Sidebar Login
by Mike Jolley · Login & Users
Also makes 2 other plugins · 9.6K+ installs across the portfolio →
Easily add an ajax-enhanced login widget to your WordPress site sidebar.
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 88/100
no flags
Active installs
9K+
≈9.9K estimated
Momentum
+26%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “login” and “widget” for “frontend login” and “hide login url”. “login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “frontend login” sits at #15 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “hide login url” sits at #20 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 61 average across 2,203 Login & Users plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.9%
of downloads still active
At least 9K of 1.1M lifetime downloads are still running, in line with 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 1 release 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 19 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.5★ over 78 reviews, smoothed to 4.34★
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.
36
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 19d
13%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 19d
-0.4
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| sidebar login your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| sidebar login widget | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| sidebar your tag | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| post sidebar | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| login widget your tag | #7 | #10 | 0 |
| ajax login | #5 | #7 | up 1 |
| sidebar widget | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| sidebar plugin | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| wp sidebar | #4 | #5 | up 1 |
| white label login | #8 | #12 | 0 |
| page sidebar | #6 | #8 | 0 |
| custom sidebar | #7 | #7 | up 1 |
| sidebar menu widget | #8 | #11 | 0 |
| frontend login | #15 | #17 | 0 |
| login by ajax | #11 | #14 | down 3 |
| hide login url | #20 | #22 | down 4 |
| secure login | #22 | #19 | 0 |
| widget login | #13 | #17 | down 1 |
| hide login | #23 | #22 | 0 |
| login redirect | #24 | #19 | 0 |
| login your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
81 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 56 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 “login” and “widget” for “frontend login” and “hide login url”. “login” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “frontend login” sits at #15 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “hide login url” sits at #20 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 4.5K · 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.
1
releases in the last 12 months
19d ago
latest release · v3.1.0 · 12 Oct 2026
43
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 “9K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3 months ago and the previous band took 3.1 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 10K.
Install history since 12 Feb 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Anonymous User 177092294.0y ago
Easy to implement. Some minor custom css work done and voila great result. I like that the widget does not log something. It seems fully GDPR compliant. Great Job! BR Peter This topic was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Anonymous User 17709229. This topic was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Anonymous User 17709229. This topic was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Anonymous User 17709229. This topic was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by Anonymous User 17709229.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ javigandia4.7y ago
Me ha ahorrado mucho tiempo. Muchas gracias funciona perfectamente con mi tema y con la última versión de WordPress.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ AITpro5.7y ago
Great job! Love it when it only takes me a couple of minutes to setup and test a new plugin. Documentation is clear and simple to understand. Hooks Yeah! Will be hooking my plugin’s CAPTCHA feature into your plugin. Awesome work!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous User 159329325.7y ago
thanks 🙂 super plugin
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ whartung5.8y ago
I really need this to use a reCaptcha, to filter out robots. I love this sidebar login, it’s so easy to use. This topic was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by whartung.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Knud6.9y ago
Please update… I just have this: Warning: sizeof() [function.sizeof]: Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /var/www/railworks.dk/public_html/wp-content/plugins/sidebar-login/includes/class-sidebar-login-widget.php on line 213
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jim8.9y ago
It may be 2 years since the last update, but as far as I can see it doesn’t need one. This is very easy to set up and does everything I want it to, and how I want it. I first tried “Login Widget with Shortcode” but couldn’t make sense of it. This one required no customization, just drag it into the sidebar and click a few buttons. And be the way, I tried entering a nonexistent user, which the previous reviewer said would freeze it. It gave the appropriate error message and kept on chugging. Love it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gegoencz9.0y ago
Thanks for the plugin. Unfortunatelly it seems to be abandoned. No update since 2 years. BUG fix please: if trying to login with a non existing email address the plugin freezes… This is why 5/3.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 3.0.1 Fix – Fix rendering of additional links when using non-latin characters in the link text. 3.0.1
- — Version 3.0.0 Refactor – Rewritten majority of plugin using more up to date standards and namespaces. Refactor – Cleaned up the widget settings form to make functionality clearer. Refactor – Removed email->username conversion since th 3.0.0
- — Version 2.7.3 Tweak – %avatar% placeholder. Tweak – Removed translations due to WordPress.org language packs. Tweak – sidebar_login_widget_wp_login_form filter. Fix – Removed force_ssl_login which is deprecated in 4.4 in favour of for 2.7.3
- — Version 2.7.2 Feature – Added firstname, lastname, name tags. Fix – PHP4 widget contructors (https://gist.github.com/chriscct7/d7d077afb01011b1839d). Fix – Missing strings in localisation. Fix – Change email to username during wp_auth 2.7.2
- — Version 2.7.1 Make rememberme show by default, without a widget save. 2.7.1
- — Version 2.7.0 Renamed textdomain from sidebar_login to sidebar-login. Moved translations to Transifex. Added Grunt. Removed deprecated sidebarlogin function. Option to show/hide the rememberme checkbox. Allow login using an email addr 2.7.0
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 5.5.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 68 languages, 10 at 90% or more
Plus 44 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
5 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 "Easily add an ajax-enhanced login widget to your WordPress site sidebar."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("use this"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions bbPress, BuddyPress.
- ✓ Headings and lists 5 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 3,334 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
- 2026-08-02 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1135 days in tier
- 2023-06-24 20K+ → 10K+ down after 1040 days in tier
- 2020-08-18 30K+ → 20K+ down after 444 days in tier
- 2019-06-01 40K+ → 30K+ down after 426 days in tier
- 2018-04-01 50K+ → 40K+ down after 304 days in tier
- 2017-06-01 60K+ → 50K+ down after 25 days in tier
- 2017-05-07 50K+ → 60K+ up after 178 days in tier
- 2016-11-10 60K+ → 50K+ down after 454 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).
-
Login Widget With Shortcode 5K+ installs · 3.8★ · 4 shared tags B - L Login-Logout 2K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags D
-
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Image Widget 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Fixed Widget and Sticky Elements for WordPress 70K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Sidebar Login into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/sidebar-login" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Sidebar Login — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Sidebar Login: 9K+ active installs, 4.5★ (78 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/sidebar-login
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