Complete Data Ownership
When you manage sites through MainWP, data flows directly between your Dashboard and your Child Sites:- Sync operations pull data from Child Sites into your Dashboard database
- Update commands go from your Dashboard to Child Sites
- Reports and analytics are generated and stored on your Dashboard server
- No data passes through MainWP servers at any point
Open Source Transparency
MainWP is released under the GPLv3 license, with all source code available on GitHub. You can:- Review every line of code before installing
- Verify security implementations match documentation
- Track changes between versions through commit history
- Fork the project for custom modifications
- Contribute improvements back to the community
Self-Hosted vs. SaaS Comparison
| Aspect | MainWP (Self-Hosted) | Cloud-Based Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Data storage | Your server, your database | Provider’s infrastructure |
| Data access | Only you and your team | Provider has access |
| Compliance | You control data residency | Depends on provider location |
| Offline capability | Works without internet to MainWP | Requires constant connection |
| Code visibility | Fully open source | Typically proprietary |
| Customization | Modify anything | Limited to provider options |
Auditing the Code
If you want to verify our privacy claims or review security implementations:- Visit the MainWP GitHub organization
- Clone or browse the repository for MainWP Dashboard or MainWP Child
- Key areas to review:
/class/directory contains core functionality/includes/handles API and database operations- Connection encryption uses OpenSSL (see security documentation)