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How to submit a plugin to WordPress.org
Log in to a WordPress.org account, upload a complete plugin ZIP under 10 MB at wordpress.org/plugins/developers/add, and wait for a manual review by the Plugins team. It is free, and the official pages give review times between 1 to 10 days and 14 business days, longer for complex plugins. After approval you get SVN access and the plugin goes live when you commit it.
Checked on WordPress.org Plugins's own pages on 2026-11-12.
| Cost | Free. |
|---|---|
| Who can submit | Anyone with a WordPress.org account and a valid, regularly checked email (companies should use an official company email). Generally one plugin in review at a time per author. |
| Review | Manual review by the WordPress.org Plugins team. The upload page says 1 to 10 days and aims for 5 business days; the developer handbook says within 14 business days; complex plugins take longer and queues cannot be jumped except for security or legal issues. |
| Fits | Free GPL-compatible WordPress plugins, including free versions of paid products and plugins that connect to a real external service. |
| Time needed | 15 minutes to submit; plan several hours to clean the code, write readme.txt and prepare assets, plus the review wait. |
Before you start
- A WordPress.org account with an email you check, and [email protected] on your allow list.
- A complete plugin ZIP under 10 MB, without test folders, docs or full node or vendor folders.
- A Plugin Name header chosen with care, since it creates the permanent slug.
- A valid readme.txt with Contributors, Tags (up to 5), Tested up to, Stable tag, License and a short description of 150 characters or less.
- Banner images at 772x250 (and 1544x500 for high-DPI), icons at 128x128 and 256x256, under the size limits.
- Code that escapes output, sanitizes input and uses nonces on forms.
How to list on WordPress.org Plugins, step by step
Read the 18 guidelines
The Detailed Plugin Guidelines cover GPL licensing, no trialware, no tracking without opt-in, no remote code, opt-in credit links and readme spam rules. Breaking one is a common reason for a long review.
Choose the name and slug
The slug comes from the Plugin Name header in your main file. Do not start it with someone else's trademark; use a form like 'X for Y'. You can change the slug once before review starts, never after approval.
Clean and zip the plugin
Ship the same package a user would install by hand, under 10 MB. Use WordPress's bundled jQuery and other libraries instead of your own copies.
Upload the submission
Log in, open the Add Your Plugin page, describe what the plugin does and upload the ZIP. Duplicate names get a numeric suffix such as -2.
Answer the reviewer
If issues are found, the team emails you and expects you to reply to that email, not resubmit. A review left incomplete for three months is rejected.
Commit to SVN
Approval gives you a Subversion repository. Commit the code to trunk, tag a release, and put banners, icons and screenshots in the top-level assets folder; the plugin is live once committed (allow up to 6 hours).
Maintain it
Raise the version number for every release and keep the trunk readme in sync. Avoid many tiny commits, and watch the support forum that each plugin gets.
What the WordPress.org Plugins form asks for
| Field | Limit | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin ZIP file | Under 10 MB | Remove development files; a large ZIP usually means vendor or node folders were left in. |
| Plugin description / overview | – | Say plainly what the plugin does and any external service it calls. |
| Plugin Name header (sets the slug) | – | Check the name is free of trademarks and not already taken before you upload. |
| readme.txt short description | 150 characters | No markup; longer text gets cut off. |
| readme.txt Tags | Up to 5 | Only the first five are used, and competitor names are not allowed. |
| readme.txt Stable tag | – | This is your plugin version, not the WordPress version. |
Why submissions get rejected
- Unescaped output, unsanitized data, or form data processed without a nonce.
- Code that is not GPL-compatible, or third-party libraries with unclear licenses.
- Trialware: features locked, disabled after a trial, or limited to sandbox APIs.
- Contacting external servers or tracking users without explicit opt-in.
- Loading code or updates from outside WordPress.org, or bundling your own copy of jQuery and other core libraries.
- Obfuscated code, or a slug that starts with another brand's trademark.
- Readme spam: keyword stuffing, competitor tags, undisclosed or cloaked affiliate links.
Tips that make a difference
- Most authors can only have one plugin in review at a time, and making extra accounts to get around it leads to suspension.
- 'Powered by' and credit links must be opt-in and off by default; links to your own site inside the plugin's admin pages are allowed.
- Put a link to your real source and build tools in the readme if you ship minified or compiled code.
- Keep the readme under about 10 KB and move old changelog entries to changelog.txt.
- Readme updates that only bump 'Tested up to' are fine to commit; other tiny commits annoy users with update fatigue.
Example: what JustLaunched prepared
These are the texts Pushify prepared for JustLaunched, a real brand, before listing it on sites like WordPress.org Plugins. See the full sample report ›
| Name | JustLaunched |
|---|---|
| Tagline | Launch board for founders and early adopters |
| Short description | JustLaunched is a free launch board where founders introduce new products and early adopters try them first, ask questions and share feedback. |
| Tags | product launch, launch platform, startup discovery, indie makers, early adopters, beta testers, launch deals, product hunt alternative, saas, startups |
Questions people ask
Is it free to submit a plugin to WordPress.org?
Yes. There is no fee; you need a WordPress.org account and a plugin that follows the directory guidelines and GPL licensing.
How long does WordPress.org plugin review take?
The submission page says 1 to 10 days, aiming for 5 business days, while the developer handbook says within 14 business days. Complex plugins take longer and you cannot pay or ask to skip the queue.
What is the maximum plugin ZIP size?
The Plugin Developer FAQ says the ZIP must be under 10 MB. Remove tests, docs and full vendor or node folders to get under it.
Can I change my plugin slug?
You can change it once before the review begins. After approval the plugin URL cannot be renamed.
Can I submit more than one plugin at once?
Generally no; it is one plugin in review at a time. Authors with over a million active installs may have up to 10.
Can my plugin link to my website?
Front-end 'Powered by' links must be optional and hidden by default. Readmes may link to products the plugin needs, and affiliate links must be disclosed and direct.
Sources
The WordPress.org Plugins pages this guide was checked against.
- wordpress.org/plugins/developers/add/
- developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/planning-submitting-and-maintainin
- developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/detailed-plugin-guidelines/
- developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/plugin-developer-faq/
- developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/plugin-assets/
- developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/how-your-readme-txt-works/