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External Links

By Denis de Bernardy

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.

External Links Review - In-Depth Analysis

Manage outgoing links differently from internal links. Add icons, nofollow attributes, and more.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.71/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 36+ reviews)

Active Installations

8,000+

Update Frequency

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

The external links plugin for WordPress allows you to manage outgoing links separately from internal links. You can configure various settings to enhance link handling on your site.

Under Settings / External Links, you can process all outgoing links, add an external link icon, and apply nofollow attributes. Additionally, you can choose to open outgoing links in new windows and enable autolink functionality to automatically hyperlink URLs in your content.

The Autolink feature converts plain URLs into clickable links, improving user experience. You can also exclude specific domains from processing. For any issues, the plugin's support forum is available for assistance.

Comparing to Alternatives

External Links is a straightforward plugin with several alternatives offering similar functionalities for managing external links on WordPress sites.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Easy to install and configure with minimal setup required
Automatically adds a tidy icon after external links
Allows configuration for links to open in new browser tabs
Simple and user-friendly interface
Reliable performance without breaking site functionality

Weaknesses

Limited icon customization options
No pro version with advanced features
Basic styling options compared to some alternatives
Lacks some advanced link management features

User Sentiment Analysis

With a high rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 36 reviews, users overwhelmingly praise the plugin for its simplicity and effectiveness.

Positive highlights

'Works perfectly! Nice & tidy little icon is automatically added after all external links.' — prodos
'Simple and does the job' — Andy Feliciotti
'Very easy to use, it fulfils its purpose perfectly.' — Ramon
'Simple and comfortable to use, really nice style.' — FeliceAntonio
'The only of all such plugins that I tried that works fine and did not break anything.' — yeoric

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Lacks icon customization options
No advanced features due to absence of a pro version
Basic styling and configuration options

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, reliable plugin to mark external links with icons and open them in new tabs without complex configuration.

Not ideal for

Users needing advanced customization, multiple icon choices, or premium features not offered by this plugin.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes all core features such as automatic icon addition to external links, opening links in new tabs, and basic configuration options.

Final Verdict

External Links is a highly rated, easy-to-use plugin that effectively marks external links with icons and manages their behavior. It stands out for its simplicity and reliability, making it a great choice for users who want straightforward functionality without extra complexity.

While it lacks advanced customization and a pro version, it remains a solid option among its alternatives, especially for those prioritizing ease of use and stability. Its clean security record further supports its suitability for most WordPress users.