Head-to-head · October 2026
Better WordPress Syntax H… vs Syntax-highlighting Code…
Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Better WordPress Syntax Hig….
Better WordPress Syntax Highlighter
This plugin allows you to highlight code syntax in your posts. It is simple, lightweight, and very easy to…
Syntax-highlighting Code Block (with Se…
This plugin extends the Code block in WordPress core to add syntax highlighting which is rendered on the…
| Metric | Better WordPress Syntax H… | Syntax-highlighting Code… |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 60+ | 1K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 92 | 909 |
| Download trend | +10.8% | -7.5% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 26 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 72/100 |
| Last updated | 13 years ago | 5 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.7.41 | WP 7.0.7 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | Apr 2011 | Jul 2019 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Better WordPress Syntax…Syntax-highlighting Cod…
Choose Better WordPress Syntax H… if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (60+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 12 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.7 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Syntax-highlighting Code… if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Loved by users — 5/5 from 26 reviews
Both compete in: code highlighting
FAQ
Better WordPress Syntax H… vs Syntax-highlighting Code…: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 15, 2026
Which is better, Better WordPress Syntax Hig… or Syntax-highlighting Code Bl…?
Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Better WordPress Syntax Hig…. Choose Better WordPress Syntax Hig… if you care most about download trend. Choose Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Better WordPress Syntax Hig… more popular than Syntax-highlighting Code Bl…?
Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… is the more popular of the two with 1K+ active installs, compared with 60+ for Better WordPress Syntax Hig….
Can I use Better WordPress Syntax Hig… and Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… together?
Both plugins cover code highlighting, 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 Better WordPress Syntax Hig… and Syntax-highlighting Code Bl… free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
