August 2016: Ten Latest Free WordPress Plugins
In August, just like every month, I took on the challenge to find the ten most interesting new WordPress plugins for you in the official plugin index. So you keep ahead of the curve and always add the newest features and many awesome functions that will surprise your visitors. Free WordPress plugins are that extra something for your blog.
The plugin provides the option to use a different theme than the one you're currently using on pages or posts. You're able to define very precise rules of when exactly a different design is to be shown.
Scroll Popup Ads is a manager for ad blocks or notifications that are displayed when scrolling down a website. The pop up windows come with extensive customization options in terms of colors, fonts, and content. Additionally, you also get to pick the position of the popups yourself.
Enhanced Publishing promises to make publishing posts and pages significantly easier than before. It was made for developers that are able to ease the lives of inexperienced clients by using this plugin. However, the interesting approach to have all functions available in the admin bar should also be appealing for people that write a lot.
Who doesn't know the annoying notifications in the WordPress admin area? While many of them can be removed with a click, they'll pop back up on each page. Others remain visible and only distract you from the writing process. This plugin simply deactivates these annoying messages.
Google Analytics WD displays all relevant information in one place. Every single information can be clicked for more details. I will conduct a more in-depth test on this plugin soon.
[caption id="attachment_77667" align="alignnone" width="660"]
The Main Overview in the Backend With All Important Things in One Spot.[/caption]
Stomp solves a well-known issue in web development. With short content areas, the website's footer likes to slide up, ruining the layout. Stomp solves this by fixing the footer where it belongs: at the bottom border of the theme. This way, the design is always displayed the same way, and it doesn't matter whether there's a lot or only little content on the page.
Auto Updates drives background updates of WordPress, the themes, the plugins, and the translation files. Now, you won't have to take care of updates anymore, as everything will be done in the background. This results in additional safety and convenience.
1 - User Dashboard Notifications
The plugin is a perfect choice for blogs with multiple authors. It lets the admin create small messages for the other authors or - more general - registered users. This can either be done for all users, or a certain group. Of course, User Dashboard Notifications also works well with websites that have a member area.- Developer: franmc
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.14.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
2 - hiWeb Theme Switcher
The plugin provides the option to use a different theme than the one you're currently using on pages or posts. You're able to define very precise rules of when exactly a different design is to be shown.
- Developer: den media
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.15.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
3 - Scroll Popup Ads
Scroll Popup Ads is a manager for ad blocks or notifications that are displayed when scrolling down a website. The pop up windows come with extensive customization options in terms of colors, fonts, and content. Additionally, you also get to pick the position of the popups yourself.
- Developer: themepoints
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.15.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: themepoints.com
- Download on WordPress.org
4 - Enhanced Publishing
Enhanced Publishing promises to make publishing posts and pages significantly easier than before. It was made for developers that are able to ease the lives of inexperienced clients by using this plugin. However, the interesting approach to have all functions available in the admin bar should also be appealing for people that write a lot.
- Developer: echoplugins
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.13.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
5 - Hide All Notices
Who doesn't know the annoying notifications in the WordPress admin area? While many of them can be removed with a click, they'll pop back up on each page. Others remain visible and only distract you from the writing process. This plugin simply deactivates these annoying messages.
- Developer: Duncan Platt
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.13.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
6 - Preload Fullpage Cache
Preload Fullpage Cache in conjunction with a cache plugin or an activated varnish cache allows for the instant caching of a new post, so that visitors will immediately get to see the cache version of each new publication. Three versions of an article are loaded into the cache, being the desktop, mobile, and the AMP version. This way, the plugin accelerates the display of new posts.- Developer: Pothi Kalimuthu
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.12.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
7 - CWIS-Scanner for WordPress
The CWIS-scanner scans your website for already existing malware infections. It is supposed to detect malware, trojans, viruses, backdoors, and security gaps, as well as phishing codes. To do so, it searches the theme, plugin, and core files of WordPress, as well as the database. Potentially found malware has to be removed manually.- Developer: CobWeb Security
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.15.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: unknown
- Download on WordPress.org
8 - Google Analytics WD
Google Analytics WD displays all relevant information in one place. Every single information can be clicked for more details. I will conduct a more in-depth test on this plugin soon.
[caption id="attachment_77667" align="alignnone" width="660"] The Main Overview in the Backend With All Important Things in One Spot.[/caption]
- Developer: webdorado
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.15.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: Plugin Demo
- Detailed Documentation
- Download on WordPress.org
9 - Stomp
Stomp solves a well-known issue in web development. With short content areas, the website's footer likes to slide up, ruining the layout. Stomp solves this by fixing the footer where it belongs: at the bottom border of the theme. This way, the design is always displayed the same way, and it doesn't matter whether there's a lot or only little content on the page.
- Developer: cubecolour
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.11.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: not available
- Download on WordPress.org
10 - Auto Updates
Auto Updates drives background updates of WordPress, the themes, the plugins, and the translation files. Now, you won't have to take care of updates anymore, as everything will be done in the background. This results in additional safety and convenience.
- Developer: minor
- Work in progress: yes
- Latest version from: 08.09.2016
- Costs: free via WordPress.org
- License: GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE
- Known compatibility issues: unknown
- Developer homepage: not available
- Download on WordPress.org
Great post. These plugins are very useful and can help you managing your blog easier. I personally use #5, #8 and #10 but I think I will try out other plugins as well on my different blog. For now I know that #5, #8, #10 are very useful and it’s awesome to use those plugins ;)
Andreas, good work with the post ! Shared!
You should add Wordfence to the list. After my site got hacked the guys at Rosehosting recommended me this great security plugin.
I scanned my site directories and files and miraculously it found every malicious file which resulted in my site being clean again.
I’m so satisfied from Wordfence that i might even buy the premium version.