Head-to-head · October 2026
Nav Menu Roles vs User role sidebar menu
Nav Menu Roles comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against User role sidebar menu.
Nav Menu Roles
This plugin lets you hide custom menu items based on user roles. So if you have a link in the menu that you…
User role sidebar menu
Welcome to User role sidebar menu..! This plugin allows you to Manage custom Sidebar menus based on logged-in…
| Metric | Nav Menu Roles | User role sidebar menu |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 70K+ | 50+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 5K | 85 |
| Download trend | -4.3% | +14.9% |
| Rating | 4.9/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 219 | 2 |
| Health score | 52/100 | 32/100 |
| Last updated | 7 months ago | 8 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.9.0 | WP 4.9.34 |
| Support resolved | 0% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | Any |
| First released | Sep 2012 | Feb 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Nav Menu RolesUser role sidebar menu
Choose Nav Menu Roles if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 70K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 219 reviews
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Choose User role sidebar menu if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: menus
FAQ
Nav Menu Roles vs User role sidebar menu: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 9, 2026
Which is better, Nav Menu Roles or User role sidebar menu?
Nav Menu Roles comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against User role sidebar menu. Choose Nav Menu Roles if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose User role sidebar menu if you care most about download trend.
Is Nav Menu Roles more popular than User role sidebar menu?
Nav Menu Roles is the more popular of the two with 70K+ active installs, compared with 50+ for User role sidebar menu.
Can I use Nav Menu Roles and User role sidebar menu together?
Both plugins cover menus, 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 Nav Menu Roles and User role sidebar menu 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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