Allow HTML in Category Descriptions
by Arno Esterhuizen · Search
This plugin allows you to use unfiltered HTML in your category descriptions by disabling selected WordPress filters.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 85/100
no flags
Active installs
8K+
≈8.5K estimated
Momentum
+19%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Add “category” and “formatting” to your wp.org tags. You rank #19 and #20 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 4 listed these are the slots worth spending.
85 health vs 63 average across 980 Search plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →6.0%
of downloads still active
At least 8K of 132.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Search plugin keeps 0.7%, across 647 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Search plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 242 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.9.11, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 41 reviews, smoothed to 4.51★
4 of 5 tags set · short description in place
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
26
Momentum
Losing ground
-1.8
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
0%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.8
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| category descriptions your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| unfiltered html | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| allow | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| descriptions | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| html your tag | #15 | #14 | down 5 |
| category | #19 | #14 | down 3 |
| formatting | #20 | #19 | down 5 |
| add html | #12 | #13 | down 3 |
| category in page | #23 | #21 | down 4 |
| by category | #24 | #16 | — |
| the category | #24 | #18 | down 1 |
| add category | #24 | #19 | down 4 |
| categories your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| filter your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
41 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 12 listed. 29 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Add “category” and “formatting” to your wp.org tags. You rank #19 and #20 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 4 listed these are the slots worth spending.
- Slipping on “html”. Down 5 places since 2026-09-18, now #15. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,490 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 4.9K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
8mo ago
latest release · v1.2.5 · 5 Mar 2026
4
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “8K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 20 Jan 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Nicolas Reznikoff4.1y ago
Work well with WordPress 6, tested version 6.0.2 and no errors in the logs. Html filters are perfectly disabled on the category description. For example, now the addition of parameters and properties on the links are possible. < a href=”./?order=alpha” class=”aa”>Order< /a> — This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Nicolas Reznikoff. This topic was modified 3 years, 10 months ago by Nicolas Reznikoff.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ dmsr4.3y ago
Très pratique et fort utile!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ billcv4.5y ago
I have had HTML in my product category descriptions for years. Every new WordPress release seems to break long-standing features, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when I edited a product category and found the HTML stripped out. I took a look at what this plugin does and thought it would probably fix the problem and, indeed, it does. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jan5.7y ago
Vielen Dank 🙂
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ iainlaird6.3y ago
This is EXACTLY what I have been looking for for 3 months. Thank you so much. Now I can actually make my links LOOK like links on my category pages.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ twoforksandapassport6.3y ago
A ridiculously simple plugin that does what it says and then opens up a world of possibilities! Recommended all the way! This topic was modified 6 years ago by twoforksandapassport.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ murgi6.4y ago
With fantastic support.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Akhtarujjaman Shuvo7.0y ago
This is working good
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.2.5 Update tested wordpress versions to 6.9.1 Fix CVE-2026-0693 1.2.5
- — Version 1.2.4 Update tested wordpress versions to 6.4.3 1.2.4
- — Version 1.2.3 Change the plugin initialisation after the previous security update went out in a bit of a rush. 1.2.3
- — Version 1.2.2 Address a security vulnerability 1.2.2
- — Version 1.2.1.1 Add a text domain for translation purposes 1.2.1.1
- — Version 1.2.1 Minor formatting of the plugin code, syntax, etc. Added a banner image for the plugin page 1.2.1
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.2.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Allow HTML in Category Descriptions <= 1.2.4 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Category Descriptions ↗2026-02-13 CVE-2026-0693 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.2.4 Patched in 1.2.5
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "This plugin allows you to use unfiltered HTML in your category descriptions by disabling selected WordPress..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 3 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 3 of 3 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 663 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 4 tags appear in the text; "categories" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-04-01 9K+ → 8K+ down after 255 days in tier
- 2025-07-20 10K+ → 9K+ down
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Post Category Filter (WP Admin) 1K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
List Products By Category Widget for WooCommerce 900+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D - B Blog Post Filter 300+ installs · 3.8★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Gallery Image Captions (GIC) 100+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D - C Cat + Tag Filter 100+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for Anything 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Allow HTML in Category Descriptions into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/allow-html-in-category-descriptions" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Allow HTML in Category Descriptions — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Allow HTML in Category Descriptions: 8K+ active installs, 5.0★ (41 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/allow-html-in-category-descriptions
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