# Essential Shortcodes

> Essential Shortcodes has 10+ active installs and 54 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 32/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Consider an alternative.** Essential Shortcodes shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 32/100 on our health check.

**Essential Shortcodes makes it easy to display user information and date/time data anywhere on your WordPress site using simple shortcodes.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 10+
- **Total downloads:** 524
- **Downloads (30 days):** 54 (+107.7% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** No ratings yet
- **Health score:** 32/100 (At risk)
- **Version:** 1.1
- **Last updated:** Jun 11, 2025
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 6.8.11
- **Requires:** WordPress 4.9+, PHP 7.4+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** haohunter (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/haohunter/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/essential-shortcodes/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [date](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/date/) | >100 | 166 |
| [email](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/email/) | >100 | 1,115 |
| [shortcodes](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/shortcodes/) | >100 | 202 |
| [user info](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/user-info/) | #5 | 5 |
| [username](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/username/) | #32 | 43 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| date | >100 | 10,000 |
| email | >100 | 10,000 |
| shortcodes | >100 | 10,000 |
| user info | >100 | 4,841 |
| username | >100 | 3,598 |

## Version adoption

- 1.1: 100%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [WP Meta and Date Remover](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-meta-and-date-remover/) | 90K+ | 4.2/5 (71) | May 31, 2026 | 77/100 |
| 2 | [Hide/Remove Metadata](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/hide-metadata/) | 20K+ | 3.6/5 (14) | May 27, 2026 | 64/100 |
| 3 | [WP Date and Time Shortcode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-date-and-time-shortcode/) | 10K+ | 4.9/5 (31) | Aug 25, 2026 | 90/100 |
| 4 | [Bulk Post Update Date](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/bulk-post-update-date/) | 10K+ | 4.7/5 (18) | Aug 2, 2024 | 41/100 |
| 5 | [WP Author, Date and Meta Remover](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-author-date-and-meta-remover/) | 10K+ | 3.2/5 (25) | Jan 25, 2021 | 38/100 |
| 6 | [Show/Hide Content at Set Time](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/shortcodes-to-show-or-hide-content/) | 10K+ | 4.9/5 (33) | Oct 1, 2019 | 47/100 |
| 7 | [Meks Time Ago](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/meks-time-ago/) | 10K+ | 4.3/5 (9) | Dec 4, 2025 | 54/100 |
| 8 | [WP-Persian](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-persian/) | 7K+ | 4.2/5 (32) | Sep 11, 2020 | 42/100 |
| 9 | [Bulk Datetime Change](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/bulk-datetime-change/) | 6K+ | 5/5 (8) | Aug 18, 2026 | 80/100 |
| 10 | [Seed Buddhist Year](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/seed-buddhist-year/) | 3K+ | 4.9/5 (11) | Aug 6, 2024 | 40/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Essential Shortcodes free?
Yes. Essential Shortcodes is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Essential Shortcodes safe to use in 2026?
Essential Shortcodes shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 32/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Essential Shortcodes?
Essential Shortcodes is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 524 times since it launched in June 2025. It was downloaded 54 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Essential Shortcodes work with WordPress 7.1?
Essential Shortcodes is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.11, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### What PHP version does Essential Shortcodes need?
Essential Shortcodes requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Essential Shortcodes last updated?
The latest version, 1.1, was released on June 11, 2025 (1 year ago).

### Who makes Essential Shortcodes?
Essential Shortcodes is developed and maintained by haohunter.

### What are the best alternatives to Essential Shortcodes?
The most popular alternatives to Essential Shortcodes are WP Meta and Date Remover (90K+ installs), Hide/Remove Metadata (20K+ installs) and WP Date and Time Shortcode (10K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/essential-shortcodes/ · Generated 2026-10-10 19:33 UTC by PageForge