Head-to-head · October 2026
Essentials vs SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Essentials.
Essentials
Essential Elements for WordPress is your ultimate toolkit to add the most common yet powerful features to…
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle
The SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle gives you all the elements you need to build modern, responsive, and engaging…
| Metric | Essentials | SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | <10 | 400K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 172 | 190.9K |
| Download trend | -7% | +133.1% |
| Rating | — | 4.9/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 134 |
| Health score | 64/100 | 92/100 |
| Last updated | 2 weeks ago | 1 week ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.2 | WP 7.0.6 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | 7.0.0+ |
| First released | Apr 2025 | Jun 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
EssentialsSiteOrigin Widgets Bund…
Choose Essentials if…
You care most about tested up to.
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
Choose SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 400K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 134 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 1 week ago
- Momentum — downloads up 133.1% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: blocks
FAQ
Essentials vs SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 2, 2026
Which is better, Essentials or SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle?
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Essentials. Choose Essentials if you care most about tested up to. Choose SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Essentials more popular than SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle?
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle is the more popular of the two with 400K+ active installs, compared with <10 for Essentials.
Can I use Essentials and SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle together?
Both plugins cover blocks, 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 Essentials and SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 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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