Social Share & Locker Pro Wordpress Plugin 7.8

Social Share & Locker Pro is a high-performance WordPress plugin designed to boost your website's viral traffic by combining social sharing buttons with a "content locker."

As of 2026, here is the breakdown of its core features and current status:

Core Features

Social Locker: This is its standout feature. You can hide specific text, videos, or download links behind a "lock." Visitors must share the page on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or LinkedIn to reveal the hidden content.

40+ Pre-designed Themes: It includes a massive library of Retina-ready templates for share buttons, ranging from classic styles to modern, flat designs.

Smart Targeting: You can choose to show or hide the locker based on:

User Roles: e.g., only hide content for guests, but show it for logged-in members.

Referral Source: Show the locker only to visitors coming from Google or specific social sites.

Mobile Status: You can disable the locker on mobile devices to ensure a smoother user experience.

"Fake" Share Counts: If you are starting a new site, you can set initial "fake" counts to provide social proof until real shares take over.

Placement Flexibility: Buttons can be placed automatically (top/bottom of posts), via shortcode, or as a "floating" sidebar that follows the user as they scroll.

Important Updates for 2026

Version Compatibility: The latest versions (v7.8+) are fully optimized for PHP 8.2+ and WordPress 6.8+.

Platform Changes: The plugin has updated its icons to reflect current branding (e.g., the X icon instead of the Twitter bird) and supports newer platforms like Threads.

Page Builder Support: It integrates seamlessly with modern builders like Elementor and Gutenberg.

Is it right for you?

Pros

Cons

High Virality: Effectively forces engagement for high-value content.

UX Friction: Content locking can sometimes annoy users if overused.

All-in-One: You don't need separate plugins for sharing and locking.

SEO Caution: Google generally dislikes hidden content if not implemented via specialized "blurred" methods.

Detailed Analytics: Track which posts are performing best across social networks.

Performance: Because it loads many icons and scripts, it requires a good caching setup.

Top Alternatives in 2026

If you find the "Pro" version too complex, consider these alternatives:

Monarch: Best for beautiful, high-speed sharing buttons without the locking feature.

OptinMonster: Best if you want to lock content in exchange for emails rather than just social shares.

Social Snap: A modern, lightweight alternative that offers share recovery (restores counts if you change your URL structure).

Would you like me to show you how to set up a specific content lock for a blog post using this plugin?