Today, I’m thrilled to announce the release of Maintenance Mode for WordPress® 🔥

This is a 100% free plugin designed to bring simplicity, flexibility, and true WordPress® integration to a task often overcomplicated by bloated alternatives: enabling a maintenance mode or coming soon page.

For years, I’ve watched how most maintenance mode and coming soon plugins operate.

They come with excessive features, invasive upsells, and bulky code that prioritizes sales over user experience.

These plugins often force users to navigate complex interfaces or rely on third-party builders when all you really need is to get the job done efficiently.

This plugin changes that. 🎉

Why Maintenance Mode for WordPress® Stands Out

1. Native WordPress® Experience

Unlike other plugins, Maintenance Mode for WordPress® fully embraces the Gutenberg editor.

Your maintenance pages are custom post types built directly with the WordPress® block editor you’re already familiar with.

No clunky page builders, no learning curves – just the tools you use every day to create content.

2. No Bloat, Just Focus

This plugin is laser-focused on solving a single problem: putting your site into maintenance mode or coming soon mode.

There are no unnecessary features, no upsells, and no distractions.

The plugin respects your WordPress® environment by staying lightweight and straightforward.

3. Total Control

Whether you’re planning a quick update, launching a new site, or performing ongoing work, Maintenance Mode for WordPress® lets you:

• Create fully customizable maintenance pages with the Gutenberg editor.
• Assign your preferred maintenance page and toggle maintenance mode on/off from a simple settings panel.
• Restrict access to non-logged-in users while keeping REST API and admin access intact for your team.

How It Works

• Upon activation, the plugin creates a new custom post type: Maintenance Pages.
• You can create and design as many maintenance pages as you need using the block editor.
• A dedicated settings page allows you to:
  • Toggle maintenance mode on or off.
  • Assign a specific maintenance page to be displayed to visitors.
  • Set a planned “launch date” for your site (or simply leave it blank if indefinite maintenance is required).

When maintenance mode is active:

• Visitors see your custom maintenance page.
• Logged-in users, including administrators, retain full access to the site.
• The plugin sends a 503 Service Unavailable status code to search engines, indicating the downtime is temporary.

Customization for Developers

I built this plugin with developers in mind:

• Filterable Content: The output for your maintenance page content is processed with apply_filters( 'the_content' ) , allowing you to customize it further using WordPress® hooks.
• Action and Filter Hooks: Easily extend or modify the plugin’s behavior without hacking the core files.
• REST API Access: Only essential REST API routes required by the block editor are enabled during maintenance mode. Everything else is securely disabled for non-logged-in users.

If you’re looking to adapt the plugin for unique use cases, the clean codebase and WordPress-native approach make it easy to dive in.

Maintenance Mode Example

I’ve updated the IntelliPress website to use the maintenance mode plugin in order for a live example to be available.

Perfect timing since I have some updates coming to that site soon too 🤫

Why I Built This Plugin

I wanted to fill a gap in the plugin ecosystem.

I was frustrated by the over-commercialization of what should be a simple tool (looking at you, AwesomeMotive).

Most plugins in this category treat maintenance mode as an upsell opportunity – locking key features behind paywalls or overwhelming users with marketing-heavy interfaces.

This plugin is my answer: a lightweight, functional, and Gutenberg-powered solution that does what you need it to do without unnecessary frills.

What’s Next?

This is just the beginning.

Future updates will refine the user experience, incorporate community feedback, and ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress® releases.

As always, the plugin will remain lightweight and focused.

If you’d like to contribute, report an issue, or suggest features, you can do so on GitHub.

Your feedback is important to me and will help shape the plugin’s future.

Final Thoughts

Maintenance Mode for WordPress® isn’t just another plugin – it’s a philosophy.

It reflects the values of simplicity, respect for WordPress® core, and a commitment to putting the user first.

Whether you’re launching a site or making updates, this tool gives you everything you need – and nothing you don’t.

Try it out, and let me know what you think.

Your feedback helps me improve and inspires me to continue developing plugins that make WordPress® even better.

Here’s to a simpler, more elegant way to manage maintenance mode. 🚀