Head-to-head · September 2026
No Category Parents vs Media Library Categories
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against No Category Parents.
No Category Parents
This plugin completely removes the mandatory ‘Category Base’ and all the parents from your category…
Media Library Categories
Adds the ability to use categories in the WordPress Media Library. When activated a dropdown of categories…
| Metric | No Category Parents | Media Library Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 6K+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 1.4K | 3.2K |
| Download trend | +66.7% | +14.6% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Reviews | 3 | 52 |
| Health score | 74/100 | 71/100 |
| Last updated | 4 weeks ago | 1 month ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.0.6 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 0% |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | Any |
| First released | Nov 2009 | Nov 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
No Category ParentsMedia Library Categories
Choose No Category Parents if…
You care most about download trend, health score and last updated.
- Actively developed — last update 4 weeks ago
- Momentum — downloads up 66.7% vs the previous 30 days
- Very few reviews so far
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
No Category Parents 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, No Category Parents or Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against No Category Parents. Choose No Category Parents if you care most about download trend, health score and last updated. Choose Media Library Categories if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is No Category Parents more popular than Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories is the more popular of the two with 20K+ active installs, compared with 6K+ for No Category Parents.
Can I use No Category Parents 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 No Category Parents 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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