Simple CSS
Add CSS to your website through an admin editor, the Customizer or a metabox for page/post specific CSS.
Use with caution
Simple CSS works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 80K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 58/100 on our health check.
- Proven at scale on 80K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 60 reviews
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Simple CSS stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| css | #11 |
| CSS Customizer | #5 |
| custom css | #20 |
| simple css | #4 |
| Simple Custom CSS | #8 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.9 from 60 reviews
About Simple CSS
From the official readme · v1.1.1Description
Need to add some custom CSS to your site? Simple CSS gives you an awesome admin editor and a live preview editor in the Customizer so you can easily add your CSS.
Want your CSS to only apply on a specific page or post? Simple CSS adds a metabox which allows you to do just that.
Check out GeneratePress, our awesome WordPress theme! (https://wordpress.org/themes/generatepress)
Features include:
- Full featured admin CSS editor
- Dark and light editor themes
- CSS editor in the Customizer so you can live preview your changes
- Metabox for page/post specific CSS
Installation
There’s two ways to install Simple CSS.
- Go to “Plugins > Add New” in your Dashboard and search for: Simple CSS
- Download the .zip from WordPress.org, and upload the folder to the
/wp-content/plugins/directory via FTP.
In most cases, #1 will work fine and is way easier.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add CSS using your plugin?
Make sure Simple CSS is activated. Navigate to “Appearance > Simple CSS” and add your CSS to the editor.
How do I add CSS using the Customizer?
Make sure Simple CSS is activated. Navigation to “Appearance > Customize” and open the “Simple CSS” section.
How do I change the editor color?
In “Appearance > Simple CSS”, change the “Dark” option below the “Save CSS” button to “Light”.
How do I add CSS that applies only to one page?
Navigate to your page or post in the Dashboard and look for the “Simple CSS” metabox.
Changelog
Fix meta box saving issue
1.1.1
- Fix PHP notice when Simple CSS hasn’t been saved yet
1.1
- Fix meta box saving issue
1.0
- Show metabox only on public post types
- Add live preview to Customizer
- Code cleanup
- Better sanitizing/validation
0.4
- Use browser search instead of CodeMirror dialog search
- Don’t show GeneratePress metabox if it’s already activated
- Make CSS box full height
0.3
- Add CSS metabox to add CSS on specific pages and posts
- Adjust styling of dark theme
- Add tips to Simple CSS screen
0.2
- Remove extra whitespace from CSS output
- Remove spellcheck from Customizer input
- Allow > characters in the CSS
- Add find (ctrl + f) functionality
Screenshots
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 Simple CSS alternatives
All css plugins →
FAQ
Simple CSS: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 26, 2026
Is Simple CSS free?
Yes. Simple CSS is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Simple CSS safe to use in 2026?
Simple CSS works, but test it on a staging site before relying on it in 2026. It runs on 80K+ sites, is rated 4.9/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 58/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Simple CSS?
Simple CSS is active on 80K+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 564,367 times since it launched in November 2015. It was downloaded 1,342 times in the last 30 days.
Does Simple CSS work with WordPress 7.1?
Simple CSS is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.10, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
When was Simple CSS last updated?
The latest version, 1.1.1, was released on September 15, 2025 (1 year ago).
Who makes Simple CSS?
Simple CSS is developed and maintained by Tom.
What are the best alternatives to Simple CSS?
The most popular alternatives to Simple CSS are WPCode (3M+ installs), Code Snippets (1M+ installs) and Simple Custom CSS Plugin (100K+ installs).
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