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Most Common Questions

What is MainWP?

MainWP is a free and open-source WordPress management system that lets you manage multiple WordPress sites from one self-hosted Dashboard.The MainWP system consists of three parts:
  • MainWP Dashboard plugin — Install this on a dedicated WordPress site. This is your control center for managing all connected sites.
  • MainWP Child plugin — Install this on each site you want to manage. It creates a secure connection to your Dashboard.
  • MainWP Extensions — Optional add-ons for backups, marketing, SEO, maintenance, security, monitoring, and other tools.
The Dashboard and Child plugins are required. Extensions are entirely optional and extend what your Dashboard can do.

Does MainWP work on WordPress.com?

No, the MainWP system is for self-hosted WordPress sites only. WordPress.com sites cannot install custom plugins required for MainWP to function.

Is MainWP secure?

Security is one of our top priorities at MainWP. We are active participants in the white-hat hacking site HackerOne, which has security researchers continually testing our plugins.MainWP is also self-hosted, meaning your data stays on your own servers—we never have access to your sites or actions.

What hosts do you recommend?

We recommend the Pressable MainWP Install, but MainWP works on most hosts that support WordPress and meet the minimum requirements.Check our host compatibility page to see if your host has any known issues.

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Understanding MainWP

Learn about the MainWP system, its components, and how it differs from other WordPress management solutions.
Your MainWP Dashboard is hosted on your own WordPress installation, not on our servers. We do not keep records of your actions, sites, or any other data.With MainWP, privacy is paramount—you maintain complete control over your data.
Follow the step-by-step instructions in these guides:
We do not recommend direct customization of MainWP core code, and we do not support modified installations.If you want to build your own extension or hire someone to do so, our developer documentation is available at MainWP Codex.
You can manage an unlimited number of child sites. However, how many sites a single Dashboard can control depends on your hosting quality.Review the system requirements for more information on optimizing your setup.

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Pricing & Plans

Questions about MainWP Pro membership options, payment methods, and subscription management.
Free Extensions are available by signing up for the MainWP free bundle.Premium extensions require a MainWP Pro plan, which gives you access to all available and upcoming extensions.
We accept PayPal and Stripe.
Make sure you’re logged in to your MainWP account before going to the checkout page. Your purchase will automatically link to your existing account.
Log in to your MainWP account, click My Account, then select the Manage your shipping and billing addresses tab.
Canceling your Pro Plan can be done directly from your MainWP account. See the Manage Extensions guide for detailed instructions.
Receipts are sent immediately when your payment is approved.If you purchased a MainWP Pro plan, your existing account credentials apply, and products are automatically linked to your account.If you don’t receive an email receipt soon after purchase, open a support ticket and we’ll investigate.
Use the credentials you created when you set up your account. If you forgot your password, reset it directly on the login page.If you’re still having trouble, open a support ticket and we’ll help.
Log into your account and check the My Downloads page.If you still can’t locate your extensions, open a support ticket—there may be an issue with your account.

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Extensions & Licensing

How extensions work, licensing terms, updates, and usage policies.
All extensions are licensed under the GPL, just like WordPress. Extensions can be used on unlimited sites.Support and update licenses are separate and valid for the duration of your MainWP membership (Monthly, Yearly, or Lifetime).
Support and update licenses are valid for the duration of your MainWP Pro membership:
  • Monthly/Yearly plans — Valid as long as your subscription is active
  • Lifetime plan — Never expires
For Monthly or Yearly memberships, licenses renew automatically with each payment.The Lifetime membership does not expire.If you cancel, extensions continue working with the last version you had—you just lose access to updates and support.
If you cancel and later want to rejoin, you’ll pay the current price at that time. If prices have increased, you’ll pay the higher rate.
Enter your API license key in the MainWP Dashboard Plugin to activate extensions and receive updates.Extensions auto-authorize based on activated extensions in your account. You can activate and deactivate your license key as many times as needed.
  • Monthly plan — As long as you remain an active member
  • Lifetime plan — For the life of the product
We update our products whenever we discover a bug or add a new feature.
Automatic updates are available for each extension.Update extensions the same way you update any WordPress plugin: go to Plugins in your WP Admin and check for updates. See the extension management FAQ for details.
Yes. Extensions are installed on the MainWP Dashboard (not child sites), and you can install them on as many Dashboards as you have.
Yes. You’re welcome to use our extensions for client work without violating our license.The Dashboard, Child plugin, and all extensions are licensed under the same GPL as WordPress.
We have reports from users that it works, but we do not officially test on or support WordPress Multisite installations.

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Technical Requirements

Hosting compatibility, browser support, and server requirements.
MainWP works on both Windows and Linux servers as long as they meet the minimum requirements.
No, that information is not required to run MainWP.However, if you contact support for troubleshooting, they may request this information temporarily.
Yes, we keep our plugins up-to-date and tested with the current version of WordPress.Older WordPress versions may have limited compatibility. If you find issues after a WordPress update, please contact support.
We test all plugins and extensions with the latest versions of Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome.Our products work on any operating system as long as WordPress is installed correctly.We do not support Internet Explorer 6 or 7. If you’re using these browsers, please upgrade to a modern browser.

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Support & Account

Getting help, support policies, and account management.
MainWP provides product support via support tickets and email only.We do not provide support through Facebook, Twitter/X, other social media, phone, or live chat.Read our full support policy.
We do not provide phone support.For pre-sales questions, contact us here.
No, we treat all MainWP members with the same level of excellent support. There are no tiered support packages.