress contact form plugin that’s worth checking out. Like most of the tools included on this list, it features a drag-and-drop builder that makes creating forms straightforward, even for beginners:

    The Form Maker plugin demo.

    Whether you want to create your form from scratch or use a pre-made template, this tool includes plenty of options for you to choose from by default. Then you can easily display the resulting forms on your site as popups, top bars, or scroll boxes. You can also embed them into your posts and pages.

    The free version of Form Maker includes handy features such as conditional logic and multi-page forms. The premium option is even more impressive, enabling you to accept payments via Stripe or PayPal, upload files, and more.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop interface
    • Pre-built templates
    • Fully-customizable themes
    • Multi-page forms
    • Conditional logic
    • Submission management
    • Spam protection
    • Customizable emails
    • Paid add-ons for Mailchimp, Dropbox, and more
    • Payment Acceptance

    Form Maker is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a powerful freemium plugin. While it’s not as popular as some of the other freemium options, it does include an expansive range of features that are suitable for many different types of forms and websites. You can try the free plugin to get a feel for whether it’s the right fit, and then upgrade to the paid tool when you’re ready to unlock more advanced functionality.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $30 | More Information

    6. Divi Contact Forms Module

    The Divi Builder plugin website.

    If you’re an Elegant Themes member, you can use our Divi Contact Forms module to create stunning, dynamic forms for your site. While it’s not a standalone plugin like some of the other tools included on this list, it’s the most accessible option if you already use Divi Builder.

    As a powerful page builder, Divi makes creating beautiful, fully-functional pages as quick and easy as possible. We offer a ton of elements and modules for you to choose from, including a Forms module:

    The Divi Contact Forms module.

    One of the advantages of using Divi Builder is that you won’t need to install any additional plugins in order to create contact forms. Our Forms module comes built-in, so you can quickly add it via the searchable module list when building your pages and posts.

    Key Features:

    • Visual builder
    • Translatable and localized form fields
    • Content, design, and advanced form options
    • Conditional logic
    • Form field and button style customization
    • Field validation
    • Option to create custom form fields
    • Ability to hide/display input fields
    • Radio buttons and dropdowns

    Divi Forms is for you if…

    … you’re an Elegant Themes member looking for a quick and simple way to add forms to your site. It’s a high-quality solution for creating both forms and entire pages for your WordPress website. Plus, you can ensure that any form you add will perfectly match your current theme’s branding and styling.

    Price: Access starts at $89 per year (as part of an Elegant Themes membership) | More Information

    7. Contact Form 7

    The Contact Form 7 plugin.

    There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Contact Form 7 – it’s among the most popular WordPress contact form plugins, especially when it comes to free tools. With over 5 million active installations, it’s also one of the oldest form plugins out there.

    While it’s certainly not as advanced or feature-rich as some of the premium or freemium options on this list, this solution does boast an impressive array of features for creating and managing multiple contact forms:

    Contact Us Form from Cotact form 7

    Although the interface is by no means as clean or modern as some of the other plugins on our list, the forms are easy to customize and let you add simple markup. If you’re used to creating WordPress pages and posts, you should have little trouble navigating this plugin to create new forms.

    While some people have complained about the plugin causing compatibility issues, its main advantage is that it’s free. As long as you’re not looking for advanced functionality or complex solutions, Contact Form 7 is worth checking out. We’d recommend testing it out on a staging site first (which is a smart practice for any new plugin you’re considering).

    Key Features:

    • Quick and easy setup
    • Customizable messages
    • Defined mail settings
    • Support documentation and forum
    • Unlimited forms
    • Support for unique fields such as CAPATCHAs, drop-down menus, and file submissions

    Contact Form 7 is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a free, simple plugin. It’s a flexible tool that is perfect for beginners wanting to create standard contact forms on their WordPress sites. Also, it’s incredibly lightweight and shouldn’t affect your site’s performance.

    Price: Free | More Information

    8. Jetpack Forms

    Jetpack logo

    Jetpack Forms is a comprehensive contact form solution part of the Jetpack plugin suite. Unlike the other solutions, Jetpack is an incredibly robust tool that goes way beyond a simple forms plugin. It can be used to optimize your website’s speed or boost its security.

    It’s a great choice for those who use or plan to use multiple Jetpack features on their WordPress site.

    The Jetpack Form block in the WordPress editor.

     

    With Jetpack Forms, you can create custom contact forms, surveys, quizzes, and more with just a few clicks. The issue is that, because it isn’t as specialized, the customization options are lacking compared to the other plugins.

    Key Features for Jetpack Forms:

    • Pre-built templates for quickly creating forms
    • Integration with popular payment gateways for accepting payments and donations
    • Spam protection with Akismet

    Jetpack Forms is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a plugin that can also help you improve your site in other ways. For example, in addition to creating user-friendly forms, you can also use this tool to enhance your site’s performance and security. However, if you’re looking for a highly customizable-form builder, this probably isn’t the plugin for you.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $4.77 per month | More Information

    9. Quform WordPress Form Builder

    Quform2 logo

    Quform WordPress form builder is an extremely versatile  WordPress contact form plugin. You can use it to build nearly any type of form using a simple, modern drag-and-drop interface:

    Qufrom contact us setup

    One of the best aspects of this plugin is the expansive array of customizable elements it offers. From button styles and animations to labels and loaders, there are plenty of features for tailoring the design of your forms to your liking.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop form builder
    • Custom autoreply and filters
    • Built-in and custom validators
    • 19 element types
    • 11 button styles
    • FontAwesome integration
    • Custom device-targeted CSS
    • Import and export files
    • Fully translatable

    Quform is for you if…

    … you want a highly-customizable yet user-friendly premium form builder. It’s also a solid choice if one of your main concerns is personalizing your forms’ appearance to match your business’ branding. Quform is also a great option if you want a premium tool but need to keep costs low, as it is one of the least expensive paid options.

    Price: Licenses start at $29 | More Information

    10. FormCraft

    The FormCraft plugin website.

    FormCraft is another premium-only tool offered on CodeCanyon. It has a 4.5-star rating and nearly 20,000 users, which is a clear testament to its reliability and usefulness as a WordPress contact form plugin.

    The tool is a powerful, feature-packed form builder that is both fast and scalable. You can choose from an array of templates, or create your own forms from scratch:

    FormCraft Dashboard

    Another aspect we appreciate about this plugin is the variety of forms you can create. This includes (but is not limited to) surveys, booking appointments and scheduling, and pop-up forms.

    Key Features:

    • Drag-and-drop builder
    • Dozens of add-ons, including one for multi-page forms
    • Pop-up form builder
    • Advanced logic and math formulas
    • GDPR compliant
    • Developer tools
    • Multisite support

    FormCraft is for you if…

    … you’re a developer or advanced user who plans on creating many different types of forms. It’s also a cheaper alternative to Formidable Forms Premium or Gravity Forms.

    Price: Licenses start at $36 | More Information

    11. Forminator

    Forminator Pro banner

    Forminator is a comprehensive contact form plugin that offers a variety of features to create different forms, including contact forms, surveys, quizzes, and more. It comes with a drag-and-drop form builder, so you don’t need to know any coding to create custom forms. Additionally, it comes with pre-made templates and ready-to-use forms, which makes it a great option for those who want to get started quickly.

    Forminator works with popular email services, CRM, storage, and project management apps. It supports real-time feedback with live stats displayed in charts and graphs for your polls.

    Key Features for Forminator:

    • Drag-and-drop form builder
    • Pre-made templates and ready-to-use forms
    • Integration with popular email marketing and CRM services
    • Option to add custom styles to match your website
    • Integration with multiple third-party services, including PayPal and Stripe
    • Captcha and spam protection to keep your forms secure

    Formidable Pro Demo

    Forminator offers both free and paid (pro) versions of its contact form plugin. The free version provides you with almost everything you would need for a basic contact form while the pro version offers more advanced features and increased functionality.

    Forminator creation page

    Free Features:

    • Easy form builder: Drag-and-drop interface makes it simple to create forms.
    • Basic form fields: You can add basic fields like text, email, number, etc., to your forms.
    • Responsive forms: Forms will look good on any device.
    • Basic form submissions management: You can view form submissions and export them as CSV.
    • Customizable confirmation messages: You can customize the confirmation message after a form is submitted.

    Pro Features:

    • Advanced form fields: You can add fields like dropdown, radio button, checkbox, etc., to your forms.
    • Multi-page forms: You can create multi-page forms that are more engaging and increase form completion rates.
    • Form analytics: Track form views, submissions, conversion rates, and more with detailed analytics.
    • Advanced submissions management: You can view form submissions, export as CSV/PDF, and integrate with Google Sheets, Zapier, etc.
    • Conditional logic: Show or hide form fields based on user selections with conditional logic.
    • Payment integration: Accept payments through your forms with integration with PayPal and Stripe.

    Forminator is for you if…

    …you want an all-in-one form builder solution that offers custom styling, multi-page forms with conditional logic, pre-made templates, and the ability to create a variety of forms beyond just contact forms like surveys, quizzes, and payment forms.

    Forminator Pricing: Free | $39/year | Learn More About Forminator

    Final Thoughts on Contact Form Plugin for WordPress

    Contact Form plugins are essential for any website looking to improve communication with its audience. With a variety of options available, finding the right one for your website can be a challenge. However, with our guide, we hope you have found the plugin that best suits your needs.

    Our top two picks for the best Contact Form plugin for WordPress go to WPForms and Ninja Forms. These plugins are highly recommended for their ease of use, UI, and advanced features. Whether you are looking to create simple contact forms or complex registration forms, they are the best contact form plugins available. But if you’re using Divi, you’re in luck because the built-in contact form is beyond stellar!

    Did we miss any Contact Form plugins? Leave a comment telling us below!

    Featured image illustration via Dzianis_Rakhuba/shutterstock

    The post 11 Best WordPress Contact Form Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 9 Best Comment Plugins for WordPress in 2023

    Comments remain one of the primary forms of user engagement on most blogs. Allowing your readers to share their thoughts and opinions can help them feel more invested in your brand and build community. However, it also opens the door to spam, trolls, and other unsavory characters. This means it’s important to actively manage your blog’s comments. And beyond that, you can choose to alter or optimize your comments section from the WordPress default in order to encourage the types of interaction you want to see. That’s where this list of the best comment plugins for WordPress can help.

    A quality comment solution will provide advanced moderation functionality and user identification features. It may also help improve the User Experience (UX) of your comments section to make participation enjoyable for readers. In this post, we’ve curated a list of nine top tools for you to consider.

    Let’s dive in!

    Why You May Need a Comments Plugin for Your Website

    WordPress is used to build many types of websites, but it’s still incredibly popular for blogs and similar projects. If you want to create a strong readership or community of any sort, WordPress is an excellent choice.

    One of the reasons for this is the platform’s built-in comments system. By default, you can enable user discussion for any post or page on your site. Visitors can leave their thoughts, ask questions, and interact with both you and one another. This is a great way to drive engagement and keep readers coming back.

    However, the default comments system is fairly simple. There are a few settings to tweak, but if you want full control over the way comments operate on your website, you may find those basic options lacking. You might want readers to be able to log in and comment through third-party platforms, for example, or you may desire social features such as “likes.”

    Whatever the reason, there are plenty of ways to give your WordPress site’s comments system more depth and flexibility (and also protect against spam comments). In the following sections, we’ll introduce you to some of our favorite tools.

    9 Best Comment Plugins for WordPress in 2023

    The nine plugins below offer a wide variety of different improvements to your WordPress comments. We’ve selected them based on their diversity of features, as well as their reviews, ratings, and popularity. We’ve also made sure to choose plugins that are frequently updated by their developers, so you can feel confident that they won’t negatively impact your site.

    1. WordPress Comments Import & Export

    The WordPress Comments Import & Export plugin.

    At times, you may need to import or export comments on your WordPress site. For example, if you have multiple blogs and want to move a post from one site to another, you might want to migrate its existing comments along with it. Alternatively, if you’re making changes to your site in a staging environment, your live site will likely continue accruing comments while you’re working.

    WordPress Comments Import & Export provides a solution to these problems and is simple to use. It provides a sample CSV file to help you format your comments properly, and straightforward and user-friendly options on its settings page:

    The WordPress Comments Import & Export settings.

    If at any point you’re unsure how to proceed, you can click on the Help tab to access the plugin’s documentation.

    Key Features:

    • Filter comments for export by date or title
    • Import and export WooCommerce product comments
    • Schedule automatic comment imports and exports
    • Merge identical imported and existing comments to prevent duplicates

    WordPress Comments Import & Export is for you if…

    …you want to migrate comments from one site to another.

    Price: Free | More Information

    2. Disable Comments

    The Disable Comments plugin.

    Next up, we have Disable Comments, which lets you turn off comments on your WordPress site. Although this is technically possible via the default WordPress Discussion Settings, this plugin gives you more control over the process.

    In addition to turning off commenting for certain post types, it will remove all the related settings from the back end of your site:

    Removing the Discussion settings from WordPress with the Disable Comments plugin.

    It’s important to note that you should delete any existing comments on your site before activating the Disable Comments plugin. Depending on your theme, existing discussions may continue to be visible on the front end even if you turn off commenting for your entire site.

    Key Features:

    • Remove comment-related widgets from your site
    • Disable comment RSS feeds
    • Delete the X-Pingback HTTP header from your site
    • Turn off outgoing pingbacks

    Disable Comments is for you if…

    …you want to completely remove comments functionality from WordPress.

    Price: Free | More Information

    3. Simple Comment Editing

    Simple Comment logo

    Have you ever left a comment on a website, only to be left in horror at a misspelling or grammatical error? Well, Simple Comment Editing might be for you! This lightweight plugin provides a solution to this problem by allowing users to edit their own comments on your site.

    Key Features of Simple Comment Editing:

    • Allows users to edit their own comments
    • Allows website administrators to set a time limit for comment editing
    • Protects against spammers adding links to approved comments

    Simple Comment Editing settings page

    With Simple Comment Editing, users can quickly make changes to their comments, avoiding any confusion or frustration caused by spelling mistakes or other errors. The ability to set a time limit for comment editing ensures that your website stays protected from unwanted changes made by spammers.

    Simple Comment Editing is for you if…

    You have a WordPress website where user-generated comments are important, and you want to provide a better experience for your visitors by allowing them to make changes to their comments.

    Simple Comment Editing Pricing: Free with premium add-ons| Learn More About Simple Comment Editing

    4. Jetpack Comments

    The Jetpack plugin.

    Jetpack is a multipurpose plugin that can help with your site’s security, performance, and more. It also includes several discussion settings that you can configure to enhance your posts’ comments sections.

    To turn on these features, you’ll need to navigate to Jetpack > Settings > Discussion:

    The Jetpack Comments settings.

    Key Features:

    • Enable users to comment using a WordPress.com, Facebook, or Google account
    • Add pop-up business cards for users’ Gravatars
    • Turn on Markdown for comments
    • Let users “like” comments
    • Set up comment subscriptions

    Jetpack Comments is for you if…

    …you want a multi-featured solution for managing comments along with other key areas like security and performance.

    Price: Free, with premium versions starting at $5.97 per month | More Information

    5. Akismet

    The Akismet plugin.

    One of the best-known comment plugins for WordPress is Akismet, an anti-spam tool. It helps moderate your comments by using machine learning to identify low-quality submissions and delete them automatically.

    You can improve the plugin’s accuracy by marking comments in the moderation queue as spam. Over time, Akismet will start to pick up on recurring elements that indicate a comment is spam and will start moving them to the trash without requiring you to interfere:

    Marking a comment as spam in WordPress.

    Key Features:

    • View each comment’s status history
    • Show links in the comment body so you can remove suspicious ones
    • See the number of approved comments for each user
    • Discard the worst comments, so they don’t take up space in your database

    Akismet is for you if…

    …you’d like a largely automated way to moderate comments efficiently on your website.

    Price: Free, with premium versions starting at $10 per month | More Information

    6. Fancy Comments

    The Fancy Comments plugin.

    Along with blog comments, social media is another key channel through which you can drive engagement. With Fancy Comments, you can bring these two strategies together by pulling Facebook comments into your blog:

    A Facebook comment box on a WordPress blog post.

    Users will be able to leave comments by logging into their Facebook accounts. You can post their comments to your profile’s timeline as well as on your site in order to drive traffic from Facebook and vice versa.

    Key Features:

    • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance
    • Facebook comments widget and shortcode to display comments anywhere on your site
    • Comment sorting
    • Option to choose which posts, pages, and custom post types feature Facebook comments
    • Compatibility with WooCommerce, BuddyPress, and bbPress

    Fancy Comments is for you if…

    …you’d like to promote cross-engagement between your comments sections and Facebook.

    Price: Free, with a premium version starting at $11.99 | More Information

    7. Subscribe to Comments Reloaded

    The Subscribe Comments Reloaded plugin.

    If you’ve ever left a question for an author in a blog post comment, you know the frustration of having to check back periodically to see if you’ve received an answer. You can eliminate this problem for your readers by enabling comment subscriptions using Subscribe to Comments Reloaded.

    Users can sign up to receive email notifications whenever new comments are posted. On the back end, you can completely customize the message they’ll receive:

    Customizing the comment subscription emails.

    Key Features:

    • Turn off comment subscriptions for specific content
    • Enable users to suspend notifications for one post or all content
    • Show a subscription confirmation message so you don’t spam users’ inboxes
    • Enable subscriptions to all comments or replies only

    Subscribe to Comments Reloaded is for you if…

    …you’re looking to offer a more user-friendly comments experience for users.

    Price: Free | More Information

    8. wpDiscuz

    The wpDiscuz plugin.

    If you want to drive engagement on your blog, it’s important to make the process as easy and enjoyable as possible for your readers. With wpDiscuz, you can completely customize the native commenting system in WordPress to improve its UX for you and your visitors.

    One of the most notable features of this plugin is the comment form layouts it provides:

    The wpDiscuz comment form layout options.

    It also enables inline commenting, which can be useful for long-form content that covers several subtopics:

    The wpDiscuz inline commenting feature.

    Key Features:

    • Social commenting and social login
    • Real-time comment updates
    • Five-star article rating system
    • Read more buttons for long comments, and View replies buttons for comment threads
    • Author notifications and comment subscriptions
    • Smart comment voting system with cookie tracking

    wpDiscuz is for you if…

    …you want a fully customized commenting experience.

    Price: Free with premium add-ons | More Information

    9. WP Discourse

    The WP Discourse plugin.

    Finally, the last of our best comment plugins for WordPress is WP Discourse. Discourse is a third-party discussion platform that you can integrate with your website.

    Discourse is primarily a forum-style discussion platform. It’s open source, so you can download and install it on your own server, or purchase a hosting plan if you would prefer not to deal with the technical aspects of using it.

    You can publish your WordPress posts to Discourse to facilitate community interaction there, and also display Discourse forum comments on your site. This gives users multiple ways to engage with your content. Plus, you may pick up some new readers by featuring your blog posts in multiple locations.

    To help you manage all this, the WP Discourse plugin provides advanced comments settings for you to configure:

    The WP Discourse comments settings.

    Just keep in mind that the plugin only connects your site to Discourse. You still have to install the software yourself or pay to have it hosted for you.

    Key Features:

    • Automatically publish WordPress content to Discourse
    • Sync author accounts between WordPress and Discourse
    • Embed forum discussions in your blog posts
    • Log in to Discourse via WordPress using Single Sign On (SSO)

    WP Discourse is for you if…

    …you’d like to offer your users a more forum-like comment experience.

    Price: The plugin is free, while you can self-host Discourse or pay for a hosting plan starting at $100 per month | More Information

    Conclusion

    Whether you’re looking to gain more control over your WordPress comments settings or you want to integrate your site with a community platform, there’s a plugin that can help. With the right tool, you can boost user engagement and prevent unruly spam.

    In this post, we reviewed nine of the best comment plugins for WordPress. If you want more control over your site’s comment section, we recommend starting with Disable Comments. It’s simple to use and provides the settings you need for your comment section.

    Do you have any questions about which comment plugin to use on your WordPress site? Ask away in the comments section below!

    Featured Image Illustration via Julia Tim / shutterstock.com

    The post 9 Best Comment Plugins for WordPress in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • How to Create a Block Theme for WordPress (The Easy Way)

    Creating a WordPress Block Theme for your website isn’t as hard as you might think. WordPress Block themes have been growing in popularity since their introduction in WordPress 5.9 with a growing number of premade block themes available in the WordPress repository. And, for those who want to create a WordPress block theme on your own, you’re in luck. The Create Block Theme plugin simplifies the process so you create a custom block theme quickly without extensive coding. Plus, you can even use it to create a child theme for your site.

    In this post, we’ll explain the benefits of using the Create Block Theme plugin and how to create your own block theme in a few clicks.

    What is a WordPress Block Theme?

    WordPress block theme

    A WordPress block theme is a full site editing theme for WordPress based on blocks. A block theme allows you to create any page or post using a drag-and-drop interface with blocks and block patterns you can use to build your content. You can even create custom templates and template parts (like headers and footers using the site editor.

    Additionally, it is easier to add custom styles to a block theme. There’s no need to edit the functions.php, style.css, or other theme files to create custom blocks, fonts, or add theme styling. Everything can be accomplished by editing one file – theme.json. WordPress considers block themes to be the future of WordPress. Thankfully, there are quite a few advantages to using them.

    Intro to the Create Block Theme Plugin

    For this post, we’ll be highlighting the Create Block Theme plugin, which is a free plugin available in the WordPress plugin repository. It allows you to create a new theme, blank theme, or child theme quickly. You can also embed Google fonts – either via CDN or locally.

    The Create Block Theme plugin saves you a ton of work creating child themes by allowing you to create and install one in a matter of minutes. Let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to take to use the plugin.

    Key Features

    The Create Block Theme plugin has some amazing features to make theme creation easy and fast:

    • Create a block child theme with a single click.
    • There’s no extensive coding required.
    • It’s easy to clone a theme.
    • You can export WordPress block themes for use on other projects.
    • You can create a blank block theme.
    • Add a new style variation to the global styles in site editor

    How to Create a WordPress Block Theme?

    Before we use the plugin to create a block theme, you must first install and activate a parent block theme. For this tutorial, we’re going to use the Twenty Twenty-Three theme.

    Install A Parent Block theme

    To get started, log in to your WordPress dashboard. Next, navigate to Appearance > Themes.

    WordPress dashboard

    You can choose any theme you wish – as long as it’s a WordPress block theme. If you’d like to use a block theme other than Twenty Twenty-Three, start by clicking the Add New button in Appearance > Themes.

    Add new theme

    Click the block theme tab to reveal the options for available block themes.

    choose WordPress block theme tab

    Once you find the desired theme, hover over it, then click the Install button.

    Install block theme

    Install Create Block theme Plugin

    The next step is to install the Create Block Theme plugin. There a few ways to install a WordPress plugin, but this one can easily be installed from the dashboard. Start by navigating to Plugins > Add New in the WordPress dashboard.

    Add new plugin

    Type Create Block Theme in the search box. When the page refreshes, select the plugin, then click Install Now.

    Install Create Block Theme plugin

    Once installed, simply activate the plugin.

    activate plugin

    Configure the Create Block Theme Plugin

    Now that the plugin has been installed, navigate to Appearance > Create Block Theme.

    configure Create Block Theme plugin

    In the plugin’s settings, you’ll have a few options:

    create block theme settings

    1. Export (theme name)
    2. Create child of (theme name)
    3. Clone (theme name)
    4. Overwrite (theme name)
    5. Create blank theme
    6. Create a style variation

    Export Theme

    This setting allows you to export the activated theme along with any changes you’ve made. Any templates, global styling, fonts, or other structural changes will be present. Using this setting, you can export the theme, then use it in other WordPress installations. All of your settings will be preserved.

    To export your currently installed theme, select the export option, then click the generate button. The file will be downloaded to your downloads folder as a zip file, like any other WordPress theme.

    Create Child Theme

    create child theme

    This option allows you to create a child theme based off of your current parent theme. Before generating the child theme, be sure to give your theme a name, description, URL, note the author, as well as the author URL if you choose to. Once you click the generate button, the plugin will automatically download your child theme as a zip file.

    Clone Theme

    clone block theme

    When cloning your block theme, the plugin will create a new theme. The clone will retain all assets of the parent theme, as well as any user changes. Similarly to creating a child theme, be sure to name your theme, give it a description, and note a theme URL, author, and author URL.

    Overwrite Theme

    overwrite theme

    When you overwrite your block theme, all user changes will be saved and converted to theme changes. Any templates you create or style changes you make will be saved into theme files, making them a permanent part of the theme.

    Create Blank Theme

    create blank theme

    When you select this option, a blank theme will be created within your website’s theme directory. Before generating your new theme, give it a name, description, and theme URL (if desired), note the author, and author URL. Upon clicking the generate button, you can navigate to Appearance > Themes to view your new blank theme.

    new blank theme

    Create a Style Variation

    Style variations are located in Appearance > Editor. To locate them, navigate to the theme editor, then click the styles button at the top right corner of the editor. There, you can create new styles for text, colors, and buttons. There are additional options for styling individual blocks, too.

    theme styles

    Once you’ve created styles, you can create a style variation in the Create a Block Theme plugin by choosing the last option in the settings. Give your style a name, then click Generate.

    new style variation

    To view your new style, navigate back to Appearance > Editor, click the style icon, and select browse styles. There you can browse through the styles to locate the new one you just created.

    custom style

    Manage Theme Fonts

    To manage the fonts installed in your theme, navigate to Appearance > Manage Theme Fonts. There you’ll be able to view all of the installed fonts in your theme.

    manage theme fonts

    One of the most surprising and amazing features of the Create Block Theme plugin is the ability to manage your theme’s fonts. In this section of the plugin, you can remove entire font families or a single variation. Additionally, you can easily add Google fonts to your theme either by hosting them locally or calling them through the Google Fonts CDN. Here are some of the best Google fonts for the web.

    To remove a font family or font variation, simply click the remove link next to the family or variation you’d like to remove from your site.

    remove font

    Add a Google Font

    To add a Google font, start by clicking the Add Google Font button at the top of the page.

    add Google font button

    When the page refreshes, use the dropdown menu to select a font. You’ll be able to choose any font in Google’s font library.

    select a font

    Once you make a font selection, you’ll have the option to choose the variants you wish to include. You can choose all by clicking the checkbox at the top or choose individual ones. After choosing variants, click the Add google fonts to your theme button.

    Add Google font

    You can also add local fonts to your theme. Start by clicking the Add Local Font button. Fonts in the ttf, off, and woff2 file formats are supported.

    add local font button

    Upload a font by choosing a file saved on your local machine. Next, give it a name, and apply a font style, and font weight. Finally, click Upload local fonts to your theme.

    Once fonts are installed, they can be managed within the Create Block Theme plugin and applied to styles in the site editor.

    fonts in style editor

    After fonts are added, you can head back over to the Create Block Theme tab to apply one of the options to create a child theme, export it, clone it, or overwrite your current theme. All fonts will be preserved along with style variations, as well as templates that you create.

    Creating a WordPress Block Theme Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

    Thanks to the Create Block Theme plugin, it’s easier than ever to create a block theme for your website. You can create your own theme templates using the full site editor, add new styles, add and manage fonts, and even export your block themes for use on other projects. There’s no coding, no theme files to alter, and it’s all done within a few clicks. If you’re looking to start using block themes, or are looking for an easy way to manage them, consider using the Create Block Theme plugin.

    For those using page builders, there should be built-in options for creating custom themes. With Divi, you can easily import and export all of your templates and designs using the theme builder. This allows you save entire site styles to be used like a child theme to kickstart new website builds in a few clicks.

    Have you made the switch to WordPress block themes? If so, let us know in the comments below.

    The post How to Create a Block Theme for WordPress (The Easy Way) appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 8 Best WordPress Events Calendar Plugins in 2023

    In the 21st century, planning any kind of event manually can feel too ‘old school’. If you have access to the right tools, you can easily set up a website that enables you to schedule events, manage attendance, send reminders, and even process payments. All of that is possible with the right WordPress events calendar plugin.

    In this article, we’re going to help you find the best WordPress events calendar plugin by checking what they have in common, and then we’ll introduce you to our top picks.

    Let’s get right to it!

    What Makes for a Quality WordPress Events Calendar Plugin?

    WordPress events and calendar plugins usually offer a variety of features that enable you to plan and manage multiple events (even simultaneous ones). In most cases, this type of plugin gives your users the opportunity to see a calendar of upcoming happenings, and decide which ones they want to sign up for:

    example event from event calendar plugin

    The primary goal of an events plugin is to make it so you don’t have to process attendance, confirmations, and payments manually. You can set up an event using your tool of choice, and let users sign up for it through your website at their leisure.

    Other features to look out for in a WordPress events plugin include:

    • Broad theme compatibility. The events plugin you choose should work with your favorite theme, so you don’t have to switch to a new one.
    • A variety of customization options. Ideally, your plugin of choice should provide you with plenty of calendar styling options and customization features for event signups.
    • Integration with third-party event planning and calendar services. If you want to use Google Calendar or Facebook (or any other service) to plan events, your WordPress plugin should offer easy integration options.

    By using a plugin to manage events, you’ll be able to focus more of your attention on other, more important tasks like SEO techniques, or growing your business. Fortunately, since this is WordPress we’re talking about, you get plenty of options to pick from.

    8 Best WordPress Events Calendar Plugins

    For this roundup, we put together a list of WordPress events plugins that offer free versions. In many cases, you can also opt to purchase a premium license to get access to additional features.

    It’s our goal to recommend plugins that work well and offer plenty of features, which may mean a premium license is necessary. Plus, these plugins have strong reviews, satisfied user bases, and consistent updates.

    1. The Events Calendar

    Events Calendar Plugin

    The Events Calendar is perhaps the most popular WordPress events plugin, and it’s one that we’ve covered in the past. This tool lets you import events from other calendars, and create your own using a simple editor:

    Adding a new event using The Events Calendar plugin

    With this plugin, you can set up a calendar that includes featured events and search functionality. It can also display date information for whichever time zone your users are in, show locations using maps, and much more.

    Key Features for The Events Calendar:

    • Set up an events calendar for your website
    • Add as many events as you want
    • Create featured events
    • Provide a search bar to help users find the events they’re looking for
    • Import events from third-party platforms
    • Customize your calendar’s style using CSS
    • Events Calendar Plugins for Divi

    The Events Calendar offers a basic template for your calendar that works well with most themes. However, you can also customize your calendar’s appearance using CSS or with a premium theme such as Divi.

    Divi users can benefit from using the Divi Events Calendar extension that adds dedicated modules to create custom events within Divi’s Visual Builder. If you’d rather spend time doing other important things for your site, there’s even an Events Calendar child theme for Divi available in our marketplace.

    The Events Calendar is for you if…

    • You want a responsive events calendar that looks good with most themes.
    • CSS customization isn’t a roadblock.
    • You need compatibility with Divi for easy customization.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $99 per year | Learn more about The Events Calendar

    2. Timetable and Event Schedule by MotoPress

    Timetable and Event Schedule by MotoPress

    When you need to create complex timetables with multiple types of events, Timetable and Event Schedule is a fantastic choice. For example, if you offer multiple types of classes, you can add custom columns to your calendar and use color coding to differentiate each one:

    An example of a color-coded calendar

    You can also use Timetable and Event Schedule to create event calendars. However, the plugin really shines when it comes to daily timetables. To insert a timetable on your website, you can use shortcodes or blocks.

    Key Features for Timetable and Event Schedule:

    • Create complex event timetables for your website
    • Color-code your timetables
    • Add custom columns to each table
    • Use shortcodes or blocks to insert timetables onto your website

    Timetable and Event Schedule is for you if…

    • You run a business that offers events on a set schedule.
    • Your visitors need to find events when they’re happening.
    • Timetables are a must.

    Price: Free | Learn more about Timetable and Event Schedule

    3. Modern Events Calendar Lite

    The Modern Events Calendar Lite plugin

    Next up, Modern Events Calendar Lite is perhaps the easiest WordPress events plugin to get started with. It provides an intuitive setup wizard that covers everything from calendar styles to colors, countdowns, and more:

    Configuring the Events Calendar Lite plugin

    With Modern Events Calendar Lite, you can add events manually and enable users to submit their own. The plugin also lets you store information about categories, locations, and organizers.

    This solution’s free version doesn’t include calendar theme functionality. However, it does let you customize your calendar’s style, including its typography and colors. You can also use custom CSS for further modifications.

    Key Features for Modern Events Calendar Lite:

    • Set up an events calendar
    • Add new events manually and enable users to submit their own
    • Use a setup wizard to configure your events calendar
    • Manage event categories, locations, and organizers

    Modern Events Calendar Lite is for you if…

    • You want to use a WordPress events plugin that’s easy to set up and customize.
    • A catalog of add-ons is available.

    This particular plugin also offers a broad range of add-ons, including one for Divi integration.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $75 per year | Learn more about Modern Events Calendar Lite

    4. Eventin

    Eventin Events plugin

    Eventin is a user-friendly events plugin for WordPress that allows you to organize and promote events with ease. It offers features like customizable event pages, integration with popular payment gateways, and the ability to manage event schedules, ticket sales with pricing tiers, and attendee data. It provides an intuitive interface for creating and managing events.

    Eventin Divi integration

    With the integration of Divi and Eventin, Divi users are given an extra advantage. This integration enables you to create a tailored event template using Divi’s Theme Builder, equipped with specialized modules like a calendar for events, advanced search, event listings, event tabs, schedules, and Zoom integration.

    Key Features for Eventin:

    • Divi integration
    • Front-end event management
    • Host Zoom meetings and webinars
    • Multiple ticket price tiers
    • Easy-to-use interface
    • Unique QR codes for attendees

    With Eventin, most of its features come with the free version. However, some exceptions require an upgrade to the premium license for full access. To brand events, use an advanced search widget, generate QR codes for attendees, receive notifications, or include unlimited FAQs for events, an upgrade to the premium license is necessary.

    Eventin is for you if…

    • You want highly-customizable events pages.
    • Event notifications for users are a priority.
    • You want to track attendees with a QR code.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $69 per year | Learn more about Eventin

    5. Event Manager

    Events Manager

    The Events Manager plugin lets you add events to a central calendar and manage locations, categories, and even bookings for them. Although the base plugin doesn’t include payment functionality, you can enable that using a WooCommerce add-on.

    Another feature that sets Events Manager aside is that you can enable users to submit events using a front-end form:

    Enabling users to submit events to your calendar

    Although you don’t get a lot of styling options for your calendar, this plugin gives you a lot of control over your events pages and how users interact with them.

    Key Features for Events Manager:

    • Set up an events calendar
    • Add events manually or enable users to submit their own
    • Manage event bookings
    • Customize the behavior of your events pages

    The premium version offers additional features such as recurring event limits, attendance tracking, mobile check-in with QR codes, PDF ticket downloads, waitlists, iCal attachments, and coupon/discount management.

    Event Manager is for you if…

    • You want a plugin that lets users add their own events to your calendar.
    • Need a useful tool to process bookings.
    • You don’t mind adding a plugin for processing payments.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $89 per year | Learn more about Events Manager

    6. WooCommerce Event Manager

    The WooCommerce Event Manager plugin

    If you want to manage events and sell tickets using WooCommerce, this is the plugin for you. WooCommerce Event Manager enables you to sell multiple types of tickets, include add-ons with each sale, and manage attendance:

    Configuring event tickets for sale

    Since this is a WooCommerce extension, you can set up any payment processors you’d like to use.  WooCommerce Event Manager also helps you send email confirmations and even PDF versions of the tickets users purchase.

    Key Features for WooCommerce Event Manager:

    • Use WooCommerce to sell tickets for your events
    • Manage events and create multiple ticket types with different values
    • Create add-ons for your event tickets
    • Process payments using your preferred WooCommerce-compatible gateways

    If you’re looking to enhance your events website, the pro version provides additional features such as the ability to download PDF tickets, customize registration forms, bulk edit event dates, and receive automatic email confirmation messages with custom email templates.

    WooCommerce Event Manager is for you if…

    • You’re already familiar with WooCommerce.
    • You want to process ticket sales.
    • The ability to add upsells to ticket purchases is important.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at $60 | Learn more about WooCommerce Event Manager

    7. WP Event Manager

    The WP Event Manager plugin

    WP Event Manager enables you to add events to a calendar and lets users sign up for them. However, the plugin’s main selling point is that it enables users to create and submit events for your website’s calendar through the front end:

    Enabling users to submit events for your calendar

    Event organizers get access to dashboards where they can review their submissions, check signups, and edit entries. On your end, you can customize the form that visitors use to submit events, and even add new fields to it.

    Key Features for WP Event Manager:

    • Add events to your calendar manually
    • Enable users to submit events and add them to your calendar
    • Provide users with a dashboard they can use to review their submissions
    • Add custom fields to the public event submission form

    WP Event Manager is for you if…

    • You want to run a website that enables users to coordinate events with one another.
    • Create your own version of Meetup using WordPress.

    Price: Free, with premium add-ons available | Learn more about WP Event Manager

    8. Event Organiser

    The Event Organiser plugin

    Last on our list, Event Organiser enables you to create an events calendar and add as many entries as you need to it. It also lets you manage organizers and venues, as well as event categories.

    However, what really sets this plugin apart is that it makes it easy to create recurring events with complex schedules:

    Adding a recurring event to your schedule

    For example, you can set up events that occur on the third Tuesday of every month, or once every quarter. The plugin also helps you set up exceptions for recurring events, and you can add custom fields to the individual event information pages (in addition to the wide range of fields provided by default).

    Key Features:

    • Set up an events calendar
    • Add events to your calendar manually
    • Create one-off or recurring events
    • Configure recurring events with complex schedules and exceptions
    • Add custom fields to your event pages

    Event Organiser is for you if…

    …you want to set up a calendar that includes recurring events. In that area, this plugin gives you more control than almost every other option. However, it doesn’t include booking or user management options unless you opt for its premium extensions.

    Price: Free, with premium licenses starting at £50 (approx. $71) | Learn more about Event Organiser

    Which WordPress Events Calendar Plugin Will You Choose?

    Planning events is already a full-time job, and managing them as well is often too much for one person to do alone. With the right WordPress event plugin, you’ll be able to focus on planning and let your website handle the management for you. That can include sharing event information, processing bookings and payments, and simply sharing a calendar or featuring upcoming occasions.

    Fortunately, there are a lot of fantastic WordPress event plugins to choose from. One of the best all-around picks is The Events Calendar, which is fully compatible with Divi.

    The post 8 Best WordPress Events Calendar Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.

  • 7 Best WordPress Security Plugins in 2023

    When it comes to website maintenance, the importance of security can’t be understated. With so many risks threatening sites today, making sure yours is protected is critical. Unfortunately, figuring out the best WordPress security plugin to use can be challenging.

    In this post, we’ll explain why you might want a dedicated tool to strengthen your site. Then we’ll introduce you to seven of the best WordPress security plugins, discussing their key features and pricing.

    Let’s get started!

    Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

    Why You Might Want to Use a WordPress Security Plugin

    Unfortunately, many people don’t spend much time or effort on website security until it’s too late. As a site owner, one of the worst things you can do is put safety on the back burner.

    Between malware, data breaches, and the dozens of other threats plaguing the internet today, taking website security seriously should be a priority for all business owners. If you fall victim to an attack, it can compromise your customers’ data and both the integrity and reputation of your brand.

    Of course, being proactive about protecting your website is often easier said than done. This is why we recommend using a WordPress security plugin. Doing so can place an added layer of protection on your site and reduce your chances of being hacked.

    There is a wide range of functions that a WordPress security plugin can help with. This includes:

    • Strengthening passwords and enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
    • Updating and backing up WordPress and database files
    • Adding file permissions and user role configurations

    However, it’s important to note that your entire site’s security shouldn’t be dependent on one plugin (nor could it be). Instead, you can think of a WordPress security plugin as a key way to accomplish specific tasks, rather than as a complete solution.

    This is something you may want to keep in mind when considering the following list of security plugins. It’s important to consider what security features you already have access to and what you’re lacking. For example, if backups aren’t something your hosting provider handles, then backup functionality may be a priority.

    7 Best WordPress Security Plugins

    Now that we’ve discussed why site security is so important, it’s time to look at some of the tools that can help. For the following list, we’ve compiled seven WordPress security plugins that cover a wide range of features and functionality. To ensure that we’re presenting you with the best options possible, we’ve also factored in ratings and reviews, customer support and updates, and pricing.

    1. iThemes Security

    The iThemes WordPress security plugin.

    iThemes Security, formerly known as Better WP Security, is another robust tool that deserves a spot as one of the best WordPress security plugins. It comes in both free and premium versions, with multiple tiers available depending on your specific needs.

    This solution helps to secure your site in over 30 different ways, including through password protection, user activity monitoring, and more:

    The iThemes Security plugin settings.

    If you upgrade to the paid version, you will get regular backups of your site. You’ll also be able to remotely manage multiple WordPress sites with the iThemes Security Pro features.

    Key Features:

    • Brute-force attack prevention
    • File integrity monitoring
    • Hidden login and admin pages
    • Limited login attempts
    • 2FA
    • Control over user roles and file permissions
    • Scheduled backups
    • Email alerts
    • 404 error detection
    • Google reCAPTCHAs

    iThemes Security if for you if…

    … you want a beginner- and user-friendly plugin with standard yet powerful security features. It’s also helpful if one of the main tools you’re looking for is backup functionality.

    It’s worth noting that the developers behind the iThemes Security plugin are also the ones who created the popular BackupBuddy plugin. Also, although this plugin doesn’t include a firewall or malware scanner, it does use Sucuri’s malware scanner, which we’ll discuss in more detail in the next section.

    Price: Free, with premium plans starting at $80 | More Information

    2. WP Activity Log

    The WP Activity Log plugin.

    WP Activity Log is a plugin that is slightly different than the others on this list. Rather than offering an all-in-one solution that includes a variety of different features, this tool aims to serve a specific purpose: to help you keep track of every change and activity occurring on your site.

    With this freemium plugin, you can leverage comprehensive activity monitoring to heighten your site’s security:

    The log viewer screen of the WP Activity Log plugin.

    This kind of tool can be particularly helpful if you manage a network of sites. For example, if you manage a team of users, having an easy way to monitor their activity can help keep your site protected from malicious behavior.

    Key Features:

    • Real-time user activity logs
    • Event enabling and disabling
    • Notifications and reports
    • User activity and site change monitoring
    • WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and WPForms extensions
    • Multisite support
    • HTML and CSV reports (premium only)
    • Free and premium support

    WP Activity Log is for you if…

    … you’re looking for an activity logging and monitoring solution. It’s an awesome choice if you want to gain more insight into your site activity, which can be especially useful if you have a multisite network or need to manage multiple users. However, it’s probably not the best tool if you’re currently lacking a firewall, malware scanner, or other key security features.

    Price: Free, with premium plans starting at $99 | More Information

    3. Sucuri Security

    The Sucuri plugin.

    Similar to Wordfence, Sucuri Security is a popular plugin that can help you with a wide range of security-related tasks on your WordPress site. This includes scanning for malware and running checks:

    Sucuri WP plugin integrity

    One thing we want to note about this plugin is that because it runs a Domain Name Server (DNS)-level firewall, it’s a bit more effective than plugins such as Wordfence that use a built-in WordPress firewall. Therefore, if site performance is of particular concern, Sucuri is an option worth exploring.

    Key Features:

    • Malware scanning and removal
    • Website hardening
    • Application Program Interface (API) key connection
    • Web Application Firewall (WAF) with a premium license
    • Login security, password protection, and user tracking
    • Site tracking (file changes, failed login attempts, etc.)
    • Malicious traffic blocking
    • File integrity and blacklist monitoring
    • Quick and easy setup

    Sucuri is for you if…

    … you’re interested in a WordPress security plugin that operates almost completely offsite. The free version offers a powerful scanner that you can use directly from your WordPress dashboard. However, if you don’t mind paying for the paid version (which we highly recommend), you can get a comprehensive security solution with even more features, including WAF, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate support, and much more.

    Price: Free, with premium plans starting at $199.99 | More Information

    4. Wordfence Security

    The Wordfence WordPress security plugin.

    With over 4 million active installations and a 4.5 out of 5-star average rating, Wordfence Security is one of the best WordPress security plugins out there. This freemium tool lets you scan your site for malware or any other suspicious activity, such as code injections. Everything is easily managed from the custom Wordfence dashboard:

    The Wordfence plugin dashboard.

    With the paid version, you can access even more features, including advanced, coordinated scanning. Also, because this plugin is so widely used, you can expect to find a great deal of online support if you need it.

    Key Features:

    • Endpoint firewall
    • Scans for file changes
    • IP address blocking
    • Threat assessment features
    • 2FA
    • Monitoring for visits and hack attempts
    • Breached password alerts and custom email notifications
    • Login attempt limits to prevent brute-force attacks
    • Country blocking and redirects (premium only)

    Wordfence is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a premium tool with flexible pricing. The cost varies depending on how many licenses you’ll need. As such, it’s a solid option if you plan to use it on multiple websites or for your clients’ sites.

    The more sites you plan to use this plugin for, the less expensive the premium version becomes. Of course, the free version also comes with a lot of helpful features and can be a great solution on its own.

    Price: Free, with premium plans starting at $99 | More Information

    5. All-In-One WP Security & Firewall

    The All In One WP Security plugin.

    All In One WP Security & Firewall is not as popular as the first three WordPress security plugins on this list. However, it’s still a high-quality option that is worth considering, especially if you’re looking for a free tool. It’s incredibly user-friendly and presents information in visual graphics broken down into three main categories (Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced):

    The All In One WP Security plugin dashboard.

    This plugin also provides a handful of incredibly useful and robust features, especially considering that you don’t have to pay anything for it. This includes brute-force attack prevention, firewall protection, comment spam filtering, and more.

    Key Features:

      • Login Lockdown feature for protecting against brute-force attacks
      • Firewall protection
      • File change detection
      • File backups and restoration
      • Comment spam prevention
      • User account monitoring
      • IP filtering

    All In One WP Security is for you if…

    … you want a free, easy-to-use WordPress plugin to help secure your site. It’s an excellent choice if you only have one (relatively simple) website to manage, and don’t need any overly advanced bells and whistles. It’s also a strong contender if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to understand where your site can be improved, thanks to its grading system.

    Price: Free | More Information

    6. Jetpack

    Jetpack logo

    Next up, Jetpack is one of the most popular and commonly used WordPress plugins out there, so chances are that you’ve probably already heard of it. It can be used for a wide range of features, from performance to marketing purposes. However, there are a few features you may not know about that make it one of the best WordPress security plugins.

    This freemium tool offers intuitive, beginner-friendly security solutions that include real-time backups, malware scanning, and spam protection:

    The Jetpack plugin settings.

    It also helps with brute-force protection and uptime monitoring. Best of all, these features are included in the free plan. It’s also worth noting that this plugin is made by the team behind WordPress.com (Automattic), so you can feel confident knowing that it’s safe, secure, and reliable.

    Key Features:

    • Automatic, real-time backups and restores
    • Malware scanning
    • Spam protection and blocking
    • Brute-force protection
    • Uptime and downtime monitoring
    • 2FA
    • Plugin updates

    Jetpack is for you if…

    … you’re looking for a cost-effective plugin that can be used for a wide range of purposes. If you plan to use it for its security features specifically, however, we suggest upgrading to the premium version. It’s also a solid option if you’re looking to enhance your site’s performance.

    Price: Free, with premium plans starting at $4.77 | More Information

    7. Defender

    Defender Logo

    Defender is a relatively new but promising WordPress security plugin that has received over a million downloads so far. It only takes a few clicks to install and configure the program, and it starts defending your website right away.

    Defender provides an astonishing array of security capabilities without any cost. It offers a firewall with IP blocking enabled for free, just like Wordfence. Malware scans, brute-force login protection, threat notifications, and two-factor authentication via Google are also included in the free edition.

    Key Features of Defender:

    • 2-Factor Authentication
    • Brute force attack prevention
    • Blacklisting features

    Defender dashboard

    This plugin provides many of the key security features you might want to implement; it sports a five-star rating with over 70,000 active users, so you can be confident that this solution can provide you with the security your website needs.

    Defender is for you if…

    …you want to enhance the security of your WordPress website by implementing various security measures such as malware scans, two-factor authentication, brute force protection, and other security enhancements in a simple and user-friendly manner.

    Defender Pricing: Free, $49 per month for the pro version | More Information

    Final Thoughts on WordPress Security Plugins

    With so many WordPress plugins available, it could be a challenge to find the one that works best for you. Choosing the ideal tools for your site may seem difficult because there are so many features and options available in each one; hopefully, you found one that checks your boxes on this list.

    We advise looking into iThemes Security or WP Activity Log if you’re searching for a freemium, all-in-one solution. iThemes offers basic security tools like firewalls and virus scanners, as well as more sophisticated capabilities if you subscribe to a premium license. WP Activity Log, on the other hand, is incredibly useful for monitoring your website’s activities and always staying ahead of security risks.

    Featured Image via

    The post 7 Best WordPress Security Plugins in 2023 appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.