Controlled Admin Access
by Waseem Senjer · Login & Users
Also makes 12 other plugins · 24.8K+ installs across the portfolio →
Give a temporarily limited admin access to themes designers, plugins developers and support agents.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 91/100
no flags
Active installs
10K+
≈19K estimated
Momentum
-31%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “role” for “limited”. “role” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “limited” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
91 health vs 61 average across 2,203 Login & Users plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.3%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 234K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Login & Users plugin keeps 0.7%, across 1,476 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Login & Users plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 2 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 73 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.8★ over 45 reviews, smoothed to 4.43★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
38
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
18%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| admin access | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| controlled access | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| temporary access | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| access your tag | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| secure admin access | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| temporary admin access | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| limited access | #3 | #4 | up 1 |
| restrict access | #5 | #5 | up 1 |
| time limited access | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| access admin menu | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| access manager your tag | #9 | #14 | 0 |
| limited | #11 | #15 | up 4 |
| admin | #12 | #12 | 0 |
| capability your tag | #17 | #17 | 0 |
| role access | #6 | #7 | 0 |
| access control | #11 | #14 | down 1 |
| post access | #8 | #11 | down 1 |
| support access | #8 | #10 | 0 |
| admin js | #8 | #8 | 0 |
| access page | #9 | #15 | — |
| role your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| user your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
142 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 113 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “role” for “limited”. “role” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “limited” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 11.1K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v2.1.3 · 20 Aug 2026
57
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 79% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 5 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 6 May 2016
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ bogeyman20071.7y ago
It’s a very great plugin. Thank you.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pixluser1.8y ago
The software works perfectly. Something than can maybe be added is a way to log page view, of the admins we create. (Real time, or simply log events & display them onto a page), maybe with an email notification when an admin-user connect to the website too.Good software!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jmsil2.1y ago
This is an extremely useful little plugin that not only makes it easier to provide admin access to outsiders but also to understand what actions they are taking and ensuring they don’t have access to anything you to which you would prefer to not provide access. The developer is also very friendly and accommodating. I’d write more if my kids weren’t screaming but you get the idea – it’s good stuff!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bobska2.2y ago
Finally i have a user with limit admin access!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ iisol2.7y ago
Recently, I deleted a user using this plugin and it deleted all the content of that user. It should ask whether to keep the content or not.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ supernftsociety3.4y ago
This plugin works fault free. Very good interface where you can deactivate access to particular areas of your word press for admin users, woocommerce or other plugins.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ samuel53.7y ago
Sometimes we have to provide temporary admin access to developers of plugins to troubleshoot issues. This plugin best for the purpose.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Ethan51504.0y ago
There is some sort of strange bug with this plugin that conflicts with Avada. Certainly menus cause Avada to go into a Shortcode Updater routine which totally hosed my website and I had to restore from backup. I REALLY wanted to use this plugin but until this gets fixed, I’ll pass on another 2 hours of troubleshooting and restoring from backup.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.1.2 Adding WordPress 6.9 compatibility. 2.1.2
- — Version 2.1.1 Adding WordPress 6.8 compatibility. 2.1.1
- — Version 2.1.0 Fixed: Block editing blocked post types. 2.1.0
- — Version 2.0.18 Adding WordPress 6.7 compatibility 2.0.18
- — Version 2.0.17 Fixed: block access of displaying options.php page, submitting this form was fixed in a previous version (2.0.9). 2.0.17
- — Version 2.0.16 Adding WordPress 6.5 compatibility 2.0.16
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.1.3). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Critical · 9.8 Controlled Admin Access <= 1.5.1 - Improper Access Control & Privilege Escalation ↗
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.9
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 133 languages, 4 at 90% or more
Plus 109 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
3 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, BuddyPress, Easy Digital Downloads.
- ✓ Headings and lists 10 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,824 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("Access Manager", "capability", "role" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2021-10-19 8K+ → 10K+ up after 236 days in tier
- 2021-02-25 7K+ → 8K+ up after 119 days in tier
- 2020-10-29 4K+ → 7K+ up after 352 days in tier
- 2019-11-12 2K+ → 4K+ up after 132 days in tier
- 2019-07-03 100+ → 2K+ up after 1153 days in tier
- 2016-05-06 60+ → 100+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
- A Access Areas for WordPress 400+ installs · 4.2★ · 4 shared tags B
-
User Role Editor 700K+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags A -
Hide This 2K+ installs · 4.8★ · 3 shared tags D -
Custom Role Creator (CRC) 100+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags -
User Upgrade Capability 10+ installs · 4.2★ · 3 shared tags C -
User Posts Limit 3K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Controlled Admin Access into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/controlled-admin-access" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Controlled Admin Access — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Controlled Admin Access: 10K+ active installs, 4.8★ (45 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/controlled-admin-access
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