Head-to-head · October 2026
Display Links by Category vs Link Manager
Link Manager comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Display Links by Category.
Display Links by Category
This plugin allows users to display their WordPress links by category through custom fields.
Link Manager
In WordPress 3.5, the Link Manager (which some use to build blogrolls) will be disabled by default. If you…
| Metric | Display Links by Category | Link Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 40+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 59 | 793 |
| Download trend | +47.5% | +19.6% |
| Rating | — | 4.5/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 33 |
| Health score | 24/100 | 45/100 |
| Last updated | 15 years ago | 9 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.2.1 | WP 6.1.15 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Nov 2011 | Aug 2012 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Display Links by Catego…Link Manager
Choose Display Links by Category if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (40+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.2 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Link Manager if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 20K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 33 reviews
- Momentum — downloads up 19.6% vs the previous 30 days
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.1 (latest is 7.1)
FAQ
Display Links by Category vs Link Manager: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 9, 2026
Which is better, Display Links by Category or Link Manager?
Link Manager comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Display Links by Category. Choose Display Links by Category if you care most about download trend. Choose Link Manager if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Display Links by Category more popular than Link Manager?
Link Manager is the more popular of the two with 20K+ active installs, compared with 40+ for Display Links by Category.
Can I use Display Links by Category and Link Manager together?
Both plugins cover blogroll and links, 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 Display Links by Category and Link Manager 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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