Head-to-head · October 2026
Classic Editor vs Options
Classic Editor comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Options.
Classic Editor
Classic Editor is an official plugin maintained by the WordPress team that restores the previous (“classic”)…
Options
Adds a Settings > Options link to the options.php page. If you wanna contribute, pull requests on github.com.
| Metric | Classic Editor | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 8M+ | 30+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 690.9K | 65 |
| Download trend | -6% | +22.6% |
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 3.7/5 |
| Reviews | 1,249 | 3 |
| Health score | 70/100 | 27/100 |
| Last updated | 5 months ago | 13 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.0.7 | WP 3.7.41 |
| Support resolved | 0% | — |
| Requires PHP | 5.2.4+ | Any |
| First released | Oct 2017 | Dec 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Classic EditorOptions
Choose Classic Editor if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- One of the most-used plugins on the web — 8M+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 1,249 reviews
Choose Options if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (30+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 12 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.7 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: editor
FAQ
Classic Editor vs Options: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 20, 2026
Which is better, Classic Editor or Options?
Classic Editor comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Options. Choose Classic Editor if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Options if you care most about download trend.
Is Classic Editor more popular than Options?
Classic Editor is the more popular of the two with 8M+ active installs, compared with 30+ for Options.
Can I use Classic Editor and Options together?
Both plugins cover editor, 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 Classic Editor and Options 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
