/ Plugin Category

/ Design & Themes

/ Themes & Templates

/ Sticky Side Buttons

Sticky Side Buttons

By Maeve Lander

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

Sticky Side Buttons Review - In-Depth Analysis

Create flexible floating buttons that stick to the side of your site. Customize icons, text, and colors easily.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.84/10

User Rating

4.5/5 (based on 40+ reviews)

Active Installations

10,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

3 / 10 (Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This simple button creator lets you create one or more floating buttons that stick to the side of your site as the user scrolls.

Use it for sticking information like phone numbers, email addresses, social icons, and store locations.

Configuration options include button position (left or right), rollover style (darken or lighten), animation style (none, slide, or icons only), and the option to disable on mobile. You can customize button icons, text, link, and colors easily, and choose where to show the buttons: Front Page, Pages, Posts, or Custom Post Types.

Comparing to Alternatives

Sticky Side Buttons is a popular plugin for adding floating buttons, but there are several other plugins offering similar functionality with varying features.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and easy to apply with minimal setup
Quick loading performance, especially on desktop
Supports Font Awesome styling methods
Highly rated by most users for reliability and usefulness

Weaknesses

Has known compatibility issues with latest WordPress versions
Reported errors causing site slowdowns or fatal errors
No pro version or advanced premium features
Past security vulnerability requiring update

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star ratings, users generally appreciate the plugin's simplicity and effectiveness, though a small portion report significant issues.

Positive highlights

"Works great" – annaqq
"Quick to load, less is more. Works best on desktop." – marcusasiabc
"Muy simple de aplicar y bastante útil." – ulisesflores

Common complaints

Plugin gives errors and is not recommended by some users
Not updated for the newest WordPress version causing fatal errors

Weaknesses

Compatibility issues with recent WordPress updates
Performance problems leading to site slowdowns
Errors causing fatal PHP issues
Security vulnerability fixed only in recent update

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a straightforward, lightweight floating button plugin primarily for desktop use who do not require advanced features or premium support.

Not ideal for

Users running the latest WordPress versions who need guaranteed compatibility and stability, or those requiring advanced features and ongoing premium support.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic sticky side button functionality with Font Awesome support and easy setup.

Final Verdict

Sticky Side Buttons is a well-liked plugin for adding floating buttons with a simple and effective approach, earning high marks for ease of use and performance on desktop. However, it has faced some issues with compatibility on newer WordPress versions and had a security vulnerability that was addressed in a recent update.

While it remains a solid choice for users seeking basic functionality without cost, those needing advanced features, premium support, or assured compatibility with the latest WordPress releases might consider alternative plugins. Overall, it offers good value but requires caution regarding updates and compatibility.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Sticky Side Buttons plugin.

floating buttons

sticky buttons

custom button creator

Screenshots

FAQ

In the plugin settings there is a field where you can define z-index for the buttons. An element with a higher z-index is always in front of an element with a lower z-index. If you have tried a high z-index in that setting but your buttons still aren’t showing, it is likely that your theme has a very high z-index specified somewhere. This is not great practise, but is sometimes done in complex themes with lots of layered design elements, and also with page builders. As a last resort you can use CSS to force override the z-index for your buttons: #ssb-container { z-index: 9999 !important; }