How to manage multiple WordPress sites without losing track
Short answer
Start with one inventory: every site, its host, its PHP version and its end date, its plugins and who to call. Then run the same routine on every site, and use WP-CLI for the repetitive parts, such as listing available updates. Dashboards that update many sites at once save clicks, but none of them tells you which sites will break on the next PHP version: keep that column in your inventory yourself.
One inventory for every site
Before any tool, one table. A spreadsheet works. One row per site:
| Column | Why |
|---|---|
| Site, client, contact | Who to call when something breaks |
| Host and plan | Where to switch PHP, who to ask for backups |
| WordPress version | Behind? Why? |
| PHP version and its end date | When the host will move it |
| Ready for the next PHP version? | Yes / no / not checked: the column most dashboards don’t have |
| Key plugins, premium licences | What breaks the site if it fails, what needs renewing |
| Last backup restore test | A backup you never restored is a guess |
Checking PHP across many client sites shows how to fill the PHP columns and prioritise by deadline.
One routine, written down
The same steps in the same order on every site, written so that anyone on the team can follow them. The maintenance checklist gives a weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly version. A written routine is also what lets you price fairly and hand over a site without surprises.
WP-CLI for the repetitive parts
WP-CLI, WordPress’s command line, answers inventory questions in seconds. On our test site, the plugins with their versions and available updates:
Terminal · WP-CLI 2.12.0 on our test site (WordPress 7.1.2), 9 October 2026; real output
$ wp plugin list --fields=name,status,version,update,update_version
name status version update update_version
acme-booking active 2.3.0 none
acme-slider inactive 1.0.4 none
compatnav-pro active 1.0.0 none
compatnav-php-upgrade-checker active 1.2.0 none
hello-dolly inactive 1.6 available 1.7.2Updating safely with WP-CLI, with a dry run first, is in WP-CLI: update plugins safely.
One trap: WP-CLI runs on the server’s command-line PHP, which can be a different version from the one serving the website. On this test site WP-CLI reported PHP 7.4.33. For the website’s version, trust Tools → Site Health → Info → Server, which wordpress.org points to as well (wordpress.org).
The PHP column decides your next busy month
Updating many sites at once is solved by many tools. Knowing which sites will break when their host moves them to a newer PHP version is not: it depends on each site’s plugins and theme, and on the version it moves to. Check each site for the next PHP version once a quarter and fill the “ready?” column. When a host announces a date, you already know which clients need work, and you can plan it instead of firefighting.
Key takeaways
- One inventory for all sites: host, PHP version and end date, WordPress version, key plugins, contacts.
- The same routine on every site, written down, so anyone on the team can do it.
- WP-CLI lists versions and available updates in seconds; tested commands below.
- WP-CLI can run a different PHP version from the website: read the website’s version in Site Health.
- Add a PHP readiness column: which sites are ready for the next version, and which aren’t.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paid dashboard to manage many sites?
Not to start. An inventory, a written routine and WP-CLI cover a lot. A dashboard saves time once the number of sites grows; check what it shows about PHP readiness before you rely on it.
How do I see which PHP version each site runs?
In each site’s Tools → Site Health → Info → Server, or in the hosting panel. WP-CLI’s own PHP version can differ from the website’s.
Should all sites use the same plugins?
As far as possible. A standard set of plugins you know well makes updates, PHP upgrades and support faster on every site.
Check your own site before you upgrade
CompatNav is a free WordPress plugin. It reads the code of your plugins and themes on your own server and tells you, in plain words, what will break and what will only show notices on the PHP version you choose. It never changes your code. It can’t see problems that only appear while code runs with real data, so a quick check of your site after the upgrade still matters.
Sources
- developer.wordpress.org: wp plugin update (WP-CLI)
- wordpress.org: Get a faster, more secure website: update your PHP today
About the code examples: each output is the real output of the code shown, run with the official PHP builds, without a php.ini, with all errors reported and displayed. Only the file path was replaced by a neutral server path.