=== Real Testimonials – Testimonial Slider, Collect Customer Reviews and Video Testimonials ===
Contributors: shapedplugin, rubel_miah, khalilu, shamimmiashuhagh
Tags: testimonials, testimonial slider, video testimonials, social proof, review form
Requires at least: 5.0
Tested up to: 7.0
Requires PHP: 7.0
Stable tag: 3.1.14
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

A Customizable Testimonial plugin to Automate Collecting, Filtering, and Publishing Customer Reviews. Testimonial Slider, Grid & More to Grow Sales

== Description ==

= Responsive WordPress Testimonial Plugin =

**Real Testimonials** is a responsive testimonial plugin for creating customer review forms, testimonial showcases, and publishing customer reviews on your WordPress site in minutes.

Customer reviews serve as social proof and can be an effective sales tool. This plugin helps you create review sliders and grids that can help increase sales and build brand loyalty.


**Why You Need Testimonials on Your Website**

Testimonials significantly help your business and organization grow in several ways:

✅ Grow Trust with Social Proof — Customer reviews are often more trustworthy than other content on your site.
✅ Influence Customer Decisions — Many customers read reviews before making a purchase.
✅ Improve Sales & Conversion — Positive feedback from customers can help increase sales.
✅ Gain Valuable Insights — Users' reviews provide feedback about your products or services.
✅ Enhance Brand Reputation — Over time, reviews help build a strong brand reputation. 

 [__Live Demo__](https://realtestimonials.io/demos/real-testimonials-lite-version-demo/) | [__Documentation__](https://docs.shapedplugin.com/docs/testimonial/overview/) | [__Support__](https://shapedplugin.com/create-support-ticket/)


## WATCH HOW TO USE##

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLoUb-7uG-5jPTDu5wiWwKhJNuWFWSyA5T&v=58a3L4q_8Tc]


**Key Features List**

* Build Multiple Testimonial Forms
* Collect, Filter, and Publish Testimonials
* Create and Manage Testimonial Showcases.
* Fully Responsive and Mobile-friendly.
* Easy To Use – No Coding Required.
* Shortcode Generator with live preview.
* Add unlimited testimonials and display them anywhere you want.
* Import/Export testimonials.
* Enable/Disable autoplay & control speed.
* Stop on the hover slider.
* Infinite loop for the slider.
* Control Columns, Rows, and Spacing
* Show/hide navigation arrows & pagination dots.
* Control slider pagination speed.
* Star rating system.
* Show/hide section title.
* Show/hide testimonial title or tagline.
* Show/hide testimonial content or review message.
* Show/hide reviewer name.
* Show/hide star rating.
* Show/hide reviewer identity or position.
* Show/hide testimonial image.
* Set testimonial/reviewer image size.
* Unlimited color options for every field.
* Multiple testimonial sliders or showcases (supports more than one slider per page).
* Unique settings for each testimonial slider.
* Control the number of testimonial columns on different devices.
* Testimonials order & order by.
* Enable/Disable adaptive height for testimonials slider.
* Touch, swipe, or tap on iOS, Android, and any other touch devices.
* Enable/Disable mouse drag.
* Easy to customize and developer-friendly.
* Ready for translation with WPML, Polylang, qTranslate-x, etc.
* Widget & RTL ready.
* Compatible with any theme.
* Schema.org compliant JSON-LD markup & optimized for speed.
* Enable Schema Markup for Testimonials
* Easily Import and Export Testimonials
* Support all modern browsers: Firefox, Chrome, IE, Safari, etc.
* And many more options.


= For Support, Features Request, and Bug Reporting =

>Ask us at [__Support.__](https://shapedplugin.com/create-support-ticket/)

== Real Testimonials Pro Features ==
While the free version includes all essential options for managing customer reviews, some advanced features are available in the [Pro version](https://realtestimonials.io/).

### Pro Features Include:
* **Customizable Testimonial Forms Builder** - Create professional review forms with a drag-and-drop editor and necessary fields, and collect more testimonials. [Live Demo](https://realtestimonials.io/demos/testimonial-forms/)
* **Ready Testimonial Layouts and Themes** - Choose from responsive layouts and multiple themes to display customer reviews.
* **Form Display in Popup/Lightbox** - Show testimonial submission forms in a pop-up window.
* **Anti-Spam Protection** - Implement Google reCAPTCHA to prevent automated bots from submitting forms.
* **Enhanced Email Notifications** - Set up customizable automated emails:
  * Thank-you emails for reviewers
  * New testimonial notifications for admins
  * Publication notifications for reviewers
* **Record and Submit Video Testimonials** - Allow customers to record and submit video testimonials directly through your front-end form.
* **Flexible Video Display Options** - Choose between inline playback or lightbox display for video testimonials.
* **Advanced Image Options** - Add retina-ready images with custom styling options, including borders, backgrounds, and display modes.
* **Reviewer Fallback Images** - Use default images when reviewers don't provide one.
* **Average Rating Widget** - Display overall customer satisfaction ratings.
* **Automated Review Publishing** - Automatically publish reviews based on star ratings.
* **Live Filters & Search Option for Visitors** - Implement Ajax-powered filters and search option for visitors.
* **Enhanced Typography & Styling** - Access additional Google Fonts and customization options.


= Author =

Designed and Developed by [__ShapedPlugin, LLC__](https://shapedplugin.com/)


== Installation ==

= MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS =

* PHP 7.0 or later
* MySQL 5.6 or later
* WordPress 5.0 or later

**This section describes how to install the plugin and get it working**

= AUTOMATIC INSTALLATION (EASIEST WAY) =

To do an automatic install of Real Testimonials, log in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to the Plugins menu, and click Add New.
In the search field, type “Real Testimonials by ShapedPlugin”. Once you have found it, you can install it by simply clicking "Install Now" and then "Activate".

= MANUAL INSTALLATION =

**Uploading in WordPress Dashboard**

* Download testimonial-free.zip
* Navigate to the ‘Add New’ in the plugins dashboard
* Navigate to the ‘Upload’ area
* Select testimonial-free.zip from your computer
* Click ‘Install Now’
* Activate the plugin in the Plugin dashboard

**Using FTP**

* Download testimonial-free.zip
* Extract the testimonial-free directory to your computer
* Upload the testimonial-free directory to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory
* Activate the plugin in the Plugin dashboard

You will now see the Real Testimonials menu in your WordPress admin panel.

The WordPress codex contains <a href="https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/manage-plugins/#installing-plugins-1">instructions</a> on how to install a WordPress plugin.


== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= How can I Showcase Testimonials? =
After activating the plugin, you will see “Real Testimonials” in the WordPress Admin Dashboard.

Firstly, go to “Add New” and add your testimonials as many as you want.

Secondly, go to Manage Views > Add New.

You can customize the setting fields as you like and publish, and you will see a generated shortcode in the top area.

Finally, you need to insert it into any page or post through the TinyMCE button easily.

= Is the Real Testimonials fully responsive? =
Yes, the Real Testimonials is fully responsive & column-structured. You can control the number of testimonial columns on different devices (Desktop, Tablet, Mobile, etc.).

= Will it automatically use my existing testimonials when upgrading to Pro? =
Yes. If you already have testimonials in the free version on your theme or site, you will automatically get the testimonials to use in the Pro version.

= Should I purchase the Pro version? =
Real Testimonials Pro includes additional features that extend the functionality of the free version. If you're interested in these advanced features, you can learn more at the [Upgrade to Pro!](https://realtestimonials.io/pricing/?ref=1) page and view the [Live Demo](https://realtestimonials.io/demos/slider/).

= Is the Real Testimonials compatible with my theme or design? =
Real Testimonials works nicely with any theme if themes are developed according to the WordPress standard.

= Is the Real Testimonials translation ready? =
Yes, Real Testimonials is fully translation-ready, supporting .pot language files! You can translate into your language with the following popular plugins, such as WPML, Polylang, qTranslate-x, GTranslate, Google Language Translator, WPGlobus, etc.

= For Support and Bug Reporting =
If you encounter an issue or find any bugs, post it in the [support](https://shapedplugin.com/create-new-ticket/). You can also get support via [WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/testimonial-free/).



== Screenshots ==
1. Testimonial Slider
2. Testimonial Carousel
3. Testimonial Grid
4. Testimonial Form
5. Add New Testimonials
6. All Testimonials
7. All Testimonial Views (Shortcodes)
8. General Settings
9. Theme Settings
10. Basic Preferences
11. Testimonial Content
12. Reviewer Information
13. Star Rating
14. Reviewer Image
15. Slider Basics
16. Navigation
17. Pagination
18. Miscellaneous
19. Typography
20. Create Testimonial Form
21. Testimonial Form Styles
22. Form Status Control
23. Form Labels and Message


== Changelog ==

= 3.1.14 - Apr 09, 2026 =
* Improved: Admin UI styling has been improved.
* Improved: Code maintainability has been improved.
* Tested: WordPress 7.0 compatibility.

= 3.1.13 - Mar 25, 2026 =
* Improved: Plugin detection logic optimized.
* Improved: Code maintainability improved.
* Tested: WordPress 6.9.4 compatibility.

= 3.1.12 - Dec 29, 2025 =
* Improved: Standardized singleton instance property naming.
* Improved: Code readability and maintainability improved.
* Improved: Plugin detection logic optimized for better clarity and reliability.

= 3.1.11 - Nov 19, 2025 =
* Tested: WordPress 6.9 compatibility.

= 3.1.10 - Aug 22, 2025 =
* New: A New Testimonial Theme added.
* New: The Slider Navigation: Top Right option.
* New: The Slider Pagination: Dynamic option.
* New: A new rating icon has been added.
* Improved: The plugin's options are enhanced to make it more user-friendly.

= 3.1.9 - Jun 25, 2025 =
* Improved: The plugin setting page tab icons.
* Updated: The language(.pot) file.
* Fix: The warning was found rarely in the testimonial grid pagination section.
* Tested: WordPress 6.8.1 compatibility.

= 3.1.8 - Apr 15, 2025 =
* Fix: The mismatched text domain issue.
* Fix: The help page recommended plugins logo URL not found issue.
* Tested: WordPress 6.8 compatibility.

= 3.1.7 - Feb 10, 2025 =
* Improved: The plugin security has improved.
* Fix: The shortcode select option gap issue was found in the gutenberg block.

= 3.1.6 - Jan 24, 2025 =
* Improved: The grid number pagination has been improved.
* Fix: The schema warning was found when the limited testimonials were shown in the show.
* Fix: The 404 issue for the recommended plugin's logo URL.
* Tested: WordPress 6.7.1 compatibility.

= 3.1.5 - Nov 20, 2024 =
* Fix: The plugin style issue for RTL sites.

= 3.1.4 - Nov 11, 2024 =
* Tested: WordPress 6.7 compatibility.

= 3.1.3 - Oct 09, 2024 =
* Fix: A few strings were not translatable.
* Fix: The PHP 7.2 compatibility issue.
* Fix: The Elementor swiper CSS conflict issue.
* Updated: The language (.pot) file.
* Tested: WordPress 6.6.2 compatibility.

= 3.1.2 - Aug 28, 2024 =
* New: The Rating Star Fill Color and Empty Color option.
* New: The Gap between Rating Stars option.
* New: The Rating Star Font Size option.
* Improved: The plugin backend options have been enhanced.
* Improved: The Layout Preset option was placed at the top of the manage view page.
* Improved: The Carousel Style was placed after the Layout Preset option.
* Improved: The How To Use Shortcode section moved to the right side of the page.
* Improved: The rating options were moved to a sub-section called Star Rating.
* Improved: The Swipe to Slide option was renamed to the MouseWheel option.
* Fix: The testimonial date issue in the case of export-import testimonials.
* Fix: The grid layout item padding issue when the border is used.

= 3.1.1 - Aug 09, 2024 =
* New: Testimonial Form Block feature.
* Updated: The language (.pot) file.
* Tested: WordPress 6.6.1 compatibility.

= 3.1.0 - May 07, 2024 =
* New: The CSV import and export feature to import or export testimonials.
* New: The Form Live Preview feature to check the testimonial form design before using it on any pages or posts.
* New: The Form Width option to increase or decrease the width of the testimonial form.
* Improved: The style of  Testimonial Form options and Testimonial View options.
* Improved: The Testimonial Export Import feature.
* Updated: The language (.pot) file.
* Fix: When the admin selects based on star rating/auto publish status in the form settings, the submitted testimonial was not shown in the testimonial list.
* Fix: The demo link issue.
* Tested: WordPress 6.5.2 compatibility.

= 3.0.0 - Apr 16, 2024 =
* New: The Carousel Layout feature.
* New: The Testimonial Form feature with fields for Full Name, Email Address, Designation, Testimonial Title, Content, Reviewer Photo, and Submit Button.
* New: Three types of Testimonial Status of Form.
* New: The Form Label Color, Input Fields Border, Background Color, and Border-Radius options.
* New: Form Background Color and border options.
* New: Testimonial Image Background option.
* New: Testimonial Image Padding option.
* New: Testimonial Image Border option.
* New: Testimonial Image Box Shadow (Inset, Outset) option.
* New: The Custom JS option.
* New: A function 'sp_testimonial( x )' was added to show testimonials using template files.
* Improved: The Image Settings tab and its options were moved inside the Display Settings Tab.
* Improved: The Plugin UI and UX were hugely reorganized and optimized to make it more user-friendly.
* Improved: The Space Between Testimonials option was moved to the General Settings Tab.
* Improved: The Grid Pagination options are moved to the bottom of the General Settings tab.
* Improved: The 'Slider Controls' tab was renamed 'Slider Settings.'
* Improved: The Display Setting tab options were reorganized into nested tabs.
* Improved: The options for the Carousel Setting tab were reorganized into nested tabs.
* Improved: The Hide on Mobile option for carousel/slider navigation and pagination was separated from the Navigation and Pagination options, respectively.
* Improved: The Help Page has been redesigned to make it more user-friendly.
* Updated: The language (.pot) file.
* Fix: The grid limit issue when pagination was enabled.

= 2.6.9 - Mar 28, 2024 =
* Fix: The warning was found when the plugin was activated via the WP-CLI command.
* Tested: WordPress 6.5 compatibility.

= 2.6.8 - Nov 09, 2023 =
* Fix: Few PHPCS warnings with PHP8.2.
* Tested: WordPress 6.4.1 compatibility.

= 2.6.7 - Aug 28, 2023 =
* Fix: Multiple p or br tags are not working in testimonial content.
* Tested: WordPress 6.3 compatibility.

= 2.6.6 - Jul 17, 2023 =
* Fix: The rating star does not show perfectly along with the Storefront theme.
* Fix: The plugin translation issue.
* Updated: Minimum required version of WordPress for the plugin.
* Tested: WordPress 6.2.2 compatibility.

= 2.6.5 - May 25, 2023 =
* Improved: The import feature with animation.
* Fix: The deprecated warning found in import testimonials.

= 2.6.4 - Apr 07, 2023 =
* Fix: The Elementor block icon gets modified by other plugin icons.
* Tested: WordPress 6.2 compatibility.

= 2.6.3 - Feb 22, 2023 =
* Improved: The default background is set to transparent for the theme one layout.
* Fix: The offset warning for carousel layout after the last update.

= 2.6.2 - Feb 20, 2023 =
* Fix: The offset warning for grid layout after the last update.

= 2.6.1 - Feb 16, 2023 =
* New: The Margin Between Testimonials option.
* New: The Border and Border Radius option.
* New: Background option.
* Fix: Plugin style in plugin admin panel does not apply after updating until meta refresh.

= 2.6.0 - Dec 21, 2022 =
* New: The Grid Layout feature
* New: The alignment, color, background color, and border color options of grid pagination.
* Improved: Plugin security improved.
* Fix: Extra margin of the carousel in mobile view when the navigation is hidden in mobile.
* Removed: The deprecated  'testimonial-free' shortcode has been removed.

= 2.5.11 - Nov 17, 2022 =
* Tested: WordPress 6.1.1 compatibility.

= 2.5.10 - Oct 14, 2022 =
* Improved: Load dynamic style according to the shortcode on the page.

= 2.5.9 - Oct 03, 2022 =
* New: The Free mode of the Slider layout.
* Fix: The AutoPlay doesn't work on mobile.

= 2.5.8 - Sept 02, 2022 =
* Fix: Few Deprecated JS warnings on the plugin admin page.

= 2.5.7 - Aug 03, 2022 =
* Improved: Migrated to Swiper from Slick.js for Carousel/Slider.
* Fix: The Dequeue options of Advanced Settings do not work along with the Elementor Plugin.

= 2.5.6 - Jun 14, 2022 =
* Fix: The premium page warnings.
* Fix: CSL issue.
* Fix: The RTL direction issue.

= 2.5.5 - May 17, 2022 =
* Tested: WordPress 6.0 compatibility.
* Fix: Deprecated warning of the Elementor block.
* Fix: Image height is distorted with Twenty Twenty-Two.

= 2.5.4 - Apr 23, 2022 =
* Fix: Some assets of the Real Testimonial admin panel are not loaded properly on a few websites, as the hosting directory is different.

= 2.5.3 - Mar 28, 2022 =
* New: Elementor addon to insert the shortcode for preview.
* New: A hook 'sp_wp_tabs_allow_import_tags' added to modify import option filter.
* Improved: SVG preloading icon has been added as a preloader image.
* Improved: The existing images, SVGs in the plugin, are optimized.
* Fix: The custom class field of the Gutenberg block of Real Testimonial does not work.
* Removed: Unused images from the plugin.
* Removed: The TinyMCE button from the classic editor.

= 2.5.2 - Mar 05, 2022 =
* New: Gutenberg Block has been added to insert the shortcode.

= 2.5.1 - Feb 24, 2022 =
* Fix: Video embedding in testimonial content issue.
* Removed: Setting menu link from admin tap bar.

= 2.5.0 - Feb 14, 2022 =
* New: The template modification feature has been added.
* New: Preloader image's alt tag added.
* Improved: Schema markup improved.
* Fix: Testimonial icon was not shown in the review notice.
* Fix: Testimonial importing issue.
* Fix: An undefined variable warning ($review) when Review Notice has been dismissed.
* Fix: Extra padding removed for the mobile view when the navigation 'hide in mobile' option is set.
* Fix: Large-sized image loading issue at the 'All Testimonials' page.

= 2.4.4 - Jan 27, 2022 =
* Tested: WordPress 5.9 compatibility.

= 2.4.3 - Jan 20, 2022 =
* Improved: Settings page with a new layout.
* Improved: Code improved.
* Improved: The export-import option has improved.
* Fix: Image width with the twenty-twenty-one theme issue.
* Fix: Carousel navigation accessibility issue.
* Fix: Some minor issues.

= 2.4.2 - Dec 10, 2021 =
* New: New video tutorial added.

= 2.4.1 - Nov 05, 2021 =
* Fix: Blank space on the right side.

= 2.4.0 - Nov 03, 2021 =
* New: Plugin name changed to 'Real Testimonials'.
* Fix: Schema markup issue.
* Improved: Shortcode live preview.

= 2.3.2 - Oct 19, 2021 =
* Fix: Section title color issue.
* Improved: Shortcode settings panel.

= 2.3.1 - Oct 12, 2021 =
* Fix: JS error on single testimonial issue.

= 2.3.0 - Oct 09, 2021 =
* New: Live Preview option.
* Fix: A Few cases of sites, different plugin_dir issues.
* Fix: Adaptive height issue in carousel layout when multi-column(s) are used.
* Fix: Accessibility issues.
* Fix: Several minor issues.
* Improved: Shortcode settings panel text.

= 2.2.19 - Sep 16, 2021 =
* Improved: Plugin security.
* Removed: Unused code.

= 2.2.18 - Aug 18, 2021 =
* Fix: Schema markup undefined issue.

= 2.2.17 - Aug 11, 2021 =
* Fix: Rating value undefined issue.

= 2.2.16 - Jul 08, 2021 =
* New: HTML Tag for the reviewer's full name.
* Fix: Minor tweaking.

= 2.2.15 - Jun 18, 2021 =
* Updated: Theme design typo updated.

= 2.2.14 - Jun 14, 2021 =
* New: Export and import options.

= 2.2.13 - Jun 03, 2021 =
* Fix: AutoPlay dependency with pause on hover.
* Improved: Pagination speed value navigation.
* Improved: Spinner field design.

= 2.2.12 - Apr 17, 2021 =
* Fix: Review image issue.
* Fix:  Backend shortcode select responsive issue.
* Fix: Help tooltip text alignment issue.
* Improved: Shortcode area redesigned.
* Improved: Dynamic version added for admin script & style.

= 2.2.11 - Mar 17, 2021 =
* Fix: Reviewer name formatting issue.

= 2.2.10 - Mar 11, 2021 =
* New: Shortcode onClick copy option.
* New: Testimonial title HTML tag change option.
* Improved: Dashboard Generator Settings panel.
* Improved: Settings page.
* Improved: Help page.
* Fix: Slider blurry issue.
* Fix: Free to Pro upgrading compatibility issue.

= 2.2.9 - Feb 08, 2021 =
* New: Preloader option.
* New: Clean up data on plugin deletion option.
* New: FontAwesome enqueue/dequeue option.
* New: Slick enqueue/dequeue option.
* New: Menu settings.
* Fix: Image column height and width issue in the All Testimonials page.
* Fix: Number field control issue.
* Improved: Dashboard Settings panel.

= 2.2.8 - Dec 15, 2020 =
* Fix: Slider navigation style issue.
* Fix: WordPress 5.6 compatible issue.

= 2.2.7 - Oct 07, 2020 =
* Fix: Responsive column(s) issue.

= 2.2.6 - Oct 06, 2020 =
* Fix: Testimonial image hide issue.

= 2.2.5 - Oct 03, 2020 =
* New: Swipe to slide option.
* New: Slider direction option.
* New: Testimonial image show/hide option.
* New: Testimonial image size option.
* Improved: Admin scripts loading scope.

= 2.2.4 - Sep 22, 2020 =
* Fix: Schema markup issue.

= 2.2.3 - Aug 24, 2020 =
* Fix: WordPress 5.5 compatible issue.

= 2.2.2 - Jun 23, 2020 =
* Fix: Polylang compatibility issue.

= 2.2.1 - May 02, 2020 =
* Fix: Undefined variable notices issue.

= 2.2 - Mar 25, 2020 =
* Fix: Security issue. (This vulnerability was discovered by Vishnupriya Ilango of Fortinet's FortiGuard Labs.)

= 2.1.7 - Feb 26, 2020 =
* New: Settings page added.
* New: Custom CSS option.
* New: Schema markup enable/disable option.
* Fix: Schema markup issue on Google Search Console.
* Improved: Client name HTML tag.

= 2.1.6 - Jan 10, 2020 =
* Fix: Pause on hover on/off issue.
* Fix: Slider infinite on/off issue.
* Fix: Slider adaptive height on/off issue.
* Fix: Slider swipe on/off issue.
* Fix: Slider draggable on/off issue.
* Fix: RTL mode on/off issue.

= 2.1.5 - Dec 17, 2019 =
* Improved: Dashboard UI.
* Fix: WordPress 5.3.1 compatible issue.

= 2.1.4 - Mar 22, 2019 =
* Fix: WordPress 5.2.1 compatible issue.

= 2.1.3 - Mar 11, 2019 =
* Fix: WPGlobus plugin compatibility issue.

= 2.1.2 - Feb 28, 2019 =
* New: Adaptive height option.
* Improved: Slider script.

= 2.1.1 =
* Fix: Languages path issue.

= 2.1 =
* Fix: Illegal string warning.
* Fix: Google crawling issue.

= 2.0 =
* Shortcode Generator
* Star Rating
* Section Title
* Testimonial Title or Tagline
* Unlimited color options for every field.
* Show/hide every field.
* RTL Supported
* Improved Admin Dashboard UI

= 1.4.2 =
* AutoPlay on/off

= 1.4.1 =
* Translation issue fixed

= 1.4 =
* Fixed sanitize issue
* Default constant replaced

= 1.3 =
* Removed view link
* Removed attribute "id"
* Added shortcode in the back-end

= 1.2 =
* Navigation CSS issue fixed

= 1.1 =
* Navigation issue fixed

= 1.0 =
* First Release