Head-to-head · October 2026
Custom Widget Area vs WP Widget Styler
Custom Widget Area comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against WP Widget Styler.
Custom Widget Area
A simple plugin to create custom widget area. Simply copy and paste these lines where you want to show custom…
WP Widget Styler
Power-up your WordPress widgets using these awesome styler configurations.
| Metric | Custom Widget Area | WP Widget Styler |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 200+ | <10 |
| Downloads (30 days) | 150 | 41 |
| Download trend | +27.1% | +51.9% |
| Rating | 4/5 | — |
| Reviews | 1 | 0 |
| Health score | 30/100 | 21/100 |
| Last updated | 15 years ago | 6 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.2.1 | WP 5.5.23 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.6+ |
| First released | Nov 2011 | Sep 2020 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Custom Widget AreaWP Widget Styler
Choose Custom Widget Area if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- 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 Widget Styler if…
You care most about download trend, last updated and tested up to.
- 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)
Both compete in: custom widget
FAQ
Custom Widget Area vs WP Widget Styler: 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 Widget Styler?
Custom Widget Area comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against WP Widget Styler. Choose Custom Widget Area if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose WP Widget Styler if you care most about download trend, last updated and tested up to.
Is Custom Widget Area more popular than WP Widget Styler?
Custom Widget Area is the more popular of the two with 200+ active installs, compared with <10 for WP Widget Styler.
Can I use Custom Widget Area and WP Widget Styler 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 Widget Styler 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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