16 Best WordPress User Management Plugins 2023

WordPress allows you to assign different user roles to the many members of your team. WordPress, by default, includes a built-in user management system, though it may not allow full control over your users. You can take help from the many WordPress user management plugins to have more control. These plugins can help you modify the roles and capabilities of each user on your website.

Multiauthor blogs, in particular, may benefit from these plugins. On these blogs, each author has their registered account to submit posts on the backend of your site. On the website of a huge corporate, you may want to establish different levels of access to different users. Managing different user roles on such blogs or websites can take up much of your time.

This article is a compilation of WordPress user management plugins that help in managing user roles effectively.

Free User Management Plugins for WordPress

The WordPress plugin repository has many quality plugins that you should try regarding user management. They can take a lot of hard work but will allow all users to access and work on your website within the limits of their roles.

1. User Role Editor

Not only does the User Role Editor plugin fix the capability for each role. It also allows you to create new roles and to assign them any function you wish. You’ll see the list of capabilities attached to each role, and you can enable or disable capabilities for specific roles. Update any changes you make to the settings.

The plugin supports multisites. If any role is not in use, simply delete it. You can also assign multiple roles to a single user and change the roles assigned by default to new users. Besides, you can create new capabilities and assign them on a per user basis. You can also remove unused capabilities that remain from deactivated plugins.

If you wish to hide branding or specific front-end items from some users, you’ll need to upgrade to User Editor Pro. This version will also allow you to block or show select widgets, metaboxes, and user access to plugins per plugin basis. Shortcodes will not only help you to allow access to select content only to some users. They will also help restrict post and page views for some roles.

2. Adminimize

To present a clean admin area to your users, you can try Adminimize. It helps to hide all the unnecessary items that users don’t need to deal with. It removes items from view depending on the user’s role. This way, you can clean up the admin area for your users. You can even create different admin interfaces for different users and adjust almost every item on the menu in the plugin’s settings page.

Each part of the admin backend area can be configured for each user role. The metadata for each page or post can be set separately. If, for any reason, you no longer want to use the plugin, take care to de-install options first to reset your database safely.

3. Members

When you activate Members on your website, you gain more control over how different users interact with it. It allows you to edit users, roles, and capabilities to put control in your hands firmly. On the plugin’s settings page, you can configure options to grant multiple roles to one user or deny a specific capability to a single user or group of users.

Moreover, shortcodes are available to restrict users’ access to content and even turn your site into a completely private one. You have the option to display a login form widget and a user’s widget in your theme’s sidebars. The plugin integrates well with most standard WordPress plugins. Though the plugin is easy to use, it comes with an in-depth user guide.

4. User Switching

The User Switching plugin can be a real time saver when you’re testing out something on WordPress. Often, you may need to log in and out of different accounts or move between two or more user accounts. As the site admin, you may have to move between multiple accounts. This plugin helps you log out from the present account and into a new account with a single click.

The plugin adds two new links—”Switch to” and “Switch back”—on your dashboard in the user’s screen. By simply clicking on these links, you can switch back and forth between accounts. You can also switch accounts from your profile menu. Further, you can log out of your account, yet be able to get back in instantly. It’s secure and compatible with multisites, BuddyPress, and bbPress. Only users with the ability to edit another user can switch into that user’s account. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing accounts they do not have the privilege to edit.

5. Peter’s Login Redirect

Once users complete the registration formalities on your website, you’ll need to direct them to the next page. Peter’s Login Redirect is the plugin for this function. Once you activate it, you can configure the pages that users should go to by making changes in the settings page.

You can set the pages users must visit after registration and redirect users based on username, roles, or capabilities.

6. Advanced Access Manager

As the name suggests, Advanced Access Manager is a powerful plugin. It helps you control access to specific site areas like posts, pages, or custom post types. This control can be effected for a specific user, role, or visitor. Moreover, it allows you to create, alter, or delete any user role or capability and manage them.

The free plugin comes with 100+ features; if that’s insufficient, you can check out the premium extensions. They allow you to restrict access to categories, widgets, and metaboxes and specify the default access for all posts and categories. Other features include protection from brute force attacks, double authentication, controlling access to media files, tracking logged-in users, and the capability to filter backend menu and content.

7. WP Approve User

As the name suggests, WP Approve User is a free WordPress plugin that helps you approve and disapprove users. You now have full control over who can enter the admin dashboard area and who cannot. The installation and activation processes are straightforward, similar to all the other plugins you have used.

Bear in mind, if you already have multiple users accessing your admin, the plugin automatically approves them upon activation. As far as all the new users go, you can manually accept or skip adding them entirely. What’s more, WP Approve User is also available in multiple languages, like German, English, Hebrew, Russian and Dutch. With future plugin updates, you can expect the author to add even more languages for your convenience.

8. Bulk Delete

If you have a ton of content on your website that you would like to get rid of, Bulk Delete is probably the right solution for you. This easy-to-use WordPress plugin lets you delete posts and pages in bulk and remove multiple users simultaneously. With this approach, you will save yourself loads of time and effort, which otherwise takes to manually remove users, attachments, and other whatnots.

To avoid any inconvenience, you can set specific rules and conditions that Bulk Delete should follow when deleting content. You can delete posts based on tag, category, comment count and post type. Moreover, you can also delete users based on their roles, meta fields, and registration date. The options are there, just set the conditions and let Bulk Delete do it.

9. Meks Smart Author Widget

To put an extra shine on all your loyal authors, get your hands on Meks Smart Author Widget. This fantastic WordPress plugin will help create neat author and user information inside a widget. Others can see this box of information on a single post template or even on author archive, instead of using the default look, spice things up with Meks Smart Author Widget. Besides, nothing is challenging to undergo when setting it up.

Some plugin features are custom avatar size, replacing the title with a user name, and auto-detecting posts and templates. You can also link avatar or display name to the author archive so everyone can instantly access all the content they have created to date. Sometimes, it is the small details that can enhance the user experience of your website.

10. User Meta

User Meta is a full-blown WordPress user management plugin that equips webmasters and users with additional functions. Along with great management, the user can take different actions, like updating profiles, resetting passwords, etc. You can also add additional fields to the registration, all in the front-end. User Meta even comes with a shortcode so that the user can fill out the registration form on other parts of your website.

Moreover, User Meta allows for customization of the form, offers you to create as many forms as you want and enables you to change the default email sender information. You can also create different registration forms for different user roles and activate conditional logic. The options are many to take user management to the next level with User Meta.

11. WP User Manager

If you are building a community, you better sort things out with a powerful and easy-to-use plugin to help you keep things organized. WP User Manager is an excellent user management plugin for your WordPress website or blog that does not cost you a dime. It enriches your page with all these specialties that will scream with sophistication and professionalism.

WP User Manager is convenient for everyone interested in building a membership website. It provides all the necessary features and functions for you to start with the project immediately. Some of the goodies that come with WP User Manager are front-end form, custom avatars, shortcodes, custom widgets, redirections, password management and fully customizable user profiles. Take your hands on WP User Manager and make an immediate difference, scaling your community project to new heights.

12. WP User

WP User is a multi-purpose WordPress user management plugin for creating front-end forms, user profiles and more. Speaking of forms, WP User allows you to implement login and registration forms, as well as forgot password, and it also includes multiple security features. You can limit login attempts and add Google reCAPTCHA to keep yourself safe and secure from spammers. Moreover, WP User is also entirely congruous with plugins like WooCommerce, MailChimp, and Aweber.

WP User’s other options to the table are email notifications, front-end profile creation, customizable CSS and multi-language compatibility. It even includes cool effects to keep the engagement at the highest degree. In short, if you want to avoid the default WordPress login, make it more appealing to the eye with WP User.

13. WP-Members

WP-Members is a good fit for newsletters, clubs, associations, and any website that monetizes content. This plugin restricts content to registered users or to a certain class of users. It’s highly customizable and provides various options in the settings page. It’s also developer-friendly with a 100+ filter and action hooks.

The plugin uses “Read More” or “Continue Reading” to provide teaser content to persuade readers to sign up for premium content. When the reader clicks on this Read More link, he’ll find the option to log in or register depending on whether he’s an existing or new member. A sidebar widget indicates the login/logout status of the user and provides a link to change this status.

WordPress’s default setting allows all users free access for all posts. On the contrary, this plugin has a default setting of restricted content. It allows the admin to unblock content to selected or registered users. The site admin will be notified of any new registrations. For specific situations, such as a marketing campaign, shortcodes will help create a registration page.

Paying customers have access to plugin extensions and a snippet library.

14. User Submitted Posts

Accepting user submissions from your readers is a great way to add value to your website. User Submitted Posts uses a shortcode to add a form in the front end. Visitors to your site can submit posts and add images using this form. On your part, you have to add the shortcode to any page, post, or widget.

The front-end form has about nine fields: name, URL, image upload, post title, tags, categories, and content. You can customize any of these fields from the plugin’s settings page. You can also limit the number of images that a user can submit. The post status can be set to Draft or Publish Immediately depending on your requirement.

This plugin is useful if you do not want other users to access your admin area. At the same time, you desire to accept content from others. There are also options to allow only logged-in users to submit content for Google reCAPTCHA and include the post’s author. Template tags can be used to display and customize posts. Besides, there are 35+ action and filter hooks for advanced customization.

The pro version offers many additional features like unlimited custom forms, infinite custom fields, multimedia file uploads, and much more.

15. Capability Manager Enhanced

As you know, WordPress comes with a limited number of user roles. As admins, we may require a larger number of roles or want to enhance existing roles’ capabilities. That’s where a plugin like Capability Manager Enhanced can lend a hand. It allows you to edit the capabilities attached to user roles and create customized user roles for your website.

This plugin allows you to create new roles and choose options for each capability from granted, not granted, or blocked. Any role you create can be copied to all other sites on the network. You can back up, restore, and revert to any role or capability. Moreover, admins need not always be hands-on to manage roles. They can delegate it to other users. The only rider here is that users can manage roles or users with the same or lesser capabilities.

16. User Registration and User Profile

User Registration and User Profile adds a front-end menu for all your users from where they can register or modify their user profiles. Site admins can customize the basic user fields and add new fields as well.

Creating the front-end menu is a breeze with this plugin. Create a new page, add a shortcode, publish the page, and you’ll have your form. A pro version with additional features is also available.

Some More User Management Plugins

If you’re looking for more functions in the plugins to manage user accounts, the following plugins may be of help to you:

• Simple Local Avatars: If the user has media permissions, this plugin will add a field in the user profile to upload the avatar. Pick a size, and the plugin will crop and resize the image.
• WP-UserOnline: To know how many users are active on your site, their location, and other related stats, this is the plugin to use. This way, you can tell the number of guests, bots, and members on your site.
• Delete Me: Users with specific user roles can delete themselves and exit your website when this plugin is active.

Wrapping Up

User management can eat into the productive time of site admins. The plugins in this list can take away the most routine tasks and automate them, leaving administrators with a lighter load. With just a few clicks, these plugins can assign or restrict roles, delete user accounts without deleting the posts, and do many other similar things.