/ Plugin Category

/ Site Administration & Utilities

/ URL Redirects & 301 Management

/ Exclude Pages

Exclude Pages

By Simon Wheatley

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

Exclude Pages Review - In-Depth Analysis

Exclude specific pages from your site's navigation menus with a simple checkbox. Control visibility for better user experience.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.89/10

User Rating

4.9/5 (based on 47+ 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

This plugin allows you to exclude certain pages from appearing in your site's navigation menus. By adding a checkbox labeled 'include this page in menus', you can easily manage which pages are displayed. If unchecked, the page will not show up in any listings, including navigation menus.

Child pages of excluded pages will also be hidden from the menu listings. An alert in the editing screen helps track which ancestor page affects child pages. This feature is useful for maintaining a clean and user-friendly navigation structure.

For advanced users, you can pause and resume the exclusion effect with specific template tags. Additionally, you can retrieve an array of excluded page IDs for further customization. Note that the plugin does not operate on admin pages, ensuring that your editing experience remains unaffected.

Comparing to Alternatives

Exclude Pages is a straightforward plugin designed to hide pages from menus, standing out for its simplicity and effectiveness despite its lack of recent updates.

Top alternatives

Exclude Pages

Strengths

Simple and easy to use for hiding pages from menus.
Compatible with various menu functions like wp_nav_menu and wp_page_menu.
Works well with side menus such as BE Subpages Widget.
Continues to function on newer WordPress versions despite no recent updates.

Weaknesses

No recent updates or active maintenance.
Compatibility issues with newer PHP versions without manual edits.
Lacks advanced features found in other menu management plugins.
No official support or development activity.

User Sentiment Analysis

Users appreciate the plugin's core functionality but express concerns about its maintenance and compatibility with newer environments.

Positive highlights

'Works perfect for hiding pages from the menus.' - boris.klug
'Still works with WP 5.3' - jackreidy
'Installed on wp6.6.1 php8.1 and works perfectly despite its age.' - jreynders
'Allows pages to be present without listing in auto-menus.' - mlipenk
'Still works just fine with my WordPress sites and themes.' - Gomisan

Common complaints

Plugin is abandoned with no updates.
Issues with PHP 5.6 and above unless debugging is disabled.
Requires manual code edits to function on newer PHP versions.
Lack of developer interest in maintaining the plugin.

Weaknesses

Compatibility problems with PHP 5.6+ without modifications.
No active support or updates from the author.
Potential security risks due to outdated code.
Limited features beyond basic page exclusion.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, no-frills solution to exclude pages from menus without needing advanced features or frequent updates.

Not ideal for

Those requiring a regularly maintained plugin with official support, compatibility guarantees, or advanced menu management capabilities.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic functionality to exclude pages from menus, which is sufficient for users needing straightforward page hiding without additional features.

Final Verdict

Exclude Pages remains a reliable tool for hiding pages from menus despite its lack of updates and official support. It fulfills its core purpose effectively for users comfortable with its limitations.

However, users should be aware of potential compatibility issues with newer PHP versions and the absence of ongoing maintenance, which may require manual fixes or consideration of alternative plugins for long-term use.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Exclude Pages plugin.

Exclude Pages

Hide Pages

Menu Navigation

Screenshots

FAQ

Upload exclude_pages.php to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Create or edit a page, and enjoy the frisson of excitement as you exclude it from the navigation