Head-to-head · September 2026
Most Popular Categories vs Media Library Categories
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Most Popular Categories.
Most Popular Categories
This is just a small WordPress plugin that lists the most popular categories by post count in a widget…
Media Library Categories
Adds the ability to use categories in the WordPress Media Library. When activated a dropdown of categories…
| Metric | Most Popular Categories | Media Library Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 600+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 89 | 3.2K |
| Download trend | +17.1% | +14.6% |
| Rating | — | 4.2/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 52 |
| Health score | 27/100 | 71/100 |
| Last updated | 15 years ago | 1 month ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.1.4 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 0% |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Nov 2010 | Nov 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Most Popular CategoriesMedia Library Categories
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)
Choose Media Library Categories if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 20K+ active sites
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Both compete in: categories
FAQ
Most Popular Categories vs Media Library Categories: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
Which is better, Most Popular Categories or Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Most Popular Categories. Choose Most Popular Categories if you care most about download trend. Choose Media Library Categories if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Most Popular Categories more popular than Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories is the more popular of the two with 20K+ active installs, compared with 600+ for Most Popular Categories.
Can I use Most Popular Categories and Media Library 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 Most Popular Categories and Media Library 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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