Most platforms online require the users to create an account and log in every time to access their profile. And this collectively becomes a pile of personal information to remember for the users, which is a lot of data to keep track of. 🧠There’s a possibility users might not want to create an account on your website for the sole reason of going through the hassle of the creation process as well as remembering the information to log in every time. This is why Passwordless login plugins exist for WordPress, which creates a secure and seamless way to log into your website without entering the password every time. Since every single prospect client lost is a missed opportunity, these plugins will help you retain those customers by providing them an easy way to go around accessing their account. Not to mention, Passwordless login plugins also save you from cybercrimes, such as phishing. The team members can also use these plugins to log in faster. We’ll be going over some of the best Passwordless WordPress plugins in this post, but first, let’s quickly brush on the basics.
How does a Passwordless login work, and how are they helpful?
In a passwordless login method, other forms of authentication are used instead of a password to log into the account. Usually, a user’s distinctive characters are compared with the verified data stored in the system. If the data matches, the user can log in to their account. Some of the many benefits of a Passwordless login include the following:
Provides better securityEnhances user-experiencePrevents phishing, password spraying, and moreHelps retain customers majorly for the ease of use
The best part? You, on the backend, get all the control of it so you can sit back knowing nothing fishy happens in front of your eyes. 👨‍💻
Alternatives to passwords that can be used as login methods
While there are various alternatives to passwords that can be used to log into a system, here are 4 of my most preferred ones:
Via OTP: An OTP stands for One Time Password, and it’s when a unique code is usually sent to your phone number to proceed with the login.Multi-factor authentication: This method usually requires you to confirm you’re the owner by entering a unique code or link sent to a phone number or email. However, there are different ways multi-factor authentication works.Biometrics: This is the usage of retina scans, face scan, fingerprints, etc., to uniquely identify a person and confirm you’re the owner of the account.Single Sign-On (SSO): SSO is when you’ve stored your login information on a trusted authentication manager, which sends the signal to the platform you’re trying to log into to let you access your account without entering the login information.
Now that we’re familiar with the concept of Passwordless logins let’s jump into the list of the plugins.
iThemes Security Pro
Built by WordPress security experts in 2014, iTheme Security Pro is one of the best plugins on the marketplace, which provides a bunch of security functions for your WordPress site, including Passwordless logins. It protects your website with a 3-step toolkit as they frame – Prepare, Prevent and Detect. It stops automated attacks, monitors suspicious activities and blocks harmful bots to reduce spam, and even takes action in your absence to ensure a secure website. Moreover, it can scan vulnerable themes and plugins and strengthens the credentials for a safer user experience. iThemes Security Pro plugin works 24/7 in the background, so you can be assured that your website is in safe hands even when you’re not monitoring it. The plugin has 3 pricing plans that you can choose from:
Basic ($99/first year): Secures just 1 sitePlus ($199/first year): Secures up to 5 sitesAgency ($299/first year): Secures up to 10 sites
This plugin has many more useful features you’ll get to know only when you use it.
Express Login
This security plugin, Express Login, creates unique auto-login links which users can use to log in to your WordPress website or WooCommerce pages and get redirected to the page they want. A cool feature is an ability to export a CSV file of your customer database with their login links and send those links via email. All you have to do is generate a secret key that enables you to create secure login links for your customers. Along with this, you can easily log in to your customer’s account to check how a new feature you introduced performs for them. For security reasons, you can set a validity period for the links, after which they will automatically expire. Express Login has two different plans you can choose from – the $29/year plan – which can be used on a single site. You can avail of support and updates till you cancel your subscription. The second option is the $89 one-time plan – this can be used on a single site, but you get lifetime access to support and updates here.
MiniOrange
Rated 5/5 stars by over 3000 users, MiniOrange is a Single Sign On (SSO) plugin that allows users to quickly log in to WordPress websites without entering a password. It acts as a service provider to establish trust between IDPs. You can easily integrate this with OAuth/OpenID/JWT compliant IDP. Their pricing plans are as follows:
Standard ($349): Includes unlimited user creation and basic attribute mappingPremium ($499): Includes email domains restriction and lets you protect the site with SSOEnterprise ($549): Includes multiple provider support and developer hooksAll Inclusive ($699): Includes All SSO features and Add-ons
Other features of MiniOrange include attribute and role mapping, multiple IDP support, and real-time user provisioning. The best part is that you can connect it to any identity provider, including Office 365, Discord, Azure AD, Salesforce, One Login, etc.Â
Passwordless Login
A very simple plugin, Passwordless Login, does exactly what it’s named after and does the job pretty well. It only asks username or email from the users to log into the website, after which the plugin creates a temporary authorization token. The user then receives an email containing the login link and the token to proceed ahead and access the website. To prevent misuse of the token, it expires after 10 minutes, so the user is the sole person to access it. This plugin is quite secure, and it’s free to use.
Auth0
Auth0 allows you to connect WordPress to any login system, be it Facebook, Google, Active Directory, or any other one. It has a simple yet powerful dashboard that puts you on the front seat of your site regarding user authentication. Moreover, it allows multi-factor authentication, passwordless login, single sign-on (SSO), and other great possibilities. Just create an Auto0 account, download the plugin, activate it, and you’re ready to start using it. You can get started for free and then move to their other plans if you like the service.
Final Words
When you own an online business where your customers are the crux of everything, it only makes sense to go the extra mile to provide them with the most convenient experience. These Passwordless login plugins will help you do that by allowing the users to login into your WordPress website seamlessly. Next, check out these WordPress security plugins and services to protect your site.
