OpenStation vs BetterCX Widget

The BetterCX Widget plugin provides a powerful, AI-driven customer support solution that integrates seamlessly into your WordPress website. This plugin offers a complete chat widget experience with advanced features, customizable appearance, and enterprise-grade security. Key Features AI-Powered Support: Intelligent chatbot that understands context and provides helpful responses Real-time Chat: Instant messaging with your customers Customizable Appearance: Match your brand with themes, colors, titles, and positioning options Embedded Mode Options: Flexible sizing (full, medium, small) and placement (top, center, bottom) for embedded contexts Component layout (is-component): Optional inline “component” mode for embedding the chat in-page (not floating); shortcode is_component="true" with optional component_min_height and per-element radius attributes Rich Media Support: Image upload and sharing capabilities for enhanced communication Branding Control: Customizable “Powered by BetterCX” attribution display Mobile Responsive: Optimized for all devices and screen sizes WordPress Integration: Native shortcode and widget support Event Tracking: Monitor user interactions and analytics Security First: GPLv2+ licensed, no tracking without consent Developer Friendly: Full API access and customization options How It Works Install & Activate: Install the plugin and activate it Get Your Key: Obtain your public key from the BetterCX dashboard Configure: Set your preferences in the admin settings Deploy: Use shortcodes, widgets, or automatic placement Monitor: Track interactions and improve customer support Integration Options Shortcode: [bettercx_widget] – Use anywhere in posts, pages, or widgets Widget Areas: Drag and drop into any widget area Automatic Placement: Global widget placement on all pages Custom Positioning: Left or right side positioning Embedded Sizing: Full screen, medium (60%), or small (40%) width with 4:3 aspect ratio Embedded Placement: Top, center, or bottom positioning for embedded widgets Component mode shortcode: Use [bettercx_widget is_component="true" ...] for the Stencil is-component layout; the plugin sets the isComponent property after load so boolean attributes work reliably (same pattern as embedded) Theme Integration: Seamless integration with any WordPress theme Privacy & Security This plugin is designed with privacy and security in mind: No Unauthorized Tracking: Only tracks with explicit user consent Local Asset Loading: All assets are bundled locally (no external CDN dependencies) No External Scripts: All JavaScript and CSS files are included in the plugin Secure Communication: All API calls use HTTPS encryption Data Minimization: Only collects necessary information for functionality GDPR Compliant: Follows European data protection regulations Opt-in Analytics: Analytics tracking requires explicit user consent No Third-party Dependencies: No external libraries loaded from CDNs Service Integration This plugin integrates with the BetterCX service to provide AI-powered customer support. The service: Processes chat messages to provide intelligent responses Stores conversation history for context Provides analytics and insights Offers enterprise-grade security and reliability Service Terms and Privacy: * Service Provider: BetterCX Inc. * Service URL: https://bettercx.ai * Terms of Service: https://bettercx.ai/terms * Privacy Policy: https://bettercx.ai/privacy * Data Processing: All data processing occurs on BetterCX servers * Data Retention: As per BetterCX privacy policy * User Rights: Users can request data deletion and opt-out of tracking Important: This plugin requires a BetterCX account and API key to function. The plugin is free, but the BetterCX service may have usage limits or pricing tiers. For more information about the BetterCX service, visit bettercx.ai. External Services This plugin uses the following external services: BetterCX API Service What it is: AI-powered customer support service that processes chat messages and provides intelligent responses. What data is sent: * Chat messages sent through the widget * Session information for authentication * Website origin for security validation When data is sent: * When a user sends a message through the chat widget * When the widget initializes and creates a session * When the widget needs to authenticate with the service Service Provider: BetterCX Inc. Terms of Service: https://bettercx.ai/terms Privacy Policy: https://bettercx.ai/privacy Google Translate API (Optional) What it is: Language detection service used to automatically detect the website’s language for proper widget localization. What data is sent: * Sample text from the website (first 1000 characters) * Only sent when automatic language detection is enabled When data is sent: * Only when the widget needs to detect the website’s language * Only if the language cannot be determined from HTML meta tags or browser settings Service Provider: Google LLC Terms of Service: https://policies.google.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy Note: This service is optional and only used for language detection. The widget will fall back to English if the service is unavailable or if the user has disabled this feature. Important: The Google Translate API usage is implemented in the compiled JavaScript files (/assets/p-*.js) and is only called when automatic language detection is enabled. The source code for this functionality is available in /src/services/theme.service.ts in the detectLanguageWithGoogleTranslate() method. Privacy Policy This plugin integrates with the BetterCX service to provide AI-powered customer support. Here’s what you need to know about privacy: Data Collection The plugin may collect the following information: * Chat messages sent through the widget * Session information for authentication * Basic usage analytics (with user consent) Data Usage Collected data is used to: * Provide AI-powered responses to customer inquiries * Maintain conversation context * Improve the service quality * Generate analytics and insights Data Storage Chat messages are stored securely on BetterCX servers Session data is stored temporarily for authentication No sensitive data is stored locally on your WordPress site User Rights Users have the right to: * Access their data * Request data deletion * Opt out of analytics tracking * Close the chat widget at any time Contact Information For privacy-related questions, contact: * Email: [email protected] * Website: bettercx.ai/privacy Service Terms This plugin integrates with the BetterCX service. By using this plugin, you agree to: BetterCX Terms of Service: bettercx.ai/terms BetterCX Privacy Policy: bettercx.ai/privacy WordPress.org Plugin Directory Guidelines The BetterCX service is provided by BetterCX Inc. and is subject to their terms and conditions. Support Getting Help Plugin Documentation: Check the plugin settings page for usage instructions WordPress.org Forums: Post questions in the plugin support forum BetterCX Support: Visit bettercx.ai/support Email Support: Contact [email protected] Reporting Issues If you encounter any issues: 1. Check the plugin settings and configuration 2. Test with a default WordPress theme 3. Disable other plugins temporarily 4. Check the browser console for errors 5. Report the issue with detailed information Feature Requests We welcome feature requests! Please: * Check if the feature already exists * Describe the use case clearly * Explain how it would benefit users * Submit through our support channels Development Source Code This plugin includes human-readable source code in the /src/ directory: * TypeScript/React source files for the widget component * SCSS source files for styling * Service layer source code * Type definitions * Build configuration files The source code is licensed under the MIT License (GPLv2+ compatible) and is provided to meet WordPress.org requirements for human-readable code. Source Code Location: The complete source code is available in the /src/ directory of this plugin, including: – /src/components/ – React/TypeScript components – /src/services/ – API and authentication services – /src/types/ – TypeScript type definitions – /src/utils/ – Utility functions – /src/global/ – Global styles Building To build the widget from source: 1. Navigate to the /src/ directory 2. Run npm install to install dependencies 3. Run npm run build to build the widget 4. The built files will be output to the assets/ directory Build Process: The plugin uses Stencil.js build system to compile TypeScript/React source code into web components. The build process: 1. Compiles TypeScript source files from /src/ directory 2. Bundles and minifies JavaScript/CSS assets 3. Outputs compiled files to /assets/ directory 4. Generates multiple output formats (ES modules, SystemJS, UMD) Contributing This plugin is open source and welcomes contributions: * Fork the repository * Create a feature branch * Follow WordPress coding standards * Submit a pull request Code Standards The plugin follows: * WordPress PHP Coding Standards * WordPress JavaScript Coding Standards * WordPress CSS Coding Standards * PSR-12 coding standards where applicable Testing Before submitting changes: * Test with multiple WordPress versions * Test with different themes * Test with other plugins * Run PHP linting tools * Test JavaScript functionality License This plugin is licensed under the GPLv2 or later. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. Credits Development Team BetterCX Team – Plugin development and maintenance WordPress Community – Testing and feedback Open Source Contributors – Code improvements and bug fixes Third-Party Libraries This plugin uses the following open source libraries: * BetterCX Widget (MIT License) * WordPress Core APIs (GPLv2+) * Modern JavaScript (ES6+) Acknowledgments Special thanks to: * WordPress.org Plugin Directory team * WordPress community contributors * Beta testers and early adopters * All users who provide feedback and suggestions Technical Details Requirements WordPress 5.0 or higher PHP 7.4 or higher Modern web browser (Chrome 60+, Firefox 55+, Safari 12+, Edge 79+) HTTPS recommended for production use Performance Lightweight and fast loading Optimized asset delivery Minimal database queries Efficient caching mechanisms Security Input sanitization and validation Output escaping Nonce verification Capability checks Secure API communication Compatibility WordPress 5.0 – 6.8+ PHP 7.4 – 8.3+ All major browsers Mobile and tablet devices Popular WordPress themes Major page builders Additional Information Plugin URI https://wordpress.org/plugins/bettercx-widget/ Author URI https://bettercx.ai Tags chat, widget, customer support, ai, privacy, live chat, support, customer service, chatbot, bettercx, artificial intelligence, automation, help desk, customer experience Requires Plugins None Network No Multisite Yes, works with WordPress Multisite Export Yes, settings can be exported and imported Import Yes, settings can be imported from exported files Last Updated 2026-04-28 Version 1.0.30 Minimum WordPress Version 5.0 Tested WordPress Version 6.8 Minimum PHP Version 7.4 Tested PHP Version 8.3 Stable Tag 1.0.30 Development Version 1.0.30 Requires at least 5.0 Tested up to 6.8 Requires PHP 7.4 License GPLv2 or later License URI https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html Text Domain bettercx-widget Domain Path /languages Network false Update URI https://wordpress.org/plugins/bettercx-widget/

wp-admin forgets. OpenStation doesn’t. You know the moment. You’re deep in a post and you need one image from the Media Library. You click over, find it, click back, and everything you had going is gone. Your scroll position, your half-typed thought, the three other things you had queued up in your head. That’s not a bug you hit. That’s the design. wp-admin shows you one screen at a time, and every navigation throws the last one away. It has worked this way since 2003, like a fridge that empties itself every time you close the door. WordPress has rebuilt almost everything else. The editor, the site editor, the patterns, the styles. The admin’s one-screen-at-a-time model is the layer nobody touched. OpenStation touches it. Install it and admin screens become draggable, resizable windows. Edit a post while the Media Library sits open next to it. Drag an image from one window straight into the other. Keep comments open in the corner. Reload the browser and your window layout — open pages, positions, sizes, and window states — comes back where you left it. OpenStation itself is free, GPL, and opt-in per user. One click in the admin bar turns it on for you. One click turns it off. Nobody else on your site sees anything change, and deactivating the plugin restores the classic admin exactly. No Core patches and no lock-in. Optional AI providers may charge for their service. Built and maintained by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, Jetpack, WooCommerce, and Tumblr. Work on more than one thing at once Admin pages open as windows, including pages added by most other plugins. Drag them, resize them, snap them, tile them, minimize them to a taskbar. The admin menu becomes a dock of icons. Two editors open at once is one click away. Never lose your place Moving between open windows leaves each page in place. Across reloads, OpenStation remembers your open pages, window positions, sizes and states, virtual desktops, and focus. Closing a window with unsaved changes warns you first. A desk you can actually put things on Drop posts, media, and links right onto the wallpaper. Sort them into folders. Trash them to a Trash that actually holds things. The stuff you’re working on this week can just sit out where you can see it. One desktop per job Virtual desktops, the way your operating system does them. One for writing. One for the store. One for comment triage. One for that redesign you keep poking at. Switch between them without closing anything. Find anything with Cmd+K The full WordPress command palette, plus slash commands from your plugins, all under one keystroke. Turn on the optional AI assistant and you can ask it things like “which post had the comment asking for the recipe?” and it searches your own content to answer. (Requires an AI provider configured in Settings → Connectors on WordPress 7.0+. Details under “External services” below.) See how your site fits together The Corkboard is an interactive, zoomable map of how your posts, pages, and products link to each other. Pan around it. Find the orphans. Find the hubs. Running a store? Orders, Products, Coupons, and Customers become browsable folders with stock and sale ribbons. Open a customer to see their lifetime spend and what they buy most. Follow a product to its buyers, or a coupon to who redeemed it. Make it yours Wallpapers, from color presets to animated scenes to your own photo. Live widgets pinned to the desktop: drafts, stats, recent comments, a focus timer. Uploadable desktop themes, including a built-in Legacy theme that brings the old WordPress blue back in one click. And Mio, a soft-body desk companion that drifts across your wallpaper and gets bumped around by your windows. Off by default. You’ll turn it on. For developers Extend OpenStation through documented PHP and JavaScript APIs. Register windows, icons, wallpapers, widgets, commands, and settings tabs through stable openstation_register_* PHP APIs and a typed JavaScript API; customize dock items through documented hooks; add AI tools with the WordPress Abilities API. Copy-paste examples live in the developer docs on GitHub. External services No external service is required for OpenStation’s desktop interface. The optional AI Assistant and two user-initiated enrichment features make the external requests described below. AI Assistant The optional AI Assistant sends data to the AI provider you configure in WordPress’s Settings → Connectors (for example OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google). Generation is routed through WordPress 7.0’s built-in AI Client, which supplies the credentials stored in Connectors. The plugin never handles an API key itself. With no provider configured in Connectors, no external AI requests are made. When the AI Assistant is enabled and a user invokes it (via Cmd+K or the slash-command palette): What is sent: the user’s prompt, the conversation history for the active session, and tool-call metadata. The plugin’s built-in tools (search_posts, search_pages, search_comments) run WordPress’s native keyword search and may include excerpts of the matching posts/pages/comments in tool results, which are then sent back to the provider as part of the agentic loop. When it is sent: on user-initiated AI requests, and (if an administrator enables “Score new comments with AI”) on comment-save hooks for spam analysis. Posts, pages, and taxonomy terms are not sent automatically. Why it is sent: to obtain model completions and tool-call decisions that drive the AI Assistant. Who provides the service: whichever provider you configured in Settings → Connectors. Which provider (and endpoint) receives the data depends entirely on that configuration. Review the chosen provider’s own terms and privacy policy (e.g. OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google). URL shortcut favicons When an authorized user creates a desktop shortcut to an external URL, OpenStation asks that URL for its page HTML and favicon so the shortcut can display the site’s icon. The request is made from your WordPress server and sends the requested URL, the server’s IP address, an OpenStation user-agent string, and normal HTTP request metadata to the operator of that site. This happens only when a user creates the shortcut. The destination site’s terms and privacy policy apply. WordPress.org plugin information When an authorized user opens or refreshes parts of OpenStation’s Plugins window, OpenStation may request public plugin details, update metadata, and review excerpts from WordPress.org. These requests send plugin slugs, the site’s locale, and normal HTTP request metadata to WordPress.org. This information is used only to display and manage plugins. Review the WordPress.org Privacy Policy. OpenStation’s OAuth relay does not contact a service by itself. Third-party plugins that configure the relay may contact their own providers and are responsible for disclosing those services. Credits OpenStation is brought to you by Automattic. The plugin is open source under GPLv2-or-later; contributions are welcome on GitHub. Third-party libraries The plugin bundles the following third-party JavaScript library, loaded on demand only when a feature that needs it is in use: PixiJS (MIT License) — used by the Corkboard window, built-in canvas wallpapers (e.g. the animated WordPress logo), the Mio desk companion, and the Inkfall typing game. PixiJS is loaded from the plugin’s own assets/vendor/ directory; no CDN requests are made. Data files The Inkfall game’s word list (assets/games/inkfall/words.txt) is generated from the following sources (attribution also ships in the file’s header): FrequencyWords by Hermit Dave (CC-BY-SA 4.0) — English word-frequency ranking derived from the OpenSubtitles corpus. english-words by dwyl (Unlicense) — used as a validity filter. LDNOOBW English list (CC-BY 4.0) — used as an exclusion filter.