Head-to-head · September 2026
List category posts vs Most Popular Categories
List category posts comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Most Popular Categories.
List category posts
List Category Posts allows you to list posts by category in a post or page using the [catlist] shortcode…
Most Popular Categories
This is just a small WordPress plugin that lists the most popular categories by post count in a widget…
| Metric | List category posts | Most Popular Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 80K+ | 600+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 6.5K | 89 |
| Download trend | -33.3% | +17.1% |
| Rating | 4.7/5 | — |
| Reviews | 254 | 0 |
| Health score | 71/100 | 27/100 |
| Last updated | 3 months ago | 15 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.0.6 | WP 3.1.4 |
| Support resolved | 0% | — |
| Requires PHP | 5.6+ | Any |
| First released | Aug 2008 | Nov 2010 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
List category postsMost Popular Categories
Choose List category posts if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 80K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.7/5 from 254 reviews
Choose Most Popular Categories if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (600+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 15 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.1 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: categories
FAQ
List category posts vs Most Popular Categories: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Which is better, List category posts or Most Popular Categories?
List category posts comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Most Popular Categories. Choose List category posts if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Most Popular Categories if you care most about download trend.
Is List category posts more popular than Most Popular Categories?
List category posts is the more popular of the two with 80K+ active installs, compared with 600+ for Most Popular Categories.
Can I use List category posts and Most Popular Categories together?
Both plugins cover categories, 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 List category posts and Most Popular Categories 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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