Head-to-head · October 2026
Custom Widget Area vs WP Categories Widget
WP Categories Widget comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Custom Widget Area.
Custom Widget Area
A simple plugin to create custom widget area. Simply copy and paste these lines where you want to show custom…
WP Categories Widget
The “WP Categories Widget” is a simple plugin to display the list of categories for any taxonomies type…
| Metric | Custom Widget Area | WP Categories Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 200+ | 6K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 150 | 644 |
| Download trend | +27.1% | +7.7% |
| Rating | 4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 27 |
| Health score | 30/100 | 59/100 |
| Last updated | 15 years ago | 8 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.2.1 | WP 6.9.10 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 8.0+ |
| First released | Nov 2011 | Sep 2016 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Custom Widget AreaWP Categories Widget
Choose Custom Widget Area if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (200+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.2 (latest is 7.1)
Choose WP Categories Widget if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 27 reviews
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: custom widget
FAQ
Custom Widget Area vs WP Categories Widget: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 18, 2026
Which is better, Custom Widget Area or WP Categories Widget?
WP Categories Widget comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Custom Widget Area. Choose Custom Widget Area if you care most about download trend. Choose WP Categories Widget if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Custom Widget Area more popular than WP Categories Widget?
WP Categories Widget is the more popular of the two with 6K+ active installs, compared with 200+ for Custom Widget Area.
Can I use Custom Widget Area and WP Categories Widget together?
Both plugins cover custom widget, 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 Widget Area and WP Categories Widget 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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