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Invite Anyone

By Boone Gorges

Community & Social / User-Generated Content

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Invite Anyone Review - In-Depth Analysis

Enhance BuddyPress invitations with powerful features. Invite members via email and allow group invites.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.7/10

User Rating

4.3/5 (based on 26+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

Update Frequency

Very Good It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

6.53 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Invite Anyone is a plugin that enhances the invitation features of BuddyPress. It allows users to invite members to the site by email through a dedicated tab on each member's profile page. Users can send custom messages and select groups for their invitees.

By default, BuddyPress restricts group invitations to friends. This plugin expands the capability, enabling all members to invite anyone to groups. An autosuggest search box simplifies the process of finding members to invite.

Optional integration with CloudSponge offers a fun way for users to invite friends using their address books. This plugin is customizable through the BuddyPress dashboard.

Comparing to Alternatives

Invite Anyone is a plugin designed to facilitate user invitations within WordPress communities. It competes with several established community and membership plugins that offer broader social networking features.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and focused functionality for inviting users.
Easy to set up and works well for member sites.
Lightweight compared to full social networking plugins.
Highly rated by most users for its core purpose.
Does not overwhelm with unnecessary features.

Weaknesses

Lacks shortcode support for embedding forms flexibly.
Sends invitation emails with default WordPress username address, which is not customizable.
No support responsiveness reported by some users.
Security vulnerabilities have been identified and fixed in updates.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star ratings (77%) and a few lower ratings, user feedback is generally positive but highlights some areas for improvement, especially regarding support and customization.

Positive highlights

'It does what it says' - hshirazi
'Must have buddypress plugin!' - AiratTop
'The plugin is really Awesome.' - ajayjob2011
'Exactly what I needed! Easy to set up and works great.' - melbatoast4
'Useful form and works well with SMTP plugins.' - songdove

Common complaints

No support from the plugin author, leaving users to resolve issues independently.

Weaknesses

Limited customization of invitation email sender address.
No shortcode for embedding invitation forms flexibly.
Reported lack of support and updates.
Security vulnerabilities have been historically present but fixed in recent versions.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Site administrators looking for a straightforward, easy-to-use invitation plugin to enhance community engagement without extra complexity.

Not ideal for

Users needing extensive customization, shortcode support, or reliable developer support may find this plugin limiting. Also, those concerned about past security issues should ensure they use the latest version.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers core invitation functionality suitable for most community sites without additional cost.

Final Verdict

Invite Anyone is a focused and effective plugin for managing user invitations within WordPress communities. It is well-liked for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a good choice for site owners who want a straightforward solution without extra features.

However, the plugin has had security vulnerabilities in the past, which have been addressed in updates, and some users report lack of support and limited customization options. Those needing more flexibility or guaranteed support might consider alternative plugins.