Waypoints: Trip Planner
Adds a searchable trip planner with place search, waypoint ordering, route previews, and Google Maps handoff links.
Use with caution
Waypoints: Trip Planner works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 4 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Needs PHP 8.2 or newer
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 Waypoints: Trip Planner stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| maps | >100 |
| planning | >100 |
| wayfinding | #1 |
About Waypoints: Trip Planner
From the official readme · v1.0.2Description
Waypoints: Trip Planner adds a configurable trip-planning interface to a page or
post. Visitors can search Google place results, add stops to a waypoint list,
reorder their trip, preview the route when map embeds are configured, and open
the finished route in Google Maps.
Credits
Special thanks to Hagan and
Datapoke for development help.
Configuration
Manage settings in Settings > Waypoints: Trip Planner.
Current settings include:
- Default location label, address/search phrase, latitude, longitude, and Place ID.
- Allowed start modes, max waypoints, result count, distance unit, map preview,
and Google Maps handoff toggles. - Editable categories and interface copy.
- Browser-facing Maps Embed API key.
- Server-side Places API and Geocoding API keys.
- Google API timeout and cache TTLs.
- Rate-limit value and trusted proxy CIDRs for public endpoint protection.
- Admin-only API call counter for troubleshooting request behavior.
External services
Waypoints: Trip Planner uses Google services for place results, place details,
geocoding, embedded map previews, and Google Maps handoff links.
The plugin can send data to Google from the server when:
- a visitor runs a category or custom place search
- the plugin geocodes a configured or visitor-provided starting area
- the plugin resolves selected waypoint place details
The plugin can also send data to Google from the visitor’s browser when:
- the frontend loads a Google Maps Embed preview from
https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/searchorhttps://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/directions - a visitor opens the generated Google Maps handoff link
Depending on the interaction, data sent to Google can include:
- search phrases
- configured or visitor-provided starting locations
- selected Google Place IDs
- visitor IP address and the browser-facing Maps Embed API key when the browser loads an embedded map preview
- origin text plus waypoint and destination Place IDs when the browser loads an embedded directions preview
- route waypoint information needed to build map previews or handoff URLs
Google provides these services. Review their terms and privacy information:
- https://policies.google.com/privacy
- https://cloud.google.com/maps-platform/terms
Installation
Built release zip:
- Build or download the packaged
waypoints-trip-plannerrelease zip. - Upload it through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
- Activate the plugin. Built release zips include generated Composer autoload files.
Source checkout:
- Copy or symlink this plugin directory as
/wp-content/plugins/waypoints-trip-planner/. - Run
composer installinside the plugin directory to generate
vendor/autoload.php. - Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in WordPress.
- Open Settings > Waypoints: Trip Planner and configure the required default location
and Google API keys.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need before using it on a live site?
Configure the required default location and Google API keys in Settings > Waypoints: Trip Planner. For best results, restrict Google API keys in Google Cloud Console and test the planner flow on a staging site before adding it to a public page.
How do I display the planner?
Use the Waypoints: Trip Planner block in the block editor or add [waypoints] to a page, post, or Shortcode block. The optional action_url shortcode attribute and Action URL block setting can submit planner updates to a specific page URL.
Where is the developer documentation?
See the repository docs/ directory for installation, usage, admin, release, architecture, settings, security, and troubleshooting notes.
Changelog
1.0.2
- Updated the WordPress.org submission name and slug to Waypoints: Trip Planner.
1.0.1
- Added an admin control for briefly revealing saved Google API keys while checking copied values.
- Hardened Google API key settings against browser autofill and non-key values.
1.0
- Renamed the original public plugin surface to Waypoints, including the REST namespace, block name, preferred shortcode, release metadata, and package artifact.
- Added WordPress.org submission-readiness checks covering PHP quality, PHPStan, browser smoke tests, WordPress Plugin Check, release packaging, and metadata validation.
- Hardened the release artifact so it ships as a single
waypoints/plugin directory with production Composer autoload files and normalized file permissions. - Added admin-only API request counting for troubleshooting Google API usage.
- Added contributor credits and clearer production installation, configuration, and external-service documentation.
0.5
- Added block-editor and shortcode entry points that share the same planner renderer.
- Added admin-editable categories and interface copy settings.
- Added REST-powered planner interactions, rate limiting, and Google API admin tools.
- Added a reproducible release zip builder and manual release-process documentation.
- Added color mode controls, Noto Sans assets, and a cleaned-up settings interface.
- Added an upgrade cleanup that prunes removed interface-copy settings from existing installs.
0.1.0
- Initial plugin scaffold (GH issue #20): directory structure, main plugin file, activation / deactivation hooks, uninstall routine, PSR-4 autoloading.
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 Waypoints: Trip Planner alternatives
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FAQ
Waypoints: Trip Planner: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 14, 2026
Is Waypoints: Trip Planner free?
Yes. Waypoints: Trip Planner is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Waypoints: Trip Planner safe to use in 2026?
Waypoints: Trip Planner works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. Was last updated 4 months ago, and scores 49/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Waypoints: Trip Planner?
Waypoints: Trip Planner is active on <10 WordPress websites and has been downloaded 224 times since it launched in June 2026. It was downloaded 52 times in the last 30 days.
Does Waypoints: Trip Planner work with WordPress 7.1?
Waypoints: Trip Planner 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 Waypoints: Trip Planner need?
Waypoints: Trip Planner requires PHP 8.2 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Waypoints: Trip Planner last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.2, was released on June 17, 2026 (4 months ago).
Who makes Waypoints: Trip Planner?
Waypoints: Trip Planner is developed and maintained by acodebeard.
What are the best alternatives to Waypoints: Trip Planner?
The most popular alternatives to Waypoints: Trip Planner are WP Go Maps (300K+ installs), WP Maps (60K+ installs) and MapPress (30K+ installs).
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