WP Mobile Detect Review - In-Depth Analysis
WP Mobile Detect helps control content visibility based on the visitor's device. It allows easy wrapping of content with shortcodes for mobile and desktop users.
Performance Overview
User Rating
4.8/5 (based on 64+
reviews)
Active Installations
5,000+
Update Frequency
Below Average
It is calculated using the weighted average of same category
plugins.
Security Score
1 / 10
(Very Low Risk)
It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.
What It Does
One of the hardest parts of building responsive WordPress themes is maintaining responsive integrity after the site goes live. User admins can have limited coding abilities which can prevent them from maintaining responsiveness in themes.
WP Mobile Detect aims to make it extremely easy for anyone to wrap content in the editor with shortcodes which will hide content based on visitor device at the server level.
No longer do we need to rely on display:none or other techniques to hide content for mobile devices. Instead we can replace content with alternatives. When a full-size infographic in your post is unknowingly displayed on a visitor's phone, we can consider that a non-user initiated download. In other words, that visitor had no idea what they were getting into and you possibly just choked their bandwidth.
WP Mobile Detect gives you the ability to wrap that infographic in a [notdevice][/notdevice] shortcode so at the server level WordPress will decide to show that content only if the user is NOT on a phone or tablet. Alternatively, you can wrap a link and corresponding text to that infographic in a [device][/device] shortcode as a way for the visitor to consume that content if they so choose.
This plugin is based on the PHP Mobile Detect class. WordPress Plugin written by Jesse Friedman.
Comparing to Alternatives
WP Mobile Detect stands alone in its category with no close direct alternatives available, making it a unique choice for mobile detection needs.
Strengths
- Highly accurate device and OS detection including mobile/tablet browsers
- Lightweight with negligible impact on site performance
- Simple and convenient shortcode usage
- Supports a wide range of mobile devices and operating systems
- Consistently reliable and easy to use
Weaknesses
- Does not detect desktop operating systems
- No longer actively supported by the developer
- Limited to mobile detection without broader device profiling
- Lacks a pro version with extended features
User Sentiment Analysis
With a strong 4.8 out of 5 rating from 64 users, the plugin enjoys overwhelmingly positive feedback and very few complaints.
Positive highlights
- "Does what it says like a charm!" — dimitriosg
- "The perfect plug-in for optimizing your site for mobile." — dwhiteman
- "I am very pleased with this plugin, it still works fine with the latest WordPress." — mishash
- "Easy to use and works perfectly." — krystofdavid
- "Great plugin to prevent downloading code only needed on desktop." — alfadelta
Weaknesses
- No detection for desktop operating systems
- Plugin is no longer actively supported
- Limited feature set without a pro version
Who Should Use This?
Best for
Users seeking a lightweight, reliable plugin for detecting mobile devices and optimizing content delivery accordingly will find WP Mobile Detect ideal.
Not ideal for
Those needing detection of desktop operating systems, ongoing developer support, or advanced features beyond mobile detection may find this plugin less suitable.
Pricing & Value
Free version includes
The free version offers comprehensive mobile and tablet device detection with shortcode support and minimal performance impact.
Final Verdict
WP Mobile Detect is a standout plugin for mobile device detection, praised for its accuracy, ease of use, and minimal impact on site performance. Its unique position without close alternatives makes it a valuable tool for WordPress users focused on mobile optimization.
However, the lack of desktop OS detection, absence of active support, and no premium version limit its appeal for users needing broader device profiling or advanced features. Overall, it remains a solid choice for straightforward mobile detection needs.
Other Notable Features
Here are a few other notable features of this free
WP Mobile Detect plugin.
FAQ
- [phone]Put content here that you only want displayed on Phones NOT Tablets or Desktops[/phone]
- [tablet]Put content here that you only want displayed on Tablets NOT Phones or Desktops[/tablet]
- [device]Put content here that you only want displayed on Phones OR Tablets NOT Desktops[/device]
- [notphone]Put content here that you only want displayed on Tablets OR Desktops NOT Phones[/notphone]
- [nottab]Put content here that you only want displayed on Phones OR Desktops NOT Tablets[/nottab]
- [notdevice]Put content here that you only want displayed on Desktops NOT Phones OR Tablets[/notdevice]
- [ios]Put content here that you only want displayed on iOS devices[/ios]
- [iPhone]Put content here, that you only want displayed on iPhones[/iPhone]
- [iPad]Put content here, that you only want displayed on iPads[/iPad]
- [android]Put content here, that you only want displayed on Android devices[/android]
- [windowsmobile]Put content here, that you only want displayed on Windows Mobile devices[/windowsmobile]
- [blackberry]Put content here, that you only want displayed on Blackberry devices[/blackberry]
- [chrome]Put content here, that you only want displayed on mobile Chrome browsers[/chrome]
- [safari]Put content here, that you only want displayed on mobile Safari browsers[/safari]
- [opera]Put content here, that you only want displayed on mobile Opera browsers[/opera]
- [firefox]Put content here, that you only want displayed on mobile Firefox browsers[/Firefox]
- [ie]Put content here, that you only want displayed on mobile Internet Explorer browsers[/ie]
- wpmd_is_notphone() – Returns true when on desktops or tablets
- wpmd_is_nottab() – Returns true when on desktops or phones
- wpmd_is_notdevice() – Returns true when on desktops only
- wpmd_is_phone() – Returns true when on phones ONLY
- wpmd_is_tablet() – Returns true when on Tablets ONLY
- wpmd_is_device() – Returns true when on phones or tablets but NOT desktop
- wpmd_is_ios() – Returns true when on an iOS device
- wpmd_is_iphone() – Returns true when on iPhones
- wpmd_is_ipad() – Returns true when on iPads
- wpmd_is_android() – Returns true when on Android
- wpmd_is_windows_mobile() – Returns true when on Windows Mobile
- wpmd_is_blackberry() – Returns true when on Blackberry
- wpmd_is_chrome_browser() – Returns true when on mobile Chrome browser
- wpmd_is_safari_browser() – Returns true when on mobile Safari browser
- wpmd_is_opera_browser() – Returns true when on mobile Opera browser
- wpmd_is_ie_browser() – Returns true when on mobile Internet Explorer browser
- wpmd_is_firefox_browser() – Returns true when on mobile Firefox browser
Yes I plan on adding shortcodes for
* Android Only – DONE
* iOS Only – DONE
* Mobile Browsers – DONE
* Blackberry – DONE
* And More
If you want to see some rate and comment on this plugin
For now I’ve only made shortcodes but you can either call the do shortcode function in your theme or write your own functions. In future releases functions will come with all shortcodes
Contributors and developers
“WP Mobile Detect”
is open source software. The following people have
contributed to this plugin.
