Imagine you’ve got a risk-free platform for experimenting with your WordPress website without any concerns—this is precisely what WordPress staging plugins offer. For example, the WP Staging Plugin allows you to create a duplicated version of the website to test an update, new feature, or change in design before you apply them to the live site. Whether you need the best WordPress staging plugin or want to know about free WordPress staging plugins, it would involve incorporating a staging plugin for WordPress that will make sure you do not end up changing your live website inadvertently while you are still developing.
MilesWeb’s best WordPress hosting service has a built-in staging tool. Using this facility you can effortlessly test updates, plugins, or design changes in a no-risk environment before applying those to your live website. With seamless cloning, robust security, and reliable performance, your website will stay error-free and optimized for visitors.
A staging WordPress plugin allows you the freedom to make changes while ensuring that your live WordPress website is safe in case of any unintended problems. Let’s take a look at some of the many WordPress staging site plugins so you might find the one you need to streamline your website management process.
Table Of Content
Understanding What WordPress Staging Is and Why It Is Important
Before we start, let’s discuss in general what a staging website is. It is an exact copy of your live website. The normal public on the Internet cannot view it. This helps you to be able to make changes to the staging site while your original website is still live and unchanged.
You can freely experiment with all new styles, layouts, themes, and plugins; you do not have to worry that they might destroy your current website. Once you’re convinced that everything is working as expected, you can later update your existing website to a new version.
The following reasons highlight the benefits of integrating the staging site:
- Risk Management: Testing updates, new features, or design modifications on a staging website will prevent potential disruption on the live one; thus, users’ experience will not be discontinued.
- Performance Testing: Because you can test how the addition impacts website performance with a staging website, you could make all the necessary adjustments prior to going live.
- Team Development: It allows teams to test and preview changes as a group to ensure that all changes are well-organized.
- Error Identification: The testing in the staging environment helps find bugs and errors before they cause issues on the live website. Bugs are unlikely to hit your live website due to this practice.
Adding a staging website to your workflow improves your website’s reliability and user satisfaction.
Key Factors to Consider When Selecting the Best Staging Plugin for WordPress
Many web hosting services will offer you built-in staging sites that you can access, but that isn’t the only option. Another safe choice for your website is to use a WP staging plugin.
The most important thing when you are looking through a list of available best WordPress plugins to check is the last update date of the plugin from the developer, as you will want to ensure it is compatible with the current version of WordPress you are running. When updating a website that is not the latest version of WordPress or PHP with a staging plugin, it is recommended that you go through and create a subdomain staging environment because this will not have an effect on the parent website’s PHP version.
The other major consideration will be user satisfaction and usability. A good plugin should be easy to work with and friendly as it grapples with the issues that come up. Narrowing the search by scrutinizing the number of active installations and reviews on WordPress.org will assist.
Finally, just remember to do some research to make sure the plugin doesn’t have more than one reported security vulnerability within the last 12 months of your search and that the vulnerability was patched very quickly by the plugin developer.
Related: Best WordPress Security Tips Without and With The Use Of Plugins
10 Best WordPress Staging Plugins
It is absolutely necessary to test website changes in a secure environment to maintain performance and security. The Best WordPress security plugins are available for safeguarding your blog or website. Presented here is the list of the 10 best WordPress staging plugins that provide reliable solutions for creating staging websites. Such plugins are helpful, as they make it easy to preview changes, edit, and perfect your website before rolling out updates.
1. Total Upkeep
Total Upkeep Staging plugin for WordPress is an efficient and comprehensive tool for managing your WordPress website. It is developed by BoldGrid, enabling you to generate backups for your website. Later, you can utilize these backups to create a staging website manually.
You’re required to install the plugin on your staging domain so that you can restore the backup directly from the dashboard, but that being said, you’ll get an exact copy of your major website after seamless testing.
Once you install WordPress on your new staging website, based on your website’s size, cloning your website will take just a few minutes.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- More than 100,000 active installs on WordPress
- Compatible with WordPress versions up to 6.0.2
- Staging installation with just one click
- Rated 4.7/5 stars by users on WordPress.org
2. WPvivid
WPvivid backup staging WordPress plugin isn’t just a backup tool, offering advanced features, but its basic features are free. It’s simple and straightforward interface gives you the ability to set up a staging website under a separate subfolder along with other functionalities like building a new database user, database prefix, or opting for a totally fresh database on your server.
WPvivid streamlines the process of setting up a staging website under a subdomain, directly from your WordPress dashboard, removing the requirement for manually cloning your complete website.
Also, to improve admin functionalities and effectively enhance your website’s value, you’re required to use WordPress dashboard plugins.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- More than 100,000 active installs on WordPress
- Compatible with WordPress versions up to 5.9.3
- Staging installation with just one click
- Rated 4.9/5 stars by users on WordPress.org
3. WP Staging
WP Staging plugin for WordPress is the most widely used tool that can clone your website within seconds but having said that, it might vary based on your website’s size and types of files. Once finished, it’ll let you log into your staging website. Another notable distinction between the parent and staging websites is its striking orange settings bar at the top of the dashboard instead of the standard grey bar.
WP Staging site plugin WordPress comes with a Pro License that could be procured for additional features, like one-click transition from staging to the live website, alongside effective backup and restore functionalities.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- More than 60,000 active installs on WordPress
- Compatible with WordPress versions up to 6.3
- Staging installation (and easy removal) with one click
- Rated 4.9/5 stars on WordPress.org
- Backup Options (Pro Version)
4. All-in-One WP Migration
The All-in-One WP Migration plugin is primarily used for website migration between servers, but you can use it as a staging plugin by downloading the backup made by using the plugin and importing it to a new directory, such as subdomains or addon domains, where WordPress is already installed. You can also send its backups to other servers or download them directly from your WordPress Dashboard.
The extensions from ServMask are needed for some features of the plugin; amongst them, examples include the ability to store backups on services like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. However, the files can still be downloaded locally and restored with the plugin on a different installation for manually creating a staging website.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- More than 5M active installs on WordPress
- Compatible with WordPress versions up to 6.0.2
- Manual staging migration
- Rated 4.6/5 stars on WordPress.org
5. UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is a plugin for WordPress that is mainly utilized as a backup solution but still lets you develop a staging website on your servers. For this purpose, it is crucial to buy UpdraftTokens. These tokens are more economical as compared to UpdraftPlus premium WordPress plugin themes, offering you the option to purchase them on a one-time basis or a subscription.
Backups are important for securing WordPress websites and the backup feature offered by UpdraftPlus lets you generate backups and restore them on a fresh, manually cloned staging website or new WordPress installation. However, if you want to get a more improved experience, consider purchasing UpdraftMigrator, which offers the capability to clone or migrate your website directly on your server instead of UpdraftPlus.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- More than 3M active installs on WordPress
- Compatible with WordPress versions up to 6.0.2
- Staging setup in one click
- Rated 4.8/5 stars on WordPress.org
6. BlogVault Staging
BlogVault Staging is first and foremost a backup solution with an in-built platform for staging. Due to this reason, it effectively manages the staging process. The core principle supporting this solution is to develop an identical copy and still, a majority of staging tools lack production capabilities, such as, for example, permalinks or SSL certificates.
The best part about it is that configuring a WordPress staging website using BlogVault is a one-click procedure, in the true sense, and merely takes a few seconds. A staging environment is developed on a separate server aside from your live website, and as a result, it makes sure that your live website is absolutely unchanged. As the staging website is hosted on BlogVault servers, a plugin is compatible with all web hosting platforms.
From our point of view, a selective merge is BlogVault’s most compelling feature. Any decent WordPress staging plugin should include a “merge to production” feature since absolutely no one wants to have to duplicate steps to send changes into production after testing on staging. But a selective merge takes this even further by showing you the difference between the staging website and the live website. You can then decide which you have to include or exclude.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- Instant setup and merge option in one click
- No-cost off-server staging
- Safely test updates
- Universal compatibility with all web hosting services
- Staging websites are protected with a password
7. WP StageCoach
WP StageCoach is one of the WordPress staging plugins that offer a simple, one-click upgrade with an innovative option to merge databases. Also, without this WordPress plugin, no discussion on the best staging plugin for WordPress would be complete.
It is considered a standard for excellence and one particularly most commonly used staging site plugin WordPress. Straightforwardly, what truly caught everybody’s attention is how efficiently it merges your staging website’s databases with the live website.
Instead of overwriting the database, it merges it and makes sure that no new subscribers, contact details, or cart items are lost. WP StageCoach staging plugin for WordPress hosts your staging website on a separate server that is different from the server on which your live website is stored.
There’s no need for you to be concerned about its impact on the speed or resource utilization of your live website. When transitioning your staging website to the live one, if you choose to merge only the database and not files (or the other way around), you do get a choice to include or exclude the related files as required.
Related: Top Plugins For WordPress Website Speed Optimization
If you get in trouble at the time of merging, you can select an option to merge manually (it is known as a manual install). But having said that, given its technical complexities, the manual install is somewhat impractical.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- One-click easy installation
- Provides password protection
- Supports off-server staging
- Option to either include or exclude files or databases
- Supports all web host platforms without any issue
8. WP Time Capsule
WP Time Capsule is another awesome WordPress backup plugin that features integrated staging capabilities. This is a relatively new backup-specific WordPress plugin that provides staging functionalities similar to BlogVault; it backs up a complete website and later builds a staging environment using the backup.
The WP Time Capsule doesn’t just handle massive websites, but it splits them into smaller, manageable portions and then reassembles them for creating a staging website to make sure that not a single detail is overlooked.
You will also get an option to opt for a selective merge, using which you can include or exclude particular files and database tables.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- Simple and easy to use
- Selective merge option available
- Password protection for staging sites
9. BackupBuddy
BackupBuddy is an exclusive WordPress backup plugin, including staging functionalities and push and pull capabilities. With these impressive capabilities, you can effortlessly push and pull the updates from the staging platform to the live website.
For instance, assume that, when you’re testing and updating your staging website, if a comment is posted on your live website, you can import that comment into the staging platform. Despite that, developing a staging website with the help of the BackupBuddy plugin is difficult.
It is necessary to understand how to make changes in the wp-config file because a minor mistake can result in your website crashing. Precisely for this reason, WordPress file management plugins are so important in website administration. Also, learn the proven tips to set up wp-config file.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin:
- Push and pull options are available
- Efficiently manage large files
10. BoldGrid
BoldGrid is a comprehensive WordPress management plugin that includes staging features. Like most of the other WordPress staging plugins on this list, this plugin isn’t a staging plugin; instead, it’s a plugin tool that assists you in developing and managing WordPress websites, and staging websites is one of the particularities it offers.
Nevertheless, it is a tricky process to develop a staging website using the BoldGrid plugin. It involves a large number of steps and it’s not just difficult, but also troublesome and takes a lot of time. Still, on the bright side, this plugin offers several benefits.
Unlike most of the other WordPress staging plugins, which have selective merge options, this plugin has selective staging options. That means you get an option to choose whether you need to stage the complete website or sections of it.
This feature proves useful when your live website is a huge one. Managing huge websites at the time of staging and merging can be problematic; therefore, restricting the staging process just to necessary sections will considerably decrease the risk of errors.
Reasons to choose this staging WordPress plugin
- Selective staging option available
- Additional plugins for troubleshooting issues
- Highly responsive customer support team
Before you make changes to your live website, try using a WordPress staging plugin that allows you to test the new plugins on your website without running the risk of anything going wrong. Since backup plugins go so well hand-in-hand with staging plugins, we recommend you look for good WordPress backup plugins that would fit your website needs.
But before concluding this blog, tell us, which is your favorite WordPress staging plugin from the above list of the best staging plugins for WordPress that cater to various needs and offer an assortment of features? We’re interested in your opinion! Which one of these staging plugins has helped to streamline your WordPress staging process into being faster and smoother?
This is because your opinions will make other WordPress users make the best decisions and provide better insight into what truly works in staging environments. So, Let’s Make Staging Easier Together! Don’t forget to share your thoughts.
FAQs
1. Can you easily switch between environments using WP Staging Plugins?
Yes, with WP Staging plugins you can switch very easily between different environments by developing a staging website that exactly clones your live website. So you just have to push changes from the staging website to the live website and everything that you want, with a few clicks.
2. Can staging WordPress plugins streamline version control and data backups?
Yes, staging WordPress plugins can make version control and data backups smoother by allowing you to have duplicate environments where you test changes or updates in them without affecting the live website, and they ensure you have safe backups so that if you need to roll back, it will be easier to restore the data.
Key factors to look for in the right staging WordPress plugin for your requirements.
Consider the following key factors when selecting the proper staging WordPress plugin.
– Ease of Use: Look at the interface; it should be user-friendly with simplified setup and management processes.
– Easy Integration: It must integrate easily with your WordPress version, themes, and plugins.
– Backup Options: The plugin must offer reliable backup and restore features.
– Speed: The staging plugin should quickly create a staging website.
– Safety: The plugin must guarantee secure staging environments as well as the protection of data.
– Support and Documentation: A responsive support team and good documentation are very important.
– Pricing Structure: Compare the costs with your budget and needs.
How to safely move updates from the staging platform to the live website?
Follow the below steps to transition updates from the staging website to the live one:
– Take a backup of the live website.
– Thoroughly test the updates on the staging website to avoid problems.
– For seamless integration, make use of version control such as Git.
– Incrementally install updates to decrease risks.
– Continuously monitor the live website after migration to identify any issues at the earliest.
