Simple Access Control
This plugin allows authors to restrict the users’s access to individual pages, posts and menu items based on the user’s logged in status.
Consider an alternative
Simple Access Control shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 38/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (200+ active installs)
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Simple Access Control stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| menu | >100 |
| page | >100 |
| post | >100 |
| security | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
About Simple Access Control
From the official readme · v1.6.0Description
This plugin allows authors to restrict the users’s access to individual pages, posts and menu items based on the user’s logged in status.
Features for Authors
- You can restrict pages and posts while editing by using the “Simple Access Control” widget.
- You can set the message displayed when a visitor accesses a locked page using the “Simple Access Control” item in the Settings menu
- The locked status is shown in the admin page and post lists
- a “Loggedin Text” widget is available that only displays text to logged in users
- You can set an option to display the menu even when filtered
- You can set an option to force a 404 Not Found error on direct access to a restricted page
Features seen by users
- Locked pages and posts are not displayed
- Locked items are removed from standard and custom menus
- A message asking you to log in is displayed if you access it directly using its address or using the next and previous links
- A 404 Not Found error may be displayed on access to a restricted page
- A login/logout link is displayed in the mesage
- Loggedin Text widgets are not visible
- Pages and posts can be hidden from either logged in or not logged in users
Additional Features
There are no additional features supported by Simple Access Control. The code is simple, small and well documented,
so you can use it as a starting point for your own access control plugin.
Installation
- Use the Plugins, Add New menu in WordPress to install the plugin or upload the
simple-access-controlfolder to the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Changelog
get support for new features
1.6.0
- fix fatal error extending WP_Widget, now extends WP_Widget_Text
- add option to give a 404 Not Found error on direct access to a restricted page or post
1.5.1
- set version number
1.5
- tested support for WordPress 4.7.5 and HTTPS
- updated the readme, no changes to code
1.4
- tested support for new admin in WordPress 3.8
1.3
- add control of display in menus on page basis
- add login/logout links to locked displays
1.2
- add restricting access to users who are logged in
- fix bugs with restricted posts and next/previous links
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Simple Access Control alternatives
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FAQ
Simple Access Control: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 6, 2026
Is Simple Access Control free?
Yes. Simple Access Control is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Simple Access Control safe to use in 2026?
Simple Access Control shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 9 years ago, and scores 38/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Simple Access Control?
Simple Access Control is active on 200+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 20,135 times since it launched in November 2011. It was downloaded 96 times in the last 30 days.
Does Simple Access Control work with WordPress 7.1?
Simple Access Control is officially tested up to WordPress 4.9.34, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Simple Access Control last updated?
The latest version, 1.6.0, was released on November 17, 2017 (9 years ago).
Who makes Simple Access Control?
Simple Access Control is developed and maintained by Peter Wooster.
What are the best alternatives to Simple Access Control?
The most popular alternatives to Simple Access Control are Admin Menu Editor (300K+ installs), Max Mega Menu (300K+ installs) and Menu Image, Icons made easy (100K+ installs).
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