# Variable Column Block

> Variable Column Block has 80+ active installs, a 3/5 rating from 5 reviews and 184 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 29/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Consider an alternative.** Variable Column Block shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 80+ sites, is rated 3/5 and was last updated 4 years ago, and scores 29/100 on our health check.

**WordPress has completely changed the editing experience by introducing block-based editor (earlier Gutenberg). It definitely has brought more power to content editing.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 80+
- **Total downloads:** 13,327
- **Downloads (30 days):** 184 (+5.7% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 3/5 from 5 reviews
- **Health score:** 29/100 (At risk)
- **Version:** 1.2.3
- **Last updated:** Jan 2, 2023
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 6.1.15
- **Requires:** WordPress 6.1+, PHP 8.0+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 0 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** Ramiz Manked (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/ramizmanked/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/variable-column-block/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [block](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/block/) | >100 | 1,010 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| block | >100 | 10,000 |

## Version adoption

- 1.1: 60.5%
- 1.2: 24.4%
- 1.0: 15.1%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/ultimate-addons-for-gutenberg/) | 1M+ | 4.7/5 (1,871) | Oct 9, 2026 | 93/100 |
| 2 | [Breadcrumb NavXT](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/breadcrumb-navxt/) | 800K+ | 4.6/5 (132) | Aug 29, 2026 | 77/100 |
| 3 | [PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/pdf-embedder/) | 300K+ | 4.7/5 (526) | Aug 14, 2026 | 85/100 |
| 4 | [Layout Grid Block](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/layout-grid/) | 200K+ | 4.7/5 (13) | Jul 11, 2023 | 43/100 |
| 5 | [Crowdsignal Forms](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/crowdsignal-forms/) | 200K+ | 5/5 (3) | Oct 8, 2026 | 77/100 |
| 6 | [Content Views – Post Grid & Filter (Shortcode, Blocks, Elementor Widgets)](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/content-views-query-and-display-post-page/) | 100K+ | 4.8/5 (333) | Aug 31, 2026 | 81/100 |
| 7 | [Email Address Encoder](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/email-address-encoder/) | 100K+ | 4.2/5 (160) | Apr 12, 2026 | 71/100 |
| 8 | [Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/simple-sitemap/) | 60K+ | 3.9/5 (72) | Oct 2, 2026 | 90/100 |
| 9 | [Flexible Table Block](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/flexible-table-block/) | 40K+ | 4.9/5 (34) | Jul 26, 2026 | 76/100 |
| 10 | [Genesis Blocks](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/genesis-blocks/) | 40K+ | 3.7/5 (24) | Aug 20, 2026 | 65/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Variable Column Block free?
Yes. Variable Column Block is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Variable Column Block safe to use in 2026?
Variable Column Block shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 80+ sites, is rated 3/5 and was last updated 4 years ago, and scores 29/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Variable Column Block?
Variable Column Block is active on 80+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 13,327 times since it launched in November 2018. It was downloaded 184 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Variable Column Block work with WordPress 7.1?
Variable Column Block is officially tested up to WordPress 6.1.15, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.

### What PHP version does Variable Column Block need?
Variable Column Block requires PHP 8.0 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Variable Column Block last updated?
The latest version, 1.2.3, was released on January 2, 2023 (4 years ago).

### Who makes Variable Column Block?
Variable Column Block is developed and maintained by Ramiz Manked.

### What are the best alternatives to Variable Column Block?
The most popular alternatives to Variable Column Block are Spectra Legacy (1M+ installs), Breadcrumb NavXT (800K+ installs) and PDF Embedder (300K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/variable-column-block/ · Generated 2026-10-13 19:57 UTC by PageForge