Head-to-head · October 2026
Fixed Menu Anchor vs Side Menu Lite
Side Menu Lite comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fixed Menu Anchor.
Fixed Menu Anchor
If you are using a sticky, fixed menu in your WordPress theme, this plugin is the best to deal with the menu…
Side Menu Lite
Side Menu Lite is a free and lightweight WordPress plugin that lets you add customizable sticky side menus to…
| Metric | Fixed Menu Anchor | Side Menu Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 200+ | 7K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 99 | 1.1K |
| Download trend | -15.4% | +5.3% |
| Rating | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Reviews | 4 | 12 |
| Health score | 30/100 | 76/100 |
| Last updated | 10 years ago | 2 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.5.33 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | Sep 2015 | Feb 2019 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Fixed Menu AnchorSide Menu Lite
Choose Fixed Menu Anchor if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (200+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.5 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Side Menu Lite if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Both compete in: fixed menu
FAQ
Fixed Menu Anchor vs Side Menu Lite: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 16, 2026
Which is better, Fixed Menu Anchor or Side Menu Lite?
Side Menu Lite comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Fixed Menu Anchor. Choose Side Menu Lite if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Fixed Menu Anchor more popular than Side Menu Lite?
Side Menu Lite is the more popular of the two with 7K+ active installs, compared with 200+ for Fixed Menu Anchor.
Can I use Fixed Menu Anchor and Side Menu Lite together?
Both plugins cover fixed menu, 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 Fixed Menu Anchor and Side Menu Lite 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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