WordPress user roles explained
Understand the five WordPress user roles — Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber — and know which role to assign to each person on your team.
Every person who logs in to your WordPress site is assigned a role — a set of permissions that controls what they can see and do. Assigning the right role to each person protects your site from accidental (or intentional) damage.
Quick summary
WordPress has five built-in roles. Administrator can do everything. Editor manages all content. Author manages their own posts. Contributor writes but can't publish. Subscriber can only read. Assign the least powerful role that lets the person do their job. Never give Administrator access to people who don't need it.
The five WordPress roles at a glance
| Role | Can publish? | Can manage others' content? | Can change settings? | Can add users? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Editor | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Author | Yes (own posts) | No | No | No |
| Contributor | No (submits for review) | No | No | No |
| Subscriber | No | No | No | No |
Role-by-role breakdown
Administrator
The most powerful role. Administrators can do everything — install and delete plugins, change the theme, manage all users, access all settings, and edit any content.
Give this role to: The primary business owner, and the Chykalophia team when we need full access to work on your site. No one else.
Protect Administrator access carefully
If an Administrator account is compromised, an attacker has full control of your site. Use a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication on Administrator accounts. See WordPress security basics.
Editor
Editors can create, edit, publish, and delete any post or page — including content created by other users. They cannot change site settings, install plugins, or manage users.
Give this role to: A content manager, marketing team member, or anyone who needs to manage the blog and update pages but shouldn't touch settings.
Author
Authors can write, edit, publish, and delete their own posts only. They cannot edit other people's content, and they cannot create or edit pages (only posts).
Give this role to: A team member or contractor who writes blog posts but doesn't manage the wider site.
Contributor
Contributors can write and edit their own draft posts, but they cannot publish — their work goes into a "Pending Review" status for an Editor or Administrator to approve and publish.
Give this role to: A guest blogger, intern, or anyone who contributes content but whose work should be reviewed before it goes live.
Subscriber
Subscribers can log in to your site and update their own profile, but they cannot create or edit any content. This role is mainly used for membership sites or gated-content sites where registered users get special access.
Give this role to: Registered members of a members-only section, or customers who need to access a private resource. Most public-facing websites don't need Subscriber accounts.
Which role should you assign?
A good rule of thumb: give the least powerful role that still lets the person do their job.
Ask yourself:
- Do they need to change settings or install plugins? → Administrator (rare)
- Do they need to manage other people's content and all pages? → Editor
- Do they only write their own blog posts? → Author or Contributor
- Do they need to access member-only content? → Subscriber
Giving Chykalophia access
When you invite us to work on your site, give our account Administrator access — we need it to do most technical work.
Use the email address support@chykalophia.com, unless your project lead has given you a different address. See how to add a new user for step-by-step instructions.
When the project is complete, you can downgrade or remove our access. See how to remove a user safely.
Roles and plugins
Some plugins — WooCommerce, LearnDash, bbPress, and others — add custom roles on top of WordPress's defaults. For example, WooCommerce adds a "Shop Manager" role for store management. These custom roles usually appear alongside the standard five in the user management screen.
See WooCommerce store access if you need to give access to your store specifically.
Common questions
Related guides
- How to add a new user
- How to remove a user safely
- How to change someone's role
- Managing your own profile
- WordPress security basics
- Give us WordPress admin access
Need a hand?
Learn more
Using the WordPress site editor
A practical guide to the WordPress Site Editor (Full Site Editing) — how to navigate it, edit your header and footer, and make site-wide design changes.
How to add a new user
Step-by-step instructions for adding a new user to your WordPress site, choosing the right role, and inviting the Chykalophia team to access your site.