# NS Category Widget

> NS Category Widget has 1K+ active installs, a 4.8/5 rating from 34 reviews and 221 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 52/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Use with caution.** NS Category Widget works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 4.8/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.

**A plugin to add widget for listing Categories and Taxonomies. Extending Default WordPress Category Widget.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 1K+
- **Total downloads:** 43,543
- **Downloads (30 days):** 221 (-16% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 4.8/5 from 34 reviews
- **Health score:** 52/100 (Fair)
- **Version:** 4.1.6
- **Last updated:** Sep 12, 2025
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 6.8.11
- **Requires:** WordPress 6.0+, PHP 7.2.24+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Nilambar Sharma (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/nilambar/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/ns-category-widget/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [category](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/category/) | #32 | 413 |
| [listing](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/listing/) | #3 | 47 |
| [sidebar](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/sidebar/) | #39 | 489 |
| [taxonomy](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/taxonomy/) | #41 | 294 |
| [widget](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/widget/) | >100 | 2,317 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| category | #74 | 10,000 |
| listing | >100 | 5,316 |
| sidebar | >100 | 10,000 |
| taxonomy | >100 | 4,455 |
| widget | >100 | 10,000 |

## Version adoption

- 4.1: 65.8%
- 3.1: 22.7%
- 3.0: 9.2%
- 2.0: 2.3%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Pages with category and tag](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/pages-with-category-and-tag/) | 50K+ | 4.8/5 (28) | Aug 13, 2026 | 75/100 |
| 2 | [Search & Filter](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/search-filter/) | 50K+ | 4.5/5 (175) | Aug 22, 2026 | 74/100 |
| 3 | [PublishPress Taxonomies – Tag, Category, and Taxonomy Manager – Autotagger Automatically Add Terms](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/simple-tags/) | 40K+ | 4.6/5 (195) | Oct 5, 2026 | 93/100 |
| 4 | [Media Library Categories](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-media-library-categories/) | 20K+ | 4.2/5 (52) | Aug 22, 2026 | 71/100 |
| 5 | [Add Category to Pages](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/add-category-to-pages/) | 20K+ | 4.7/5 (30) | Oct 19, 2019 | 46/100 |
| 6 | [Term Management Tools](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/term-management-tools/) | 10K+ | 4.9/5 (76) | Dec 11, 2025 | 51/100 |
| 7 | [WP No Base Permalink](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-no-base-permalink/) | 10K+ | 4.1/5 (16) | May 6, 2020 | 38/100 |
| 8 | [Adjust Admin Categories](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/adjust-admin-categories/) | 10K+ | 5/5 (4) | Jun 27, 2022 | 37/100 |
| 9 | [Parent Category Toggler](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/parent-category-toggler/) | 10K+ | 4.8/5 (15) | Nov 28, 2017 | 41/100 |
| 10 | [List Custom Taxonomy Widget](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/list-custom-taxonomy-widget/) | 9K+ | 4.7/5 (21) | Jul 19, 2026 | 83/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is NS Category Widget free?
Yes. NS Category Widget is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is NS Category Widget safe to use in 2026?
NS Category Widget works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 1K+ sites, is rated 4.8/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 52/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use NS Category Widget?
NS Category Widget is active on 1K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 43,543 times since it launched in December 2013. It was downloaded 221 times in the last 30 days.

### Does NS Category Widget work with WordPress 7.1?
NS Category Widget 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 NS Category Widget need?
NS Category Widget requires PHP 7.2.24 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was NS Category Widget last updated?
The latest version, 4.1.6, was released on September 12, 2025 (1 year ago).

### Who makes NS Category Widget?
NS Category Widget is developed and maintained by Nilambar Sharma.

### What are the best alternatives to NS Category Widget?
The most popular alternatives to NS Category Widget are Pages with category and tag (50K+ installs), Search & Filter (50K+ installs) and PublishPress Taxonomies (40K+ installs).


---
Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/ns-category-widget/ · Generated 2026-10-14 22:48 UTC by PageForge