Network Privacy for WordPress

I was setting up a multi-site WordPress network for a university group, and I kept getting asked why the test sites were showing up in search results. That’s when I found this plugin. It’s not flashy, but it does exactly one thing - let you restrict site visibility by user role. No bells, no whistles. Just a toggle in the Network Admin panel.

The good stuff

The privacy selector in the network admin area is actually really clean. You can set the whole network to be visible only to logged-in users, or even just admins and contributors. I liked that it didn’t try to do everything - it just gave me the tools to lock down access without needing 17 settings. For example, I made all the student project sites invisible to non-logged-in users. Boom, no more accidental exposure. It works the same way on single sites too, so if you’re running a small private blog, it still applies. The fact that it’s free and doesn’t add bloat is a win.

The not-so-good

It’s kind of barebones, which is fine, but also means there’s zero customization. No options to whitelist certain pages, no per-site override unless you’re a super admin. And honestly, the lack of documentation or developer info makes me wonder who’s behind it. It’s not in the official repo, so I had to install it manually. If you’re not comfortable with that, skip it. Also, it’s not going to help if you want to block specific IPs or use advanced cookie tracking controls - this isn’t that kind of plugin. It’s just about who can see the site at all.

Bottom line

If you’re managing a WordPress network and need a quick way to hide sites from public view, Network Privacy for WordPress for Wordpress is a solid pick. It’s free, simple, and gets the job done without drama. But if you’re looking for deep customization or fancy features, you’ll want something else. Stick with this if you just need basic visibility control - otherwise, look elsewhere. Worth trying, especially if you’re tired of sites popping up where they shouldn’t.