LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… vs Remove Dashboard Access (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
500K+ active installs
Free
Remove Dashboard Access
30K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Remove Dashboard Access has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 78 reviews) while LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… leads in active installations (500K+ vs 30K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… has accumulated 19M+ total downloads while Remove Dashboard Access has 468K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… | Remove Dashboard Access | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.6/5 |
| Total Reviews | 860 | ◄ | 78 |
| Active Installs | 500K+ | ◄ | 30K+ |
| Total Downloads | 19M+ | ◄ | 468K+ |
| Support Resolution | 50% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2011 | |
| Age | 16 years | 15 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 3.1.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.1+ | 5.3+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.6.20 | 1.2.1 |
Rating Breakdown
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
Remove Dashboard Access
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… averaged approximately 1,064 daily downloads while Remove Dashboard Access averaged 67.
Recent Reviews
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… Reviews
Not for the faint hearted or newbies
My isssue (which I’m currently waiting for help with)- is that it broke my Woocommerce/Divi Shop. The Maintenance Mode is still active on my Homepage even after deactivating Lightstart.I’m sure it wil
Installed Unwanted Plugins
The actual plugin I wanted to use worked fine but it installed two other plugins – an image optimization plugin and some other plugin called Otter. No prompts, notification or nothing. Very sketch.
Excellent Lightweight Easy to use
LightStart is a great addition to any WordPress site if you’re looking for a lightweight, reliable, and easy-to-use solution. It installs quickly, works smoothly without slowing down performance, and
Remove Dashboard Access Reviews
Very important for safety
Meddling with htaccess always goes south on me unless I use the old notepad. I rarely have time to. This workaround does the same thing; and is just as good. Now, how do I remove access to wp-login.ph
Does exactly what it says it will do
Installed, activated, found Settings, set it to allow dashboard for only Admins, Editors, and Authors. Works perfectly right out of the box.
Works Perfectly
Works as it says it will.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Remove Dashboard Access more popular?
Which has better ratings — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Remove Dashboard Access?
Are LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… and Remove Dashboard Access free?
Which plugin has better support — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Remove Dashboard Access?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.