URL Params

What is URL Params?

URL Params is a focused WordPress plugin that reads query string values from a URL and displays them anywhere on your site via shortcodes. Developed by Jeremy B. Shapiro and available for 15 years, it solves a simple but persistent need: how to get URL parameter in WordPress shortcode without writing custom PHP. The plugin currently holds 8K+ active installs and a perfect 5.0/5 rating from 37 ratings — 100% five-star with zero one-star reviews. Updated last on Jun 29, 2026 at version 2.5, it remains a stable, no-frills tool for handling URL parameters WordPress users have relied on for over a decade.

Key Features of URL Params

• Shortcode-based parameter display — Use [urlparam param="ParameterName" /] to output any query string wordpress value directly on a page or post.
• Default value fallback — Specify a fallback text when a parameter is missing. For example, [urlparam param="FirstName" default="Friend" /] shows "Friend" if no first name exists.
• Multi-parameter fallback chain — List several parameters separated by commas. The plugin checks each in order until a match appears, then returns that value or the default.
• Conditional content with [ifurlparam] — Show or hide content blocks based on whether a parameter exists. Use empty="1" to display content when a parameter is absent.
• Value-specific conditional display — Use is="Value" inside [ifurlparam] to show content only for visitors with a specific query string value, such as a known name.
• HTML attribute and tag output — Pass attr="value" or htmltag="input" to generate pre-filled form fields or complete HTML elements, making it easy to display url parameter in wordpress shortcode within forms.
• Date formatting support — If a parameter contains a date, add dateformat="F Js" to output it in a PHP-friendly format (English only).
• Backward compatibility — Requires WordPress 3.0 or later, ensuring it works on virtually every modern site without conflict.

Who Should Use URL Params?

This plugin is designed for site owners and marketers who send personalized links from CRM systems like Infusionsoft or Keap. If you need conditional content based on URL parameter WordPress behavior — greeting a visitor by name, pre-filling a form field, or showing a custom image — URL Params handles it without coding. No PHP or JavaScript knowledge is required; the shortcode syntax is straightforward for beginners.

With 8K+ active installs and a 100% five-star rating from 37 reviews, the user base skews toward small business sites, landing pages, and membership portals that rely on query string wordpress data for personalization. The plugin is equally useful for developers who want a lightweight, tested solution rather than building custom functions. Its 15-year track record means edge cases — like missing parameters or malformed URLs — have been addressed long ago.

Installation & Setup

Install URL Params by downloading the zip file and uploading it through the WordPress plugin interface. Activation is immediate — no configuration pages or settings to adjust. The only setup step is inserting shortcodes into your content, making it beginner-friendly for anyone familiar with WordPress shortcode syntax.

Support & Community

Support data from the last two months shows 1 open thread and 1 resolved thread, yielding a 100% resolution rate. This low volume reflects the plugin's maturity and simplicity — most users install it and it works without issues. The 100% five-star rating from 37 ratings reinforces that the developer addresses problems promptly when they arise, despite the small support queue.

Given the plugin's 15-year lifespan and consistent updates (last updated Jun 29, 2026 at version 2.5), users can trust that compatibility with current WordPress versions is maintained. The perfect rating breakdown — zero one-star reviews — is unusual for any plugin and suggests that URL Params delivers exactly what it promises: a reliable way to handle URL parameters without overhead.