Head-to-head · October 2026
Link Away vs Shortcode in Menus
Shortcode in Menus comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Link Away.
Link Away
Link Away makes it easy to replace a post’s permalink with any URL you choose on a post by post basis.
Shortcode in Menus
Allows you to add shortcodes in WordPress Navigation Menus so that you can generate links dynamically. Also…
| Metric | Link Away | Shortcode in Menus |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 50K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 64 | 1.5K |
| Download trend | +18.5% | +6.1% |
| Rating | — | 4.7/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 82 |
| Health score | 23/100 | 66/100 |
| Last updated | 12 years ago | 8 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.9.40 | WP 6.9.10 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.6+ |
| First released | Dec 2013 | Sep 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Link AwayShortcode in Menus
Choose Link Away if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 12 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.9 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Shortcode in Menus if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 50K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.7/5 from 82 reviews
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: custom link
FAQ
Link Away vs Shortcode in Menus: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 13, 2026
Which is better, Link Away or Shortcode in Menus?
Shortcode in Menus comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Link Away. Choose Link Away if you care most about download trend. Choose Shortcode in Menus if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Link Away more popular than Shortcode in Menus?
Shortcode in Menus is the more popular of the two with 50K+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Link Away.
Can I use Link Away and Shortcode in Menus together?
Both plugins cover custom link, 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 Link Away and Shortcode in Menus free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
