TryDemoWP
Take snapshots of your WordPress site and publish any one of them as a live, self-destructing demo on TryDemoWP.
Solid choice
TryDemoWP is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 3 days ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed ā last update 3 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- 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 ā each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where TryDemoWP stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| demo | >100 |
| migration | >100 |
| sandbox | >100 |
| snapshot | >100 |
| staging | >100 |
About TryDemoWP
From the official readme Ā· v1.2.0Description
If you sell WordPress themes or plugins, buyers want to try before they buy. TryDemoWP gives every visitor their own disposable sandbox copy of your site that destroys itself when the timer runs out.
This plugin removes the manual step. Instead of exporting a backup, downloading it, and uploading it to TryDemoWP, you connect this site once and press a button.
What it does
- Takes a snapshot of this site ā
wp-contentplus a database dump ā and keeps it on your own server. - Holds several snapshots, so you can go back to how the demo looked last week without re-exporting anything.
- Publishes any snapshot as your live demo, resumably, so a dropped connection continues where it left off.
- Lets you download a snapshot and upload it in the TryDemoWP dashboard instead, which is the way through if your host blocks the direct push.
- Reports back when your demo is live.
About the snapshot file
A snapshot is encrypted with a key held by TryDemoWP, so a downloaded .tdw file can only be opened by TryDemoWP ā not by you, and not by any other tool. Anyone who has the file can build a demo from it in their own TryDemoWP account, so treat it like a copy of your site.
What it deliberately leaves out
This is an export built for demos, not a backup. To keep the archive small enough to upload, it skips:
- Cache directories and other backup plugins’ folders (which are often gigabytes of your own backups).
- Log files, archives, and build junk such as
node_modulesand.git. - Post revisions, transients, and spam or trashed comments.
- Runtime scratch tables such as Action Scheduler and WooCommerce sessions ā the table structure is kept so plugins still work, only the rows are dropped.
Your wp-config.php is never included, so database credentials and security salts never leave your server. Your live site is only ever read, never modified.
External service
This plugin sends data to TryDemoWP, a third-party service, and requires an account there.
- Service: TryDemoWP
- Data sent: your
wp-contentdirectory and a filtered database dump, your site’s home URL, and the plugin version, all authenticated with a connect token you generate in your TryDemoWP dashboard. - Terms of service: trydemowp.com/terms
- Privacy policy: trydemowp.com/privacy
Nothing is transmitted until you connect a token and choose to make a snapshot live. Taking a snapshot never leaves your server.
Installation
- Install and activate the plugin.
- In your TryDemoWP dashboard, open the site you want to update and choose Generate connect token on the Ingestion tab.
- In WordPress, go to Tools ā TryDemoWP and paste the token.
- Press Take snapshot, then Make live on the snapshot you want your demo to show.
Full setup guide: trydemowp.com/docs/wordpress-plugin
Both steps carry on in the background if you close the tab, and reopening the screen shows you where they got to. On sites where WP-Cron is disabled there is nothing to continue them, so the screen tells you to keep the tab open instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does this modify my live site?
No. The plugin only reads your files and database. The only things it writes are your snapshots and a temporary export file, both under wp-content/uploads/trydemo-sandbox-publisher/. The temporary file is deleted as soon as the snapshot is sealed.
How much disk space do snapshots use?
As much as five copies of your site, by default. You choose how many to keep, between one and ten ā when a new snapshot finishes, the oldest beyond that number is deleted. The snapshot your demo is currently showing is never deleted automatically. The plugin also refuses to start a snapshot when your host does not have room for it.
Can I open a downloaded snapshot myself?
No. Snapshots are encrypted with a key that stays on TryDemoWP, so the file only works there. If you want an archive you can open, use a general-purpose backup plugin ā this one is for demos.
My snapshot is too large. What now?
The plugin estimates the size before packaging anything and stops if it exceeds your planās limit, showing you which directories are responsible. You can retry without the media library, or upgrade your TryDemoWP plan.
My host has a low PHP time limit. Will this work?
Yes. The export runs in roughly 20-second slices and saves its position after each one, so it never depends on a single long-running request.
Do I have to keep the browser tab open?
No, as long as WP-Cron is working on your site: the push continues in the background and picks up from the same place when you come back. If WP-Cron is disabled the push screen says so and asks you to leave the tab open.
What does the plugin store on my site, and what happens if I delete it?
Your connect token, the name of the TryDemoWP site it is bound to, your snapshots, and the progress of any job in flight. Deleting the plugin removes all of it, including every snapshot file ā so download anything you want to keep first.
Can I push to more than one TryDemoWP site?
A connect token is bound to a single site, so this plugin pushes to that one site. Generate a token from a different site to point it elsewhere.
What if my connection drops during the upload?
The upload is resumable. The plugin asks TryDemoWP where it left off and continues from that byte.
ZipArchive or OpenSSL is missing on my server
The plugin needs PHPās ZipArchive extension to build a snapshot and OpenSSL to encrypt it. Most hosts have both; ask yours to enable them if the plugin reports one missing.
Changelog
1.2.0
- New: a redesigned TryDemoWP screen. Your live demo and its link sit at the top, a running snapshot shows one clear percentage, and Download and Delete move into a menu on each snapshot.
- New: connect errors show next to the token field instead of in a pop-up.
- Bundles the Figtree typeface (SIL Open Font License 1.1) so no font is loaded from a third-party server.
1.1.2
- Fix: theme and page-builder settings containing a percent sign (such as widths like 100%) were corrupted in the export, so the demo fell back to default colours and fonts.
1.1.1
- Readme: added an intro video and refreshed the screenshots. No code changes.
1.1.0
- Snapshots: take a copy of your site whenever you like and keep several on your own server.
- Publish any snapshot as your live demo, so rolling back no longer means re-exporting.
- Download a snapshot as an encrypted
.tdwfile and upload it in the TryDemoWP dashboard. - Choose how many snapshots to keep, from one to ten. The live one is never pruned.
- Snapshots now need PHP’s OpenSSL extension alongside ZipArchive.
1.0.0
- Initial release.
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 ā no account needed.
Best TryDemoWP alternatives
All demo plugins ā
FAQ
TryDemoWP: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org Ā· checked Oct 10, 2026
Is TryDemoWP free?
Yes. TryDemoWP is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is TryDemoWP safe to use in 2026?
TryDemoWP is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. Was last updated 3 days ago, and scores 64/100 on our health check.
How many websites use TryDemoWP?
TryDemoWP is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 421 times since it launched in August 2026. It was downloaded 289 times in the last 30 days.
Does TryDemoWP work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested TryDemoWP up to WordPress 7.1.3, the latest release. It requires WordPress 5.8 or newer.
What PHP version does TryDemoWP need?
TryDemoWP requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was TryDemoWP last updated?
The latest version, 1.2.0, was released on October 6, 2026 (3 days ago).
Who makes TryDemoWP?
TryDemoWP is developed and maintained by trydemowp.
What are the best alternatives to TryDemoWP?
The most popular alternatives to TryDemoWP are Starter Templates & Sites Pā¦ (70K+ installs), Rara One Click Demo Import (20K+ installs) and Envo Extra (20K+ installs).
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