Live from WordPress.org · Sep 28, 2026
Best References Plugins for WordPress
12 plugins are tagged “references” on WordPress.org. We rank them by active installs and score every one on update freshness, compatibility, ratings and support — so you can pick a safe one in seconds. The most popular right now is Simple Footnotes with 600+ active installs.
Top References plugins, head to head
All comparisons →How we rank
Popularity first, then a health check you can trust
Plugins are ordered the way WordPress.org ranks them for this category. Next to each one you’ll see its health score, so a popular-but-neglected option never sneaks into your stack.
- 25 Update freshness
- 20 Works with the latest WordPress
- 25 Rating, weighted by review count
- 15 Support threads resolved
- 15 Active installs
Popular plugins categories
FAQ
Quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 28, 2026
What is the most popular references plugin for WordPress?
Simple Footnotes is the most popular references plugin with 600+ active installs and a 4.7/5 rating on WordPress.org.
How many references plugins are on WordPress.org?
There are currently 12 plugins tagged “references” in the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Are these references plugins actively maintained?
1 of the top 12 references plugins were updated in the last 30 days. Check each plugin’s health score for update freshness, WordPress compatibility and support responsiveness.
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