How to Add Social Login (Google, Facebook, X) to WordPress

Letting visitors sign in with an account they already have, like Google, Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), removes the most annoying step of joining your site: inventing yet another password. It helps on membership sites, forums, WooCommerce stores and any blog where readers register to comment.

The plugins that did this ten years ago are mostly gone or broken. This guide covers the social login plugins that are maintained today, what each one offers for free, and how to connect Google, Facebook and X step by step.

How social login works

When a visitor clicks "Continue with Google" on your login page, they are sent to Google, approve the request, and come back to your site already signed in. Your site never sees their Google password. In return, WordPress gets their name and email address and creates (or matches) a normal WordPress user account.

For this to work, each provider needs to know about your site. That means you create a small "app" in each provider's developer console and paste its keys into the plugin. Every plugin below works this way. It takes a few minutes per provider and is free on the provider's side for Google and Facebook.

The best social login plugins today

Nextend Social Login

Nextend is the most widely used option, with over 200,000 active installs and a very high rating. The free version supports one-click registration and login with Facebook, Google and X, which covers what most sites need. The Pro version adds LinkedIn, Amazon, VKontakte, WordPress.com, Yahoo and more.

It adds the buttons to the WordPress login form and links each social account to a normal WordPress user, so every account can still be used with or without the social login. Its setup screens include instructions for each provider.

Nextend Social Login on wordpress.org

miniOrange Social Login

miniOrange offers ten social login providers in its free plan, including Facebook, Google, Discord, Twitter (X) and LinkedIn. That makes it a good pick if you want LinkedIn or Discord without paying. As with Nextend, you register your own app with each provider and enter its credentials in the plugin.

miniOrange Social Login on wordpress.org

WP Social

WP Social, with over 70,000 active installs, combines social login with social sharing and counters. It supports login with Facebook, Google, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Dribbble, GitHub, WordPress, VK and Reddit, using your own app ID and secret for each provider. Check the plugin page for which providers are in the free version, as some features are part of its Pro plan.

WP Social on wordpress.org

Step by step: add social login with Nextend

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New, search for "Nextend Social Login", then install and activate it.
2. Go to Settings > Nextend Social Connect to see the available providers: Facebook, Google and X in the free version.
3. Open the provider you want to set up first (Google is usually the easiest). The plugin shows step-by-step instructions for that provider, including the redirect URL you will need.
4. Create the app in the provider's developer console (see below), then copy its ID and secret back into the plugin.
5. Test the login with your own account, then enable the provider.
6. Repeat for the other providers, and check your login page in a private window to see the buttons as a visitor would. The free version shows the buttons on the standard WordPress login form.

Setting up each provider

Google

Create a project in the Google Cloud console, set up the OAuth consent screen with your site name, and create an OAuth client ID of type "Web application". Add the redirect URL that your plugin shows you. Copy the client ID and client secret into the plugin.

Facebook

Create an app in Meta for Developers, add the Facebook Login product, and enter the redirect URL from your plugin as a valid OAuth redirect URI. Copy the App ID and App Secret into the plugin.

X (Twitter)

Sign in with X needs an app in the X developer console. In the app's settings, turn on the option that allows the app to be used to Sign in with X, and add your plugin's callback URL to the app's allowed callback URLs. Then copy the keys into the plugin.

X now charges for most API use on a pay-per-use basis. Check X's current developer pricing to see whether sign-in requests use paid credits before you enable X on a busy site. For many sites, Google and Facebook alone cover most visitors.

Tips for a smooth social login

• Start with Google. Most visitors have a Google account, and its setup is the most straightforward.
• Keep the normal login form. Some people do not want to link a social account. Offer social buttons alongside the usual email and password, not instead of it.
• Use HTTPS. Providers expect secure redirect URLs, and you should not run logins over plain HTTP anyway.
• Check new user roles. In Settings > General, make sure the "New User Default Role" is Subscriber (or Customer for WooCommerce), so social sign-ups never get extra permissions.
• Mention it in your privacy policy. Say which providers you use and what data you receive (usually name, email and profile photo).

Which plugin should you choose?

• Facebook, Google and X for free: Nextend Social Login.
• LinkedIn or Discord on a free plan: miniOrange Social Login.
• Login plus share buttons in one plugin: WP Social.

FAQ

Is social login safe?

Yes, when done through a maintained plugin. The visitor signs in on the provider's own site, so your site never handles their social password.

Do I need a developer account for each provider?

Yes. Each provider needs its own app with your site's redirect URL. For Google and Facebook this is free.

Can visitors still log in if they remove the social account link?

Their WordPress account stays in place. They can use "Lost your password?" on the login page to set a normal password with the same email address.

Does social login work with WooCommerce?

With Nextend, WooCommerce compatibility is part of the Pro add-on; the free version covers the standard WordPress login form. Check the other plugins' pages for their WooCommerce options before you choose.