Display Links by Category
This plugin allows users to display their WordPress links by category through custom fields.
Consider an alternative
Display Links by Category shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 40+ sites and was last updated 15 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (40+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.2 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & supportDaily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Display Links by Category stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| blogroll | #58 |
| bookmarks | >100 |
| display links | >100 |
| links | >100 |
| shortcode | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Display Links by Category
From the official readme · v1.0.1Description
This plugin allows users to display their WordPress links by category through custom fields.
The following gives a step-by-step setup overview:
- Enable the plugin (check the installation tab)
- Go to the page/post where you’d like to place your links/blogroll
- Make sure that Custom Fields are visible (on the edit page or post page click on the “Screen Options” in the top right and make sure “Custom Fields” is checked off)
- Under CUstom fields click on the enter new link
- Enter an ID in the “Name” field – the plugin uses the ID “display_links” as a default
- Enter the category name of the links you’d like to display in the “Value” field
- Click on the “Add Custom Field” button
- Enter the following shortcode into the post content area or the widget area you prefer:
[links_by_cat field_id="(ID previously entered in Name field goes here)"]- Note that if you used “display_links” in the Name field, you do not need to enter the “field_id” parameter in the shortcode and can simply do:
[links_by_cat]
- Note that if you used “display_links” in the Name field, you do not need to enter the “field_id” parameter in the shortcode and can simply do:
The shortcode also supports many other parameters for ordering and structuring your links. All parameters on the list (except “category”) found on the following page are available: https://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Tags/wp_list_bookmarks#Parameters
Other parameter example:
[links_by_cat orderby="rating"] -- This is an example using the orderby parameter from the list. The links will now be ordered by their rating.
Added in 1.0.1:
The ability to display all categories has been added to the shortcode. Simply add:
[links_by_cat display_all]
Many bug fixes have also been introduced in version 1.0.1 as well, so please upgrade.
Currently, only one category is supported per Custom Field entry; however, I am looking to update the plugin soon so that it supports multiple categories.
Installation
This section describes how to install the plugin and get it working.
- Upload the “display-links-by-category” folder to the “/wp-content/plugins/” directory
- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Add new custom fields where needed (full details in “Description” tab)
- Use the shortcode in any page, post or widget area where you wish your links to appear
Changelog
Several bug fixes and the addition for a display all categories option. Check plugin page for more details.
1.0.1
- Addded the option to choose to display all categories
- Bug fixes (ex: if category name is wrong, all categories used to display – now, none are displayed)
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Display Links by Category alternatives
All blogroll plugins →FAQ
Display Links by Category: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 8, 2026
Is Display Links by Category free?
Yes. Display Links by Category is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Display Links by Category safe to use in 2026?
Display Links by Category shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 40+ sites and was last updated 15 years ago, and scores 24/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Display Links by Category?
Display Links by Category is active on 40+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 4,302 times since it launched in November 2011. It was downloaded 58 times in the last 30 days.
Does Display Links by Category work with WordPress 7.1?
Display Links by Category is officially tested up to WordPress 3.2.1, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Display Links by Category last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.1, was released on December 5, 2011 (15 years ago).
Who makes Display Links by Category?
Display Links by Category is developed and maintained by Aleksandar Arsovski.
What are the best alternatives to Display Links by Category?
The most popular alternatives to Display Links by Category are Link Manager (20K+ installs), Eazy Enable Blogroll (1K+ installs) and Link View (700+ installs).
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