StatusDot
Opening hours status dot with weekly schedules, overnight hours, breaks, busy/idle states, and live countdowns.
Use with caution
StatusDot works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 5 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
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 StatusDot stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| business hours | >100 |
| countdown | >100 |
| open closed | >100 |
| Opening Hours | >100 |
| status-indicator | >100 |
About StatusDot
From the official readme · v2.4.0Description
StatusDot helps you show whether you’re Open, Busy, Closed, or temporarily Idle — using a simple dot indicator that updates automatically.
Configure a weekly schedule (supports HH:MM), optionally enable Busy mode, or override everything with Force Closed or Open 24/7. You can also start an Idle override (“Back in…”) timer when you’re away.
StatusDot can show status text + a live countdown, for example:
Open now — Closes in 04:52:14
Updates are handled via lightweight AJAX polling, so visitors see changes without a full page refresh.
Place it anywhere using the shortcode. Multiple instances per page are supported.
Features
- Weekly opening hours (HH:MM, including minutes)
- Overnight hours supported (set the close time earlier than the open time)
- Optional break windows during Weekly Schedule and Open 24/7
- Optional pre-break warnings before scheduled breaks
- Status modes:
- Use Opening Hours (Weekly Schedule)
- Force Closed
- Open 24/7
- Manual Busy mode (orange status)
- Idle override (“Back in…”) with start/stop and countdown
- Display options:
- Toggle status text (Open/Busy/Closed)
- Toggle countdown label + time per state (Closes in / Opens in / Back in)
- Separator selection (-, —, |, •)
- Optional light text (white) output for dark backgrounds
- Live countdowns to the next opening, closing, break end, or idle return
- AJAX-based live updates (configurable refresh interval)
- Unlimited shortcodes per page
- Works with major page builders (Gutenberg, Elementor, etc.)
- Lightweight and dependency-free
Shortcode
Basic usage:
[statusdot]
Optional attributes:
[statusdot id=”header” refresh=”20″]
id– Optional unique identifier (useful for targeting with custom CSS). Default: headerrefresh– Refresh interval in seconds (default: 20)
Installation
- Upload the
statusdotfolder to/wp-content/plugins/ - Activate the plugin via Plugins → Installed Plugins
- Go to Settings → StatusDot
- Configure your opening hours and display options
- Add the shortcode anywhere on your site
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the shortcode multiple times on one page?
Yes. You can use the shortcode unlimited times. Each instance updates independently.
Can I override the schedule?
Yes. Use Force Closed, Open 24/7, Busy mode, or the Idle override timer.
Does it work with page builders?
Yes. StatusDot works with Gutenberg, Elementor, and other builders.
Does it affect performance?
StatusDot is lightweight and only makes a small AJAX request at the interval you set.
Are additional features available?
An optional extended version of the plugin includes advanced scheduling and customization features.
Changelog
WordPress 7.0 compatibility release with updated tested metadata and refreshed plugin icon branding.
2.4.0
- Compatibility: Updated plugin metadata for WordPress 7.0 (
Tested up to: 7.0). - Compatibility: Kept support baseline at PHP 7.4+ (in line with WordPress 7.0 minimum support).
- Updated: Refreshed plugin icon asset to the new StatusDot animated GIF branding.
2.3.0
- Added: Live preview is now available in the settings page.
- Improved: Settings-page descriptions are cleaner and now use tooltips in more places.
- Improved: Uninstall handling and deactivation cleanup are more reliable.
- Fixed: Start Idle and Stop Idle no longer trigger a full settings save.
- Improved: Status output refreshes more reliably after display-option changes.
- Improved: Custom separator handling is safer and more consistent in output.
- Improved: Refreshed the WordPress.org screenshots/readme visuals.
2.2.0
- New: Added overnight opening hours, so a closing time earlier than the opening time now continues into the next day.
- New: Added optional scheduled break windows for Weekly Schedule and Open 24/7, including support for multiple break slots per day.
- New: Added optional pre-break warnings with configurable minutes-before, content display, and rotation behavior.
- New: Added an optional light text (white) setting for shortcode text and countdown output on dark backgrounds.
- Improved: Live status updates now handle opening, closing, break, and idle countdown boundaries more smoothly without a full page refresh.
- Improved: The admin live state handling now refreshes Busy / Break / Idle states more reliably, and Idle override can no longer be started while the schedule is closed.
- Meta: Refreshed the WordPress.org screenshots/readme visuals for the 2.2.0 release.
2.1.0
- New: Added display options for status text and countdown labels/times.
- New: Added separator selection (-, —, |, •) for the shortcode output.
- New: Added Idle override (“Back in…”) with start/stop and countdown support.
- Improved: Weekly schedules now support HH:MM values, including minutes.
- Improved: Settings changes now refresh more immediately after saving.
- Improved: General admin UI polish and WordPress.org compliance updates.
2.0.0
- Added Freemius integration for the optional upgrade path.
- Improved: Code quality, performance, and WordPress.org compatibility.
Screenshots
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 StatusDot alternatives
All business hours plugins →
FAQ
StatusDot: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 12, 2026
Is StatusDot free?
Yes. StatusDot is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is StatusDot safe to use in 2026?
StatusDot works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 5 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
How many websites use StatusDot?
StatusDot is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 773 times since it launched in March 2026. It was downloaded 56 times in the last 30 days.
Does StatusDot work with WordPress 7.1?
StatusDot is officially tested up to WordPress 7.0.7, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does StatusDot need?
StatusDot requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was StatusDot last updated?
The latest version, 2.4.0, was released on May 26, 2026 (5 months ago).
Who makes StatusDot?
StatusDot is developed and maintained by designplug.
What are the best alternatives to StatusDot?
The most popular alternatives to StatusDot are Business Hours Indicator (8K+ installs), We’re Open! (5K+ installs) and ITBoffins Live Opening Hour… (100+ installs).
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