Head-to-head · October 2026
Custom Post Avatar vs Simple Local Avatars
Simple Local Avatars comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Custom Post Avatar.
Custom Post Avatar
Custom Post Avatar is inspired by Aaron Parecki’s Emoji Avatars functionality on his website…
Simple Local Avatars
Adds an avatar upload field to user profiles if the current user has media permissions. Generates requested…
| Metric | Custom Post Avatar | Simple Local Avatars |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 75 | 18.9K |
| Download trend | +8.7% | +4.4% |
| Rating | — | 4.6/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 89 |
| Health score | 23/100 | 90/100 |
| Last updated | 6 years ago | 1 month ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.5.22 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | 5.2.4+ | 7.4+ |
| First released | Mar 2019 | Jan 2011 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Custom Post AvatarSimple Local Avatars
Choose Custom Post Avatar if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.5 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Simple Local Avatars if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 100K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.6/5 from 89 reviews
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
FAQ
Custom Post Avatar vs Simple Local Avatars: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 3, 2026
Which is better, Custom Post Avatar or Simple Local Avatars?
Simple Local Avatars comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Custom Post Avatar. Choose Custom Post Avatar if you care most about download trend. Choose Simple Local Avatars if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Custom Post Avatar more popular than Simple Local Avatars?
Simple Local Avatars is the more popular of the two with 100K+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Custom Post Avatar.
Can I use Custom Post Avatar and Simple Local Avatars together?
Both plugins cover avatar and gravatar, 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 Custom Post Avatar and Simple Local Avatars 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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