Disclaimer: I was not paid by the developer to review this product. I bought this with my own money and wanted to share my thoughts on this plugin.
What is HappyFiles?
HappyFiles is a free WordPress media library plugin that allows you to organise your WordPress media library with a drag-and-drop interface. The plugin creates a Windows Explorer-like interface in your media library and introduces folders where you can store your files. HappyFiles Pro takes it a step further by allowing users to catalogue posts, pages and custom post types.
Who is HappyFiles for?
HappyFiles is the perfect plugin for WordPress users that need an easy way to manage all their media files. I use HappyFiles to organise my clients' portfolios and blog posts into a parent folder with subfolders. I can separate project files by media types like videos, images and documents.
Of course, you can do much more with the HappyFiles plugin but that’s how we use it here at wwworkshop.
HappyFiles (basic) features
Before looking at the pro-features, it’s vital to cover the free features and how they help you as a WordPress user.
- Faster media management
- Import folders created by Wicked Folders and Filebird
- Built-in Gutenberg gallery block plugin
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Compatible with popular page builders like Oxygen, Elementor, Divy and Brizy
- Control who can add, delete or rearrange files in folders
- Right-click context menu for quick renaming or deleting
- Bulk-creation of folders
- Ability to add images to multiple folders
HappyFiles Pro
HappyFiles basic is free to use on your WordPress websites. Still, it’s limited in the number of folders and some quality-of-life improvements that are in the paid tiers.
The pro version comes in three payment tiers. In fact, all the payment tiers are one-time payments. Prices start at $25 all the way to $79 for their pro (UNLIMITED) plan. There’s also a 25% discount going on now which drops the prices to $19 and $59 respectively.
Pro Features
Unlimited Folders
The biggest constraint with the free version is that you’re restricted to only 10 folders. This might be enough for small websites, but on larger blogs, that gets used up almost instantly. Surprisingly, all three tiers of the pro version come with unlimited folders. I really appreciate the designer not capping this feature by how much you pay.
One-Click Updates
The Pro version isn’t on the WordPress repository, so you have to download and manually upload it to your website. If you only have one site then this feature isn’t an appealing, but freelancers and agencies will appreciate this. The one-click feature skips the process and allows you to automatically update your plugin from your WordPress dashboard. Remember that your licence needs to be activated for the feature to work.
Whitelist/Blacklist Websites
HappyFiles Pro allows you to restrict one-click plugin updates to certain sites by white or blacklisting them directly from your account.
Organise All Your Post Types
The free version only works with media files. The limitation is fine for most users, but the pro-version supports even more formats. Upgrading to HappyFiles provides support for categories, posts, pages, custom post types, WooCommerce products and more.
SVG Support
Like I mentioned before, I hate adding extra plugins to my WordPress site. Sadly, WordPress decided that it won’t permit users to upload SVGs due to security issues. This means that I had to download another plugin called ‘Safe SVG’ for this feature to work.
HappyFiles Pro allows users to upload SVG files, sanitises them and enables previews in the media library. I live by the philosophy, ‘the fewer plugins, the better’ so this feature being built-in is incredibly appreciated. If you use a lot of SVGs on your websites, be sure to enable this feature from the settings.
Should you get the pro version?
Tl;dr YES!
Long answer:
The pro version of the HappyFiles WordPress plugin is a must-have for anyone who runs a content-heavy blog or website. HappyFiles is one of those plugins that only come around once every few years. This plugin was a great investment and I don't ever see myself using the vanilla media library.
The version you choose is ultimately up to you, but the Ultimate plan, in my experience is an unbelievable value. I use Happyfiles pro on my clients' websites, and they're always telling me how easy the drag and drop interface is. My clients are often WordPress casuals so if they love it, then it must be good.
Thank you Happyfiles on behalf of all my customers.
What's next for Happyfiles?
The developer is actively maintaining the plugin with a public roadmap that covers planned features and updates. If you want to see certain features then you can add your own ideas that other customers can vote on.
