by 1. What is Wise Chat?
Wise Chat is an AJAX-powered real-time chat plugin for WordPress, designed to add public and private chat rooms directly within your site—no external servers neededblog.templatetoaster.com+14wordpress.org+14instawp.com+14. Created by Marcin Lawrowski (Kainex), it’s available in both a free version (via WordPress.org) and paid Pro and Live versions, offering a range of advanced features.
🛠 Installation & Setup
- Upload the plugin folder to
/wp-content/plugins/, then activate it. - Insert
[wise-chat]shortcode or use the provided Gutenberg/Elementor block/widget to embed. - Create/open channels via shortcode or widget settings; channels are auto-created on first access.
- Customize under Settings → Wise Chat Settings: tweak appearance, moderation, channels, filters, and localization.
- (Optional) Add PHP/JS snippets directly in theme files.
- Enable camera uploads (with Exif PHP) or lightbox view (with Lightbox2).
- For security conflicts (like with iThemes Security), whitelist the chat’s endpoints or switch AJAX engines discover.commoninja.com+12wordpress.org+12github.com+12.
In short, setup is quick—plug-and-play with deep configuration options.
📈 Core Features (Free)
Wise Chat’s free version offers robust functionality:
- Unlimited chat rooms with privacy settings
- Mobile-friendly modern themes (Default, Light Gray, Cold Dark, Air Flow)
- Flood/spam control, bad-words filtering, muting/banning
- Posting links, emojis, images, files, plus YouTube embed
- Moderation controls: read-only, access restriction, schedule-based availability
- Backups & localization support
- Gutenberg & Elementor integration kainex.pl+14wordpress.org+14kainex.pl+14kainex.pl+2hostinger.com+2wordpress.org+2kainex.pl
Widely rated 4.4–4.5★ across ~7,000 active installs, reviewers highlight its configurability and seamless integration .
Reddit flagged compatibility issues with WordPress 6.3.2—workarounds include downgrading or waiting for plugin updates programminginsider.com+4reddit.com+4blog.templatetoaster.com+4.
💎 Wise Chat Pro – Premium Features
The Pro version expands capabilities notably:
- Private 1‑to‑1 chats, offline messaging, ignore-blocking
- Voice messages and video calls (Twilio-based)
- Reactions, Tenor GIFs, custom emoticons
- Avatars, group chats, BuddyPress friends/groups integration
- Facebook-like sidebar mode
- Gutenberg, Elementor block support
- Edit, reply, or moderate messages, with pending approvals
- Social logins (FB, Twitter, Google+)
- Email notifications for messages
- Multisite support, custom hooks, Pro themes
- One-time purchase with 6–18 months free upgrades github.com+8wordpress.org+8wordpress.org+8wordpress.org+1kainex.pl+1hostinger.com+1elextensions.com+1
Pro is ideal for dynamic community platforms, offering richer interaction and control.
⚙️ Performance & Technical Approach
Wise Chat Pro uses AJAX polling by default—chat requests are sent every few seconds, configurable between 1–20 sec wordpress.org+4kainex.pl+4wordpress.org+4. While simpler to maintain than WebSocket solutions, heavy traffic may require tuning for optimal performance. Plugin authors provide documentation on limiting server load and tweaking polling intervals .
🛡 Security
Jetpack rates updated versions of Wise Chat as “Good”. Vulnerabilities in older versions (≤2.8.3) allowed CSV injection risks—but current versions are patched reddit.com+2jetpack.com+2kainex.pl+2. Always update and consider performance/security scans.
✅ Pros & Cons
👍 Pros:
- Easy to install and integrate with WordPress
- Fully hosted—no external server needed
- High customization (themes, CSS, emoticons)
- Strong moderation and spam tools
- Freemium with robust free- and premium-level options
- Supports real-time media, rich chat capabilities kainex.pl+5wordpress.org+5github.com+5
- Great user ratings and active support forum kainex.pl+13wordpress.org+13kainex.pl+13
👎 Cons:
- AJAX polling may strain heavy-use sites
- Some users report compatibility issues with WordPress 6.3.2 wordpress.org+13reddit.com+13instawp.com+13
- Free version lacks voice/video, reactions, avatars, social login
- Premium rent—not open-source; requires Pro for advanced features
🗣 User Feedback
On WordPress.org, users praise the plugin for its flexibility and depth:
“Huge amount of features / Fully configurable / seamlessly integration” blog.templatetoaster.com+5github.com+5discover.commoninja.com+5wordpress.org
“Great chat tool and easy to set up” programminginsider.com+2wordpress.org+2discover.commoninja.com+2
On the Pro side:
“Wise Chat Pro is surely the leading chat plugin” — Reeni wordpress.org+1github.com+1reddit.com+13kainex.pl+13wordpress.org+13
“I love its private chats option” — Stephane Rollins blog.templatetoaster.com+3kainex.pl+3kainex.pl+3
However, in Reddit, one user cautioned:
“After 6.3.2 installs, WiseCHAT plugin no longer works … SAVE Yourself… downgrade” jetpack.com+2reddit.com+2github.com+2
🏁 Bottom Line
Wise Chat is a mature, feature-rich chat plugin that supports public channels and extensive moderation controls—all within your WordPress ecosystem. The free version is generous, while Wise Chat Pro unleashes full capabilities—private chats, media sharing, voice/video calls, avatars, reactions, social logins, and more.
Best suited for website owners seeking integrated live chat without external services—especially community sites, forums, or educational platforms. Be sure to monitor updates for compatibility, and consider performance needs depending on user volume.
📝 Summary Table
| Feature | Free Version | Pro Version (Paid) |
|---|---|---|
| Channels & users | Unlimited | + Private chats, group channels |
| Media support | Images, files, YT videos | + Voice messages, video calls |
| Customization | Themes, CSS | + Avatars, custom emoticons, GIFs |
| Moderation | Banning, filters, backup | + Edit/reply messages, pending approvals |
| Logins | WP accounts + anonymous | + Social logins (FB, Twitter, Google+) |
| Integration | Gutenberg, Elementor | + BuddyPress, Elementor, Gutenberg blocks |
| Notifications | None (email backup only) | + Email alerts |
| Performance | AJAX polling | Same, adjustable polling |
| Price | Free | One‑time fee + optional yearly updates |
In short, Wise Chat is a robust chat plugin for WordPress—ease of use, customization, moderate server demands, and scalability with Pro—making it an excellent choice for community engagement.
