Monarch Plugin is a specialized social media sharing and profile following solution developed for WordPress websites. It allows site owners to integrate over 20 social sharing networks through customizable interfaces. This plugin is designed to increase user engagement and content reach through stylized sharing buttons and automated triggers.
WPExclusive members get access to Monarch as part of a full plugin and theme library — plans from $9.99/month. See the full Elegant Themes collection →
What Is Monarch Plugin?
Monarch Plugin is developed by Elegant Themes and is a social media plugin for WordPress. It is widely recognized as a core part of the product suite from one of the most established developers in the WordPress ecosystem. It belongs to the social category on WPExclusive, alongside other tools for audience growth.
The plugin solves the problem of cluttered or poorly integrated social buttons by providing a unified dashboard to manage sharing and following. It is built for bloggers, publishers, and business owners who need high-performance social integration without slowing down their site.
Monarch Plugin Features
The feature set is built around providing multiple display locations and intelligent triggers to capture visitor attention.
Five Display Locations
Monarch provides five distinct placements for sharing buttons: floating sidebars, above or below content, on images and videos, automatic pop-ups, and fly-ins. The floating sidebar is a sleek way to maintain visibility as users scroll, while media-specific buttons appear when users hover over images. These options ensure coverage across different content types in the social sharing space.
Advanced Automatic Triggers
The plugin includes six unique triggers for pop-ups and fly-ins. You can activate sharing prompts based on timed delays, reaching the bottom of a post, or after a visitor leaves a comment. More advanced triggers include scroll percentages, after a visitor completes a purchase, or after a period of user inactivity to re-engage the reader before they leave the page.
Design and Customization
Monarch offers extensive styling controls including three button shapes and multiple hover effects. Users can choose between native network colors or custom palettes to match their site branding. The interface also supports the display of network names and share counts, with options to set minimum count thresholds to avoid social proof issues on new content.
Centralized Management Dashboard
The plugin features a custom dashboard within WordPress for managing settings, checking statistics, and monitoring data. It includes built-in import and export functionality, allowing developers to move configurations between multiple websites instantly. This dashboard also provides a clear overview of shares, follows, and likes over time.
Pricing
Retail access to the plugin requires an Elegant Themes membership, which covers their entire product suite. Check current pricing on the Monarch sales page — WPExclusive members access it as part of their plan.
| Plan | Price | Sites | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elegant Themes Yearly | $89/year | Unlimited | Full Suite |
| Elegant Themes Lifetime | $249 once | Unlimited | Full Suite |
| WPExclusive Membership | From $9.99/month | Unlimited | Monarch + full library |
For developers managing multiple sites, a WPExclusive membership covers Monarch plus hundreds of other plugins and themes — usually less than one premium license.
Latest Version
The plugin receives regular updates to ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress versions and social API changes. WPExclusive updates plugin files promptly after each release.
How to Install
- Download the Monarch .zip from your WPExclusive member account
- In WordPress: Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
- Select the .zip and click Install Now → Activate
- Navigate to the Monarch tab in your WordPress sidebar to open the dashboard
- Select your desired networks and location settings to begin displaying buttons
Use Cases
Viral Content Publishers
High-traffic blogs use the automatic pop-up and media sharing features to maximize the potential of every visitor. By triggering a sharing request when a user reaches the bottom of a post, publishers can significantly increase their referral traffic in the social networking space.
E-commerce Product Pages
Online stores use the image hover sharing feature to allow shoppers to quickly share products to Pinterest or Facebook. The “After Purchasing” trigger also enables stores to ask for a follow or social share immediately after a successful checkout.
Agencies and Developers Managing Multiple Client Sites
Agencies utilize the import and export functions to deploy proven social sharing configurations across dozens of client sites rapidly. A WPExclusive membership allows these developers to maintain these sites cost-effectively without managing dozens of individual keys.
Pros and Cons
✅ Strengths
- Highly visual design with customizable hover effects and shapes
- Intelligent triggers like scroll depth and exit intent for pop-ups
- Built-in statistics tracking directly within the WordPress admin
⚠️ Limitations
- Focuses primarily on sharing and following rather than deeper social feed integration
- Developer auto-updates require an active license key. WPExclusive publishes updates manually when new versions are released.
Is Monarch Plugin GPL Licensed?
Yes. Monarch Plugin is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) — the same license that governs WordPress itself. GPL gives any user the legal right to use, study, share, and redistribute the software. This is the legal framework that makes WPExclusive’s membership model possible.
WPExclusive distributes 100% original, unmodified files — the same release the developer publishes. No injected code, no alterations, no security risks.
Get Monarch Plugin on WPExclusive
WPExclusive membership starts at $9.99/month, $87/year, or $149 lifetime — giving you Monarch Plugin plus every plugin and theme in the library, on unlimited sites.
Explore the full Elegant Themes collection → or browse all WordPress plugins →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Monarch Plugin do?
Monarch Plugin is a social sharing and following tool that adds buttons to your site in multiple locations. It uses triggers to capture social shares and help grow your social following.
Is Monarch Plugin free?
Monarch is a premium plugin bundled with Elegant Themes memberships. It is available via WPExclusive in plans starting from $9.99/month.
What is the latest version of Monarch Plugin?
The plugin is actively maintained — WPExclusive members always receive the most current release.
How much does Monarch Plugin cost?
Retail pricing is part of an $89/year subscription. Via WPExclusive, it is included in plans from $9.99/month.
Is it legal to use Monarch Plugin via WPExclusive?
The plugin is GPL licensed, which explicitly permits redistribution. WPExclusive provides original, unmodified files — fully within GPL terms.
Does Monarch work with themes other than Divi?
Yes, Monarch is a standalone plugin that functions with any WordPress theme, not just those from Elegant Themes.
