MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites
by mainwp · Security
Also makes 3 other plugins · 823K+ installs across the portfolio →
MainWP Child establishes a secure link between your WordPress sites and your self-hosted MainWP Dashboard, simplifying site management.
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 89/100
no flags
Active installs
700K+
≈790K estimated
Momentum
+65%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “security”, “update” and “backups” for “multiple”, “responsible disclosure” and “sites”. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “multiple” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “update” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #23. “responsible disclosure” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “backups” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “sites” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.4%
of downloads still active
At least 700K of 51.6M lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,059 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Security 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 28 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
Recent review vibe
read from the latest 12 reviews to 2025-12-11Reviewers consistently praise MainWP Child for saving time and making multi-site management simple, with 5-star ratings going back years.
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 2 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 71 reviews, smoothed to 4.63★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
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.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
20%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| child | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| mainwp | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| mainwp child | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| manage multiple sites | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| multiple sites | #2 | #5 | 0 |
| child page | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| child post | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wordfence | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| site management your tag | #4 | #5 | down 1 |
| manage | #5 | #12 | down 1 |
| multiple | #5 | #5 | down 3 |
| manage multiple websites | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| sites | #6 | #10 | up 2 |
| mainwp child reports | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| dashboard | #7 | #11 | 0 |
| manage multiple wordpress sites | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| site monitoring | #3 | #6 | down 2 |
| secure link | #8 | #14 | 0 |
| between | #8 | #16 | 0 |
| secure | #9 | #14 | 0 |
| security your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
366 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 317 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “security”, “update” and “backups” for “multiple”, “responsible disclosure” and “sites”. “security” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “multiple” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “update” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #23. “responsible disclosure” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “backups” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “sites” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “monitoring”. #12 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 2.7M · 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
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
28
releases in the last 12 months
2d ago
latest release · v6.4 · 29 Oct 2026
121
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. 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 “700K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.8 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 20 Jan 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ power2k11mo ago
MainWP saves me hours of time every week, very thankful for your awesome plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Metromas1.4y ago
Nice plugin. Useful.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ahmetbilgic2.2y ago
A plugin that meets our expectations. A very nice plugin for managing multiple websites. Thank you This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by ahmetbilgic. This topic was modified 1 year, 11 months ago by ahmetbilgic.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kennethrg2.4y ago
I installed this plugin on each of the sites I manage to connect them to my self-hosted MainWP Dashboard. Now I can perform updates and monitor my sites from a single location. It saves a bunch of time and it makes management simple and easy.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ vonitalz2.4y ago
Warum verwende ich das erst jetzt ?!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ FGU Nord / Lars2.5y ago
Just love how easy it is to maintain many websites at once with MainWP
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Chris4.4y ago
This plugin works perfectly. It offers you a very good way to manage your websites. I’ve used other systems before, but MainWP stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ meisterleise5.3y ago
…website manager out there. 😀
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 6.1.4 Added: Added support for the FastPixel Cache plugin in the “Cache Control” feature. Updated: Improved the handling of report limit selections so saved values are processed more consistently. 6.1.4
- — Version 6.1.3 Fixed: Improved log filtering so the BackWPup backup job logs now include relevant default jobs more reliably. Fixed: Problems with detecting the WP Staging plugin status caused by recent plugin update. 6.1.3
- — Version 6.1.2 Updated: Hardened MainWP Child connection verification and settings behavior for passwordless setups. If Password Authentication is disabled, adding or reconnecting a site now requires the Unique Security ID, including w 6.1.2
- — Version 6.1.1 Updated: Improved session cleanup when authentication failures occur to ensure proper logout behavior. (Pull Request by Sixela) Updated: Improved premium theme and plugin update detection to prevent system hangs caused b 6.1.1
- — Version 6.1 Fixed: Typos and inconsistencies in user login event log descriptions and action identifiers for improved clarity and consistency across Network Activity logs. Updated: Spammed comments are now properly excluded from bei 6.1
- — Version 6.0.11 Fixed: Global customize_register hook exposes legacy Customizer UI issues. 6.0.11
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 9 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (6.4). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2023-06-23 CVE-2023-3132 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 4.4.1.1 Patched in 4.4.1.2
- 2021-10-25 CVE-2021-24877 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 4.1.8 Patched in 4.1.8
- 2018-02-18 Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Affects < 3.4.5 Patched in 3.4.5
- 2015-09-07 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.0.27 Patched in 2.0.28
- 2015-08-07 Affects <= 2.0.22 Patched in 2.0.23
- Patched Critical · 9.8 MainWP Child – Securely connects sites to the MainWP WordPress Manager Dashboard < 2.0.9.2 - Authentication Bypass ↗2015-03-09 Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel Affects < 2.0.9.2 Patched in 2.0.9.2
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 7.0
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 67 languages, 8 at 90% or more
Plus 43 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
8 of 8 pass · checked 31 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "MainWP Child establishes a secure link between your WordPress sites and your self-hosted MainWP Dashboard,..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 11 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 11 of 11 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("for agencies", "for freelancers").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Yoast, Facebook.
- ✓ Headings and lists 7 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 3,203 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-01-13 600K+ → 700K+ up after 15 days in tier
- 2023-12-29 700K+ → 600K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-12-28 600K+ → 700K+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2023-12-23 700K+ → 600K+ down after 3 days in tier
- 2023-12-20 600K+ → 700K+ up after 442 days in tier
- 2022-10-04 500K+ → 600K+ up after 439 days in tier
- 2021-07-22 400K+ → 500K+ up after 525 days in tier
- 2020-02-13 300K+ → 400K+ up after 742 days in tier
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).
-
Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ installs · 4.9★ · 4 shared tags A -
WP Umbrella: Security Backup Restore & Monitoring 90K+ installs · 4.7★ · 3 shared tags A -
The WP Remote WordPress Plugin 30K+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags A -
MainWP Dashboard: Self-hosted WordPress Management for Agencies 20K+ installs · 4.9★ · 3 shared tags A -
Companion Auto Update 40K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags B - S Simple Automatic Updates 2K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/mainwp-child" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> MainWP Child – Securely Connects to the MainWP Dashboard to Manage Multiple Sites: 700K+ active installs, 5.0★ (71 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/mainwp-child
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