# About the Author Advanced vs Cool Author Box

> About the Author Advanced vs Cool Author Box compared on installs, downloads, ratings, updates, compatibility and support. Cool Author Box comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against About the Author Advanced.

**Cool Author Box comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against About the Author Advanced.** Choose Cool Author Box if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.

| | About the Author Advanced | Cool Author Box – For Widget and Post Content |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50+ | 600+ ✅ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 81 | 324 ✅ |
| Download trend | -9% | +120.4% ✅ |
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 2 ✅ |
| Health score | 32/100 | 77/100 ✅ |
| Last updated | 14 years ago | 3 weeks ago ✅ |
| Tested up to | WP 3.4.2 | WP 7.1.3 ✅ |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | Jul 2012 | Nov 2018 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better, About the Author Advanced or Cool Author Box?
Cool Author Box comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against About the Author Advanced.  Choose Cool Author Box if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.

### Is About the Author Advanced more popular than Cool Author Box?
Cool Author Box is the more popular of the two with 600+ active installs, compared with 50+ for About the Author Advanced.

### Can I use About the Author Advanced and Cool Author Box together?
Both plugins cover author bio and author info, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.

### Are About the Author Advanced and Cool Author Box free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/compare/about-the-author-advanced-vs-hm-cool-author-box-widget/ · Generated 2026-10-13 21:57 UTC by PageForge