Head-to-head · October 2026
Fade vs Progress Bar
Progress Bar comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fade.
Fade
Add fade effect to wordpress easily, CSS3 only, without JavaScript! custom fade color and time, easy to use…
Progress Bar
This plugin does one thing: it creates a simple (but nice-looking) CSS3 progress bar that you can style with…
| Metric | Fade | Progress Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 100+ | 1K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 103 | 1.5K |
| Download trend | +19.8% | +344.3% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 3 | 24 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 87/100 |
| Last updated | 2 years ago | 3 weeks ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.6.9 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.0+ |
| First released | Oct 2015 | Feb 2012 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
FadeProgress Bar
Choose Fade if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.6 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Progress Bar if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Loved by users — 5/5 from 24 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 3 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 344.3% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: CSS3
FAQ
Fade vs Progress Bar: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 6, 2026
Which is better, Fade or Progress Bar?
Progress Bar comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fade. Choose Progress Bar if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Fade more popular than Progress Bar?
Progress Bar is the more popular of the two with 1K+ active installs, compared with 100+ for Fade.
Can I use Fade and Progress Bar together?
Both plugins cover CSS3, 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 Fade and Progress Bar 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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