Head-to-head · October 2026
Block Areas vs Spectra Legacy
Spectra Legacy comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Block Areas.
Block Areas
Introduces a simple method for defining block areas to use the block editor outside of the post content.
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks
This plugin was previously called Spectra. It’s now Spectra Legacy. Nothing on your website has changed.
| Metric | Block Areas | Spectra Legacy |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50+ | 1M+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 78 | 677.9K |
| Download trend | +30% | -1.7% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Reviews | 3 | 1,871 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 93/100 |
| Last updated | 7 years ago | 1 week ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.2.29 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | 75% |
| Requires PHP | 7.0+ | 7.4+ |
| First released | Jul 2019 | Jun 2018 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Block AreasSpectra Legacy
Choose Block Areas if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 7 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.2 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Spectra Legacy if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- One of the most-used plugins on the web — 1M+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.7/5 from 1,871 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 1 week ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Responsive support — 75% of recent threads resolved
FAQ
Block Areas vs Spectra Legacy: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 17, 2026
Which is better, Block Areas or Spectra Legacy?
Spectra Legacy comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Block Areas. Choose Block Areas if you care most about download trend. Choose Spectra Legacy if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Block Areas more popular than Spectra Legacy?
Spectra Legacy is the more popular of the two with 1M+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Block Areas.
Can I use Block Areas and Spectra Legacy together?
Both plugins cover blocks, editor and gutenberg, 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 Block Areas and Spectra Legacy 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
