Head-to-head · September 2026
Featured Post with thumbn… vs Highlight Search Terms
Highlight Search Terms comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Featured Post with thumbnail.
Featured Post with thumbnail
This plugin let’s you add – to any spot on your blog’s sidebar – a section dedicated to the articles you’d…
Highlight Search Terms
Highlights search terms within WordPress generated search results, both on the search results page and on…
| Metric | Featured Post with thumbn… | Highlight Search Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 300+ | 6K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 72 | 921 |
| Download trend | +4.3% | -27.9% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 3 | 40 |
| Health score | 33/100 | 84/100 |
| Last updated | 14 years ago | 4 weeks ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.4.2 | WP 7.0.6 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.6+ |
| First released | Feb 2010 | Apr 2009 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Featured Post with thum…Highlight Search Terms
Choose Featured Post with thumbn… if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (300+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.4 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Highlight Search Terms if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Loved by users — 5/5 from 40 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 4 weeks ago
Both compete in: Highlight
FAQ
Featured Post with thumbn… vs Highlight Search Terms: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 29, 2026
Which is better, Featured Post with thumbnail or Highlight Search Terms?
Highlight Search Terms comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Featured Post with thumbnail. Choose Featured Post with thumbnail if you care most about download trend. Choose Highlight Search Terms if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Featured Post with thumbnail more popular than Highlight Search Terms?
Highlight Search Terms is the more popular of the two with 6K+ active installs, compared with 300+ for Featured Post with thumbnail.
Can I use Featured Post with thumbnail and Highlight Search Terms together?
Both plugins cover Highlight, 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 Featured Post with thumbnail and Highlight Search Terms 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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