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Public Post Preview

By Dominik Schilling

Content Management / Blog & Article Publishing

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

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

Public Post Preview Review - In-Depth Analysis

Allow anonymous users to preview a draft of a post before it is published. Share a link for public preview easily.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.88/10

User Rating

4.6/5 (based on 79+ reviews)

Active Installations

100,000+

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 share a link with anonymous users to preview a draft of a post or any other public post type before it is published.

Have you ever needed to give someone who does not have access to your site the ability to preview a post? This plugin generates a URL with an expiring nonce that can be shared for public preview.

To enable a public post preview, simply check the box in the document settings. In the classic editor, this option is found in the 'Publish' meta box. The link will be displayed if the checkbox is checked, allowing you to copy and share it with others. To disable the preview, just uncheck the box.

Comparing to Alternatives

Public Post Preview offers a unique feature set for sharing post previews publicly, with several alternative plugins available that provide similar functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and intuitive interface for sharing post previews.
Highly rated with a strong user base and positive feedback.
No known security vulnerabilities, ensuring safe usage.
Enables collaboration by allowing others to view drafts without logging in.
Lightweight and integrates seamlessly with WordPress.

Weaknesses

Recent versions have reported functionality issues with preview links.
Some users experience the plugin not working after updates.
Lacks a pro version with advanced features.
Dependent on WordPress version compatibility which may cause issues.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a high overall rating of 4.5 stars from 80 reviews, most users praise the plugin's utility and ease of use. However, about 12.5% of users report significant issues, particularly with recent updates.

Positive highlights

Indispensable for coworking on posts, as noted by Oligraph.
Works flawlessly according to Knut Sparhell.
Super handy for working with clients and third parties, says mcd.
Does exactly what it advertises, per Mohsin Alam.
An incredible plugin that meets needs perfectly, according to Henry Douglas.

Common complaints

Plugin functionality completely missing after latest WordPress update.
Preview links no longer work, forcing users to log in.
Sudden stoppage of working without clear cause.

Weaknesses

Inconsistent performance with latest WordPress versions.
Preview link issues undermine core functionality.
Lack of updates addressing recent problems.
No advanced support or premium features available.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users needing a straightforward, free solution to share post previews publicly without requiring recipients to log in, especially for collaborative editing and client review.

Not ideal for

Users who require guaranteed compatibility with the latest WordPress versions or need advanced features and premium support should consider alternatives or wait for plugin updates addressing recent issues.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides essential public post preview functionality, allowing users to share draft previews easily without login requirements.

Final Verdict

Public Post Preview is a highly valued plugin praised for its simplicity and effectiveness in sharing draft previews publicly. It is well-suited for collaborative environments and client interactions, with no known security vulnerabilities and a strong positive user base.

However, recent reports of functionality loss with the latest WordPress versions and lack of a pro version may limit its suitability for users needing robust, up-to-date support. Alternatives exist for those requiring more advanced or reliable solutions.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Public Post Preview plugin.

Anonymous

Drafts

Posts

Preview

Public

Screenshots

FAQ

The checkbox is only available for non-published posts and once a post was saved as a draft.

Yes, of course. Go to Settings > Reading > Public Post Preview and increase the
Expiration Time setting. You can also use the filter ppp_nonce_life. Example for 5 days:

add_filter( 'ppp_nonce_life', 'my_nonce_life' ); function my_nonce_life() {     return 5 * DAY_IN_SECONDS; }

Note: The setting UI is not visible if the filter is used.

Contributors and developers

“Public Post Preview” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Dominik Schilling

Free Version

WPS

6.88

Average

Ratings

4.6 out of 5 | 79

Version

3.1.2

Last updated

3 months ago

Active installations

100,000+

WordPress version

7.0.7 or higher

PHP version

8.0 or higher

Languages

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Public Post Preview Review - In-Depth Analysis

Performance Overview

What It Does

Comparing to Alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

Who Should Use This?

Pricing & Value

Final Verdict

Other Notable Features

Screenshots

FAQ

Contributors and developers

Ratings

Reviews (79)

Sort by:

Contributors & Developers

Interested in development?

Changelog

Security Status

Secure

No Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Known Vulnerabilities (0)

Previous Versions

WPS

6.88

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