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Force Login

By Kevin Vess

User Management & Authentication / User Registration & Login

Force Login Review - In-Depth Analysis

Force Login is a lightweight plugin that requires users to log in to access your site. It makes your website private until ready for public viewing.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.17/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 101+ reviews)

Active Installations

30,000+

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

Easily hide your WordPress site from public viewing by requiring visitors to log in first. As simple as flipping a switch.

Make your website private until it is ready to share publicly, or keep it private for members only.

Features include WordPress Multisite compatibility, login redirects to the original URL, an extensive developer API with hooks and filters, customizable login redirects, and the ability to filter exceptions for certain pages or posts. Additionally, it restricts the REST API to authenticated users and is translation ready and WPML certified.

Bug reports for Force Login are welcomed on GitHub. Please note that GitHub is not a support forum.

Comparing to Alternatives

Force Login is a straightforward plugin designed to restrict site access to logged-in users only. Compared to other plugins with similar goals, it focuses on simplicity and minimal configuration.

Top alternatives

Force Login

Strengths

Extremely simple and easy to use with minimal setup.
Effectively restricts site access to logged-in users only.
Lightweight with no unnecessary features or bloat.
Allows customization through hooks for advanced users.

Weaknesses

Lacks advanced features like role-based access control.
No built-in options for partial content restriction.
Requires some PHP knowledge for customization.
No frequent updates noted, which may affect compatibility.

User Sentiment Analysis

Users appreciate the plugin's simplicity and reliability, often highlighting its effectiveness in creating private or members-only sites.

Positive highlights

"Simple plugin, no fuss, works as promised." - pmiguet
"Very useful for starting a private site or closed member site." - ISHIHARA
"Simply works fine, no fancy extras, no bloat." - ucsendre
"Easy to implement a security fence around members area." - esyrett
"Easy-to-use with hooks for customization." - bkjproductions

Common complaints

Needs more frequent updates for compatibility and security.
Limited features beyond basic login restriction.

Weaknesses

Lack of advanced access control options.
Requires permalinks set to postname for proper function.
Customization requires PHP knowledge.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who want a simple, no-frills solution to restrict their entire WordPress site to logged-in users without complex configuration.

Not ideal for

Those needing granular access control, frequent updates, or a plugin with a graphical interface for managing restrictions.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers full functionality to restrict site access to logged-in users, suitable for most basic privacy needs.

Final Verdict

Force Login is an excellent choice for users seeking a lightweight and straightforward plugin to restrict site access to logged-in users only. Its simplicity and reliability are its strongest points.

However, users requiring advanced features or frequent updates may find it lacking. Overall, it delivers solid value for those with basic access restriction needs.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Force Login plugin.

Privacy

Private

Protected

Registered Only

Restricted

FAQ

By default, the plugin sends visitors back to the URL they tried to access. However, you can redirect users to a specific URL by adding the built-in WordPress filter login_redirect to your functions.php file.

You can bypass Force Login based on any condition by adding the following filter to your functions.php file.

You may use the WordPress Conditional Tags in your code.

/**  * Bypass Force Login to allow for exceptions.  *  * @param bool $bypass Whether to disable Force Login. Default false.  * @param string $visited_url The visited URL.  * @return bool  */ function my_forcelogin_bypass( $bypass, $visited_url ) {    // Allow 'My Page' to be publicly accessible   if ( is_page('my-page') ) {     $bypass = true;   }    return $bypass; } add_filter( 'v_forcelogin_bypass', 'my_forcelogin_bypass', 10, 2 );

Check out the Force Login Wiki on GitHub for additional examples to allow URLs to be publicly accessible.

The WordPress login screen includes a “ Back to {sitename}” link below the login form; which may not actually take you back to the site while Force Login is activated. You can hide this link by adding the following action to your functions.php file.

Requires: WordPress 2.5 or higher

// Hide the 'Back to {sitename}' link on the login screen. function my_forcelogin_hide_backtoblog() {   echo '<style type="text/css">#backtoblog{display:none;}</style>'; } add_action( 'login_enqueue_scripts', 'my_forcelogin_hide_backtoblog' );

Requires: WordPress 2.5 or higher

// Hide the 'Back to {sitename}' link on the login screen. function my_forcelogin_hide_backtoblog() {   echo '<style type="text/css">#backtoblog{display:none;}</style>'; } add_action( 'login_enqueue_scripts', 'my_forcelogin_hide_backtoblog' );