Head-to-head · October 2026
Cool Author Box vs Custom roles for author
Custom roles for author comes out ahead, winning 3 of 5 head-to-head checks against Cool Author Box.
Cool Author Box
The Cool Author Box plugin adds information about the author to the bottom of the content of posts and/or…
Custom roles for author
This plugin allows you to set users with custom role as post, page or custom post type author.
| Metric | Cool Author Box | Custom roles for author |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 30+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 79 | 90 |
| Download trend | +46.3% | +32.4% |
| Rating | — | — |
| Reviews | 0 | 0 |
| Health score | 31/100 | 24/100 |
| Last updated | 16 years ago | 15 years ago |
| Tested up to | — | WP 3.3.2 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | May 2010 | Mar 2012 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Cool Author BoxCustom roles for author
Choose Cool Author Box if…
You care most about download trend and health score.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 16 years
Choose Custom roles for author if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and last updated.
- Small user base (30+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.3 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: author post author
FAQ
Cool Author Box vs Custom roles for author: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 11, 2026
Which is better, Cool Author Box or Custom roles for author?
Custom roles for author comes out ahead, winning 3 of 5 head-to-head checks against Cool Author Box. Choose Cool Author Box if you care most about download trend and health score. Choose Custom roles for author if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and last updated.
Is Cool Author Box more popular than Custom roles for author?
Custom roles for author is the more popular of the two with 30+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Cool Author Box.
Can I use Cool Author Box and Custom roles for author together?
Both plugins cover author and post author, 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 Cool Author Box and Custom roles for author 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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