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No External Links

By mihdan

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

No External Links Review - In-Depth Analysis

No External Links converts external links to internal links. It offers full page or targeted content filtering, NoFollow options, and click logging.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.83/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 16+ reviews)

Active Installations

4,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

5.1 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

No External Links is a plugin that helps convert external links into internal links across your website. It features full page or targeted content filtering, allowing you to customize how links are handled.

The plugin provides options for custom redirect pages or messages, encoded masks for links, and click logging for external links. You can also exclude individual links or set exclusions for specific posts or pages.

This tool is particularly useful for website owners who want to manage outgoing links effectively, especially if they are selling advertisements and want to minimize the number of external links visible to search engines.

Comparing to Alternatives

No External Links stands alone in its category with no close direct alternatives available, making it a unique choice for users needing its specific functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Highly effective at blocking external links as intended
Lightweight and fast with minimal server overhead
Clean and user-friendly settings interface
Includes features like encoding, shortening, exceptions, and logging
Positive impact on SEO by managing external links

Weaknesses

No direct alternatives to compare feature sets
Limited to free version with no premium upgrade options
Past security vulnerabilities require users to keep plugin updated
May lack advanced features found in broader SEO plugins

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong 4.8 out of 5 rating from 16 users, the plugin is highly regarded for its performance and reliability, reflected in mostly 5-star reviews and very few complaints.

Positive highlights

"This plugin does exactly what I’ve been looking for! It’s well coded, fast and works as intended." - kacper3355
"Nice plugin for SEO. Thanks!" - developerandmarketing
"Clean and functional plugin with great features like encoding, shortening, exceptions, and logging." - ratmanovsky
"Works flawlessly without noticeable server overhead." - Nic Windley
"Great plugin, I recommend it!" - Stanislav

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Past security issues including cross-site request forgery and stored cross-site scripting vulnerabilities
No pro version limits advanced feature availability
No direct alternatives for users seeking different options

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a straightforward, efficient plugin to block or manage external links without extra bloat or cost.

Not ideal for

Those needing advanced link management features or premium support might find this plugin limiting, especially given its past security vulnerabilities and lack of a pro version.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers comprehensive external link blocking features with encoding, shortening, exceptions, and logging capabilities.

Final Verdict

No External Links is a well-crafted plugin that effectively fulfills its purpose of managing external links with minimal impact on site performance. Its clean interface and useful features have earned it high praise from users, making it a reliable choice for those focused on SEO and link control.

However, users should be aware of its past security vulnerabilities and the absence of a premium version, which may limit advanced functionality and support. Despite these considerations, it remains a valuable tool for users seeking a simple, free solution without direct alternatives.