Head-to-head · October 2026
SmartText Rotator vs Fade
SmartText Rotator comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fade.
SmartText Rotator
The “SmartText Rotator” plugin allows you to easily add rotating words in a sentence on your WordPress…
Fade
Add fade effect to wordpress easily, CSS3 only, without JavaScript! custom fade color and time, easy to use…
| Metric | SmartText Rotator | Fade |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 1K+ | 100+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 208 | 103 |
| Download trend | +23.1% | +19.8% |
| Rating | 3.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 11 | 3 |
| Health score | 42/100 | 32/100 |
| Last updated | 1 year ago | 2 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.8.10 | WP 6.6.9 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Jul 2015 | Oct 2015 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
SmartText RotatorFade
Choose SmartText Rotator if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Fade if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.6 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: CSS3
FAQ
SmartText Rotator vs Fade: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 6, 2026
Which is better, SmartText Rotator or Fade?
SmartText Rotator comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fade. Choose SmartText Rotator if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is SmartText Rotator more popular than Fade?
SmartText Rotator is the more popular of the two with 1K+ active installs, compared with 100+ for Fade.
Can I use SmartText Rotator and Fade together?
Both plugins cover CSS3, 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 SmartText Rotator and Fade 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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