When you’re browsing the internet and come across a website that looks clean, fast, and well-designed, it’s natural to wonder how it was built. Many people immediately ask whether the site is using WordPress or another content management system. This question is especially common if you work with WordPress yourself, run a WordPress agency, manage websites, or analyze competitors.
WordPress powers a massive portion of the web, but not every site openly advertises it. The good news is that there are several reliable ways to identify whether a website is built with WordPress. Some methods are quick visual checks, while others are more technical. Let’s break them down in a way that’s easy to follow and actually useful.
TL;DR (Quick Answer)
You can usually tell if a website is built with WordPress by checking the footer credits, inspecting the source code for WordPress-specific paths, adding wp-admin to the URL, using online detection tools, or installing browser extensions. Using more than one method gives you the most accurate result.
Powered by WordPress credits in the footer
One of the first and most obvious places to look is the footer. By default, many WordPress themes include text such as “Powered by WordPress” or “Proudly powered by WordPress” at the bottom of the page. The footer typically appears at the end of every page and often contains copyright information, links, and credits.
If you see WordPress mentioned there, you can safely assume the site is built with WordPress. However, this method has limitations. Footer credits are not mandatory. Many site owners remove them, replace them with custom branding, or hide them completely to make the website feel more unique or professional. So while this check is quick, it’s not always reliable on its own.
Search for WordPress or wp-content in the source
If you want a more dependable method, looking at the website’s source code is a smart next step. Every website loads HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and WordPress leaves behind some recognizable traces.
To check this, right-click anywhere on the page and select “View Source” or “View Page Source.” This opens the raw code used to generate the page. From there, use the search function in your browser.
Start by searching for the word WordPress. Many WordPress sites include a generator meta tag that mentions WordPress and sometimes even the exact version being used. If you see this, it’s a strong indicator that the website runs on WordPress.
Another very important thing to look for is wp-content. This folder is central to WordPress. It stores uploaded media, themes, plugins, and other assets. Image URLs, stylesheets, and scripts often contain paths like wp-content/uploads. If you see wp-content referenced in the source code, you’re almost certainly dealing with a WordPress website.
Add wp-admin at the end of the homepage URL
Another simple but effective method is to manually check the WordPress admin area. WordPress websites typically use wp-admin as the login path for administrators, editors, and contributors.
To test this, add /wp-admin to the end of the website’s homepage URL. If the site redirects you to a WordPress login screen, that confirms the website is built with WordPress. This admin area is where users manage posts, pages, themes, layouts, and website settings.
In some cases, site owners change the default login URL for security reasons. If that happens, this method may not work. Still, when it does, it’s one of the clearest signals that WordPress is being used.
Online tools
If you prefer not to inspect code manually, online tools can save you time and effort. These tools analyze a website’s technology stack and report what content management system it’s using.
BuiltWith is one of the most popular options. You simply enter the website URL and run a lookup. The tool scans the site and provides detailed information about the technologies involved. This includes the content management system, WordPress version, hosting environment, analytics tools, and other libraries. BuiltWith is especially helpful if you’re doing competitive analysis or researching multiple websites at once.
Is it WordPress is another tool, but it takes a much simpler approach. Instead of showing a long list of technologies, it focuses on one question only. You enter the URL and get a clear yes or no answer. This is useful when you just need a quick confirmation without additional data.
Browser extensions
If you frequently check whether websites are built with WordPress, browser extensions can make the process almost effortless. These tools work directly inside your browser and show you results as you browse.
The Library Sniff extension for Google Chrome is a popular choice. It detects whether a website is built with WordPress and also reveals other technologies in use, such as Google Analytics, jQuery, and Font Awesome. You don’t need to view the source or use external tools. The information appears instantly.
For Mozilla Firefox users, the BuiltWith add-on offers similar functionality. It works like the BuiltWith online tool but runs automatically in your browser. As you explore the web, you can quickly see which content management system a website is using and what other tools support it.
Final thoughts
Figuring out whether a website is built with WordPress doesn’t require guesswork. By combining visual checks, source code inspection, URL testing, online tools, and browser extensions, you can confidently identify WordPress websites in just a few minutes.
This knowledge is especially valuable if you work with WordPress regularly. It helps you analyze competitors, learn from well-designed sites, identify themes and features, and even discover potential clients or partners. The next time you come across a website that catches your attention, you’ll know exactly how to find out if WordPress is powering it.