In today’s digital age, user experience isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a competitive advantage. And one feature users increasingly expect is dark mode. Whether it’s to reduce eye strain, improve battery life, or simply offer a modern UI aesthetic, dark mode has gone from a trend to a must-have accessibility and UX feature. But if your WordPress theme doesn’t offer it natively, you need a smart, flexible plugin that does it right. Meet Darklup – Smartest Dark Mode Plugin for WordPress.
Designed to give WordPress users a fast, flexible, and fully customizable dark mode experience, Darklup stands out as one of the most advanced and user-friendly solutions on the market.
In this in-depth review, we’ll explore what makes Darklup special, how it works across themes and page builders, and whether it’s the right fit for your site’s performance, design, and user satisfaction goals.
What Is Darklup?
Darklup is a WordPress plugin that enables dark mode functionality across your entire site. It provides multiple switch styles, display modes, customization settings, and compatibility layers to ensure dark mode looks great and behaves smoothly—regardless of your theme or builder.
Unlike many dark mode plugins that simply invert colors or break site styling, Darklup uses intelligent algorithms and CSS mappings to preserve visual quality while darkening the interface.
It supports:
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Frontend dark mode toggle
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Backend (admin dashboard) dark mode
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Schedule-based or OS-based detection
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Custom color adjustments
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Compatibility with popular page builders (Elementor, Gutenberg, WPBakery, etc.)
Who Should Use Darklup?
Darklup is ideal for:
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Bloggers who want to offer night reading mode
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Content-heavy sites (news, forums, educational platforms)
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SaaS or app websites that want a sleek, tech-inspired feel
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Designers needing a dark aesthetic or theme
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Accessibility-focused sites that cater to visual comfort
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Developers and agencies building client projects with dark mode support
Whether you’re running a personal blog, a WooCommerce store, or a full-scale membership site, Darklup adds dark mode with precision and polish.
Key Features of Darklup – Smartest Dark Mode Plugin for WordPress
Let’s explore what makes Darklup a top-tier choice among dark mode plugins.
1. One-Click Dark Mode Toggle
At its core, Darklup offers a frontend dark mode toggle that can be:
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Displayed as a floating button
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Placed in menus or headers
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Fixed to corners or embedded as a widget
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Customized with icons and colors
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Shown conditionally (e.g., only on mobile)
Visitors can easily switch between light and dark modes with zero reloads, giving them full control over how they browse your site.
2. OS-Based and Scheduled Auto Detection
Want your site to respond to user device settings? Darklup supports:
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OS-based dark mode detection (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android)
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Scheduled mode (e.g., dark mode at night, light mode by day)
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User-preference-based persistence (remembers last setting via cookies or local storage)
This ensures a personalized experience without requiring users to constantly toggle modes.
3. Full Backend (Admin Dashboard) Dark Mode
Darklup isn’t just for the frontend—it also supports dark mode for the WordPress admin dashboard.
With this feature, admins and editors can:
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Work in a low-light environment
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Reduce eye strain during night shifts
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Apply a modern, sleek interface for daily use
And you can toggle this independently from the frontend settings.
4. Advanced Customization Controls
Darklup doesn’t just flip your colors—it lets you fine-tune your dark mode design with precision.
You can:
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Set custom background and text colors
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Choose dark mode colors for headers, menus, buttons, and links
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Adjust image brightness, saturation, and contrast
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Exclude specific sections, pages, or elements from dark mode
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Define exceptions with CSS selectors
These options are perfect for maintaining brand consistency and ensuring UI elements remain legible and attractive.
5. Compatibility with All Major Page Builders
Darklup works seamlessly with:
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Elementor
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Gutenberg
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WPBakery Page Builder
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Divi
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Brizy
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Beaver Builder
Whether your site is built with blocks or drag-and-drop modules, Darklup detects and styles these elements for dark mode without breaking layouts or visuals.
6. Dark Mode for WooCommerce
Running an online store? Darklup supports WooCommerce product pages, shop grids, and checkout forms, ensuring a smooth, stylish dark experience for:
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Product galleries
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Variants and swatches
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Cart and checkout
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Tabs and accordions
This is a major plus for eCommerce stores that want to look professional in both light and dark modes.
7. Pre-Made Toggle Button Styles
Darklup comes with multiple switch designs:
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Sun/moon toggle icons
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Slider switches
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Text + icon buttons
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Floating or inline styles
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Custom icons via FontAwesome or SVG upload
All buttons can be resized, recolored, and repositioned, matching your theme’s aesthetic.
8. Performance-First Implementation
Unlike basic dark mode plugins that apply slow, glitchy filters, Darklup uses optimized CSS classes and transitions.
Benefits include:
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Fast toggle switching
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No flickering or reloads
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Lightweight footprint (minimal JS/CSS overhead)
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Cache-friendly and plugin-compatible
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Lazy-loading support for images
This makes it ideal for performance-conscious site owners.
9. Accessibility and UX Benefits
Darklup offers features that support better UX, including:
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Reduced eye strain for nighttime browsing
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High contrast mode settings
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Respecting user visual preferences
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Support for dyslexia-friendly colors and fonts (via custom settings)
Adding dark mode is a step toward full website accessibility compliance and better visitor retention.
10. Exclude Pages, Posts, or Elements
Not every part of your site needs to go dark. Darklup lets you:
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Exclude specific pages or posts
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Disable dark mode on certain device types
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Skip sections via CSS ID or class
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Target only specific containers for dark mode
This is especially useful if you have sponsored content, brand-specific landing pages, or third-party widgets.
Real-World Use Cases
1. Blog or News Website
Offer night mode for your readers, reducing eye strain and increasing time on site. You can even schedule it to auto-enable at sunset.
2. SaaS Product or App Website
Use dark mode to give your site a modern, professional appearance that mirrors the UI of your actual software.
3. Online Course or Learning Platform
Help students read long-form content in low light with a switchable reading mode.
4. WooCommerce Store
Offer your shoppers a stylish, contrast-friendly shopping experience with dark product pages, carousels, and checkout flows.
5. Developer Portfolio
Dark themes are trendy among tech professionals. Make your resume site stand out with a clean dark aesthetic and custom toggle.
Darklup vs Other Dark Mode Plugins
Feature | Darklup | WP Dark Mode | Droit Dark Mode | Night Mode Pro |
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Frontend Toggle Button | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Backend Admin Dark Mode | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Page Builder Compatibility | All major | Limited | Elementor only | Basic |
WooCommerce Support | Full support | Partial | No | Yes |
Custom Color Settings | Full control | Limited | Basic | Basic |
Exclude Specific Pages/Sections | Yes | No | Manual CSS | Yes |
Auto OS Detection / Schedule | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Pros and Cons of Darklup
Pros
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Fast, smooth, and stable dark mode toggle
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Fully customizable with design controls
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Supports WooCommerce and all page builders
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Auto detection and scheduling options
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Frontend and backend dark mode
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Minimal performance impact
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One-click demo styles and easy setup
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Developer-friendly with exclusion rules
Cons
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Some advanced styling may require basic CSS knowledge
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Free version is limited (best experience in Pro)
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Does not include animation-rich transitions (by default)
Pricing and Licensing
Darklup is available in two versions:
Free Version (WordPress.org):
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Basic dark mode toggle
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Limited customization options
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Frontend only
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Ideal for personal or small blogs
Pro Version (Premium):
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$29/year (1 site)
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$59/year (5 sites)
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$149/year (Unlimited sites)
Pro includes:
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Full customization features
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Admin dashboard dark mode
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WooCommerce and Elementor support
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Scheduling and auto-detection
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Exclude/include logic
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Priority support
For serious businesses, the Pro version offers tremendous value.
Final Verdict: Is Darklup Worth It?
Absolutely.
Darklup isn’t just another toggle switch—it’s a full-fledged UX enhancement tool that adds professionalism, accessibility, and personalization to your WordPress site.
Whether you’re a solo creator or running a large digital platform, Darklup helps you:
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Match modern UI trends
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Improve user experience
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Support accessibility needs
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Reduce bounce rates during night sessions
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Look polished and tech-forward
Its deep compatibility, customization power, and clean codebase make it a smart investment—especially for WooCommerce, SaaS, or blog-based sites.