Head-to-head · October 2026
Simple Primary Category vs Media Library Categories
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Primary Category.
Simple Primary Category
A light-weight WordPress plugin to assign primary category to posts and custom post types.
Media Library Categories
Adds the ability to use categories in the WordPress Media Library. When activated a dropdown of categories…
| Metric | Simple Primary Category | Media Library Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 100+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 109 | 3.3K |
| Download trend | +3.8% | +7.4% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.2/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 52 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 71/100 |
| Last updated | 3 years ago | 2 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.4.13 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | 0% |
| Requires PHP | 7.3+ | Any |
| First released | May 2020 | Nov 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Simple Primary CategoryMedia Library Categories
Choose Simple Primary Category if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.4 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Media Library Categories if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 20K+ active sites
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Both compete in: category
FAQ
Simple Primary Category vs Media Library Categories: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 17, 2026
Which is better, Simple Primary Category or Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Primary Category. Choose Media Library Categories if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Simple Primary Category more popular than Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories is the more popular of the two with 20K+ active installs, compared with 100+ for Simple Primary Category.
Can I use Simple Primary Category and Media Library Categories together?
Both plugins cover category, 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 Simple Primary Category 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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