Head-to-head · October 2026
Category Posts Block vs Recent Posts Shortcode &…
Category Posts Block comes out ahead, winning 7 of 8 head-to-head checks against Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi….
Category Posts Block
Category Posts Block is a light block designed to do one thing and do it well: display the most recent posts…
Recent Posts Shortcode & Widget
The “Recent Posts Shortcode & Widget” helps users to easily display latest posts in a page or in sidebar by…
| Metric | Category Posts Block | Recent Posts Shortcode &… |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 40K+ | 300+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 37.2K | 141 |
| Download trend | +67.9% | +17.5% |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 79 | 6 |
| Health score | 78/100 | 38/100 |
| Last updated | 3 weeks ago | 9 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 4.9.34 |
| Support resolved | 0% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.2+ | Any |
| First released | Oct 2007 | Mar 2017 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Category Posts BlockRecent Posts Shortcode…
Choose Category Posts Block if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 40K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 79 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 3 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 67.9% vs the previous 30 days
Choose Recent Posts Shortcode &… if…
You care most about rating.
- Small user base (300+ active installs)
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: latest posts recent posts
FAQ
Category Posts Block vs Recent Posts Shortcode &…: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 13, 2026
Which is better, Category Posts Block or Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi…?
Category Posts Block comes out ahead, winning 7 of 8 head-to-head checks against Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi…. Choose Category Posts Block if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend. Choose Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi… if you care most about rating.
Is Category Posts Block more popular than Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi…?
Category Posts Block is the more popular of the two with 40K+ active installs, compared with 300+ for Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi….
Can I use Category Posts Block and Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi… together?
Both plugins cover latest posts and recent posts, 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 Category Posts Block and Recent Posts Shortcode & Wi… 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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