Head-to-head · October 2026
Smart Author Box vs Starbox
Starbox comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smart Author Box.
Smart Author Box
Smart Author Box will show the author’s biography below articles. This is a responsive and clean designed…
Starbox – the Author Box for Humans
How Do I Get Support For This Plugin? If you want more Social Icons and Premium Support, that also comes with…
| Metric | Smart Author Box | Starbox |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 85 | 1.3K |
| Download trend | +6.3% | +6.7% |
| Rating | 4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 203 |
| Health score | 29/100 | 43/100 |
| Last updated | 2 years ago | 1 year ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.6.10 | WP 6.8.11 |
| Support resolved | — | 0% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.0+ |
| First released | Jul 2019 | Sep 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Smart Author BoxStarbox
Choose Smart Author Box if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.6 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Starbox if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 10K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 203 reviews
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: author bio author box
FAQ
Smart Author Box vs Starbox: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 16, 2026
Which is better, Smart Author Box or Starbox?
Starbox comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smart Author Box. Choose Starbox if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Smart Author Box more popular than Starbox?
Starbox is the more popular of the two with 10K+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Smart Author Box.
Can I use Smart Author Box and Starbox together?
Both plugins cover author bio and author box, 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 Smart Author Box and Starbox 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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