Here is an overview of various Multisite Network plugins I have found especially useful.
Some are at the WordPress repository some I found on Github searching for WordPress multisite.
Disable Comments – Remove Comments & Protect From Spam
Multisite Multidomain Single Sign On plugin
Network Wide Custom Code
Migrate WordPress Website & Backups – Prime Mover
NS Cloner – Site Copier
WordPress Multisite Content Copier/Updater
Plugins related to better handling of Multisite Network users.
Disable Comments – Remove Comments & Protect From Spam
Disable Comments makes it very easy to disable all comments across the multisite. Instead of disabling each individual site one can use the Disable Comments – Remove Comments & Protect From Spam plugin and easily disable comments for all sub sites that are a part of the Multisite Network.
Multisite Multidomain Single Sign On
Upon logging in to one of the multisite sub sites one gains access to all the sub sites without needing to login.
Network Wide Custom Code
The plugin Network Wide Custom Code (Plugin is located on Github) allows one to add custom CSS & JS code in the WordPress Multisite network admin area which will be enqueued on all sites under the network.
The plugin adds a Custom Code area to the Network Admin sidebar. I added the ct-footer class to CSS style area in the below screenshot to test out the plugin.
In the sub sites where I use the same active theme I noticed the footer area all have a red background.
Migrate WordPress Website & Backups – Prime Mover
Move single-site installation to another single site server.
Move WP single-site to existing multisite sub-site.
Migrate subsite to another multisite sub-site.
Migrate multisite sub-site to single-site.
…. and a lot more.
NS Cloner – Site Copier
“The NS Cloner will take any existing site on your WordPress multisite network and clone it into a new site (sub site) that is completely identical in theme & theme settings, plugins & plugin configurations, content, pictures, videos, and site settings.”
In my test I selected the source, created a new site title and URL, and then clicked the Clone button.
The cloned site shows up in the My Sites drop down as a new sub site.
WordPress Multisite Content Copier/Updater
Copy/Update posts and pages from one site (blog) to the other sites (blogs) in your WordPress Multisite Network.
The plugin adds a Content Copier area to the Network Admin sidebar. Going to the Bulk Copy/Update screen.
Selecting Content Type: Pages. Source Site and number of records per page. I can select which pages I would like to copy to specific sub sites.
There is also a settings screen. Here one needs to select Post Types and which sites to use.
This will add a Meta box to the bottom of the pages and posts. Select destination sites you want to copy to or update.
Alternative 1.
Broadcast
“Syndicate posts to other blogs in the network, update posts between blogs, sync posts, share content templates, etc. Broadcast posts can be linked to their parents, which updates child posts when the parent post is updated.”
Alternative 2.
I found the plugin WP Multisite Move Content plugin on Github. Which seems fairly similar to the above WordPress Multisite Content Copier/Updater plugin. I added a Github issue asking about how it works.
Alternative 3.
I also found the plugin Multisite Network Repost plugin on Github.
Repost your stories to selected sites in the multisite network, preserving attachments, custom fields, categories, tags etc. At this time the plugin only clones the post when it’s published. It’s a one way, one time operation and after that the posts are not connected or synced in any way.
Alternative 4.
Another plugin found on Github. WP Multisite Post plugin.
“I created this plugin, because we wanted to add a commercial post (Advertorial) to multiple sites. With this plugin you can do this by checking the sites you want the post on.”
Alternative 5.
There is also a Github plugin by 10up called Distributor.
Plugins related to better handling of Multisite Network users.
User Switching
With the User Switching plugin one can easily switch between the various users accounts in a single or multisite Network. Go to the All Users screen and hover over a user and notice the quick edit option “Switch To”.
WordPress Multisite User Sync/Unsync
“WordPress Multisite User Sync/Unsync plugin can sync/unsync users from one site (blog) to the other sites (blogs) in your WordPress Multisite Network.”
Individual Multisite Author
“This plugin enables you to enter the author biography for each user on a per blog basis.”
Create User With Password Multisite
“Allow website administrators to allocate passwords to users as they add them to individual sites in WordPress Multisite.”
Additional Multisite plugins I would like to mention.
A way to add languages for each sub site. Example sub site 1 is in English. Sub site 2 is in Norwegian. Sub site 3 is in Swedish. Using the Multisite Language Switcher one can tie the sites together.
“When you work quite a bit with WordPress Multisites, sometimes you need more information or menu items. This plugin enhances the network area for super admins with useful functions.”
Super Admin All Sites Menu
For the super admin, replace WP Admin Bar My Sites menu with an All Sites menu.
Here is a WordPress Trac ticket in relation to adding search to the My Sites menu.
I have not yet tested CivicCRM Admin Utilites, but became intrigued and had to add it to the list.
https://github.com/globalis-ms/multisite-clone-duplicator (Older)
MultiSite Clone Duplicator adds a “Duplicate Site” functionality to your network installation.It allows you to clone any site of your network into a new one : all data, files, users and roles can be copied.
Multisite Global Media
A WordPress plugin that shares media across the Multisite network.
https://github.com/bueltge/multisite-global-media/releases/tag/0.1.1
-Not fully working with Gutenberg.-
https://github.com/humanmade/network-media-library
– Needs to be rewritten: https://github.com/humanmade/network-media-library/issues/74
https://github.com/closemarketing/duplicate-publish-multisite (Not able to get it working yet.)
https://github.com/humanmade/disable-accounts (Produced a fatal error).
Surbma GDPR Multisite Privacy plugin. Found on Github. I am not sure if this plugin is supported any longer.
I am adding the WP Activity Log plugin to the multisite list as it could be nice to use for logging various happenings in the Multisite Network. There are also alternatives such as the Stream plugin.
An alternative to using a multisite
There are multiple services and plugins that can manage WordPress single sites in one management screen.
ManageWP
InfiniteWP
Getglow
CMS Commander Client
MainWP
WPremote
Jetpack
iControlWP
Resources:
https://wpastra.com/wordpress-multisite-plugins/
https://simplywordpress.net/wordpress-m/wordpress-multisite-switch-between-sites.html
