Beautiful taxonomy filters
by Jonathan de Jong · Search
Also makes 1 other plugin · 2K+ installs across the portfolio →
Supercharge your custom post type archives by letting visitors filter posts by their terms/categories. This plugin handles the whole thing for you!
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 89/100
no flags
Active installs
2K+
≈2.7K estimated
Momentum
+11%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “filter” for “thing”. “filter” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “thing” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 63 average across 980 Search plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.2%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 160.3K 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 6 releases 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 56 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 68 reviews, weighted for review count to 4.6★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
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.
36
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
14%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| pretty permalinks your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| filters by taxonomy | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| beautiful | #3 | #6 | 0 |
| filters | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| taxonomy your tag | #5 | #5 | down 1 |
| beautiful related posts | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| taxonomy filter | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| recent taxonomy posts | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| taxonomy widget | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| taxonomy plugin | #4 | #4 | up 1 |
| taxonomy terms | #5 | #6 | — |
| add taxonomy | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| taxonomy term permalinks | #6 | #7 | 0 |
| page taxonomy | #7 | #6 | 0 |
| thing | #18 | #19 | down 2 |
| taxonomy posts widget | #10 | #16 | — |
| post filters | #10 | #10 | up 1 |
| custom taxonomy widget | #11 | #14 | down 1 |
| post taxonomy | #11 | #13 | — |
| pretty | #11 | #8 | down 2 |
| filter your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| terms your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
129 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 104 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “filter” for “thing”. “filter” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “thing” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,491 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 4K · 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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
6
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v2.6.0 · 8 Sep 2026
44
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. 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 “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 6 months ago; the previous band took 22 months to cross, which places it about 71% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Sep 2018
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ kerla1.9y ago
Easy to use
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Naomi Blindeman2.6y ago
I have looked at so many filter plugins and this is always the most elegant and effective plugin I can find. I love how it automagically inserts itself on the post type archive, that I can insert it with a shortcode anywhere else I need. I love that I can turn off styling, that I can turn off the select2 library, that there are options but no clutter and that it just plain works. My main wish for this plugin is a bump to indicate compatibility with the most recent version of WP and some assurance that it’ll work with the newer versions of PHP so I can keep using it with confidence on my existing projects and include it in new projects as well. The other thing I wish for is that the dropdown shows the hierarchy of the taxonomy terms where that’s relevant (poetry, prose (mystery, romance, sci-fi)). It would make it clearer for visitors what they’re looking at. I can add some very minor styling but it would be wonderful if I could check a box and a dash or something like it would be inserted in front of the child taxonomy terms. Overall I’m very very happy with this plugin. It just reliably does exactly what I need it to do every single time <3 This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Naomi Blindeman.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ crdunst3.1y ago
This is surprisingly difficult to achieve once you start looking into it. This plugin does exactly what was needed, and even prepopulates the dropdowns on the taxonomy pages.It doesn’t try to take over the dashboard, and doesn’t have lots of unnecessary CSS to override. *chefs kiss*. Good job, thanks.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ehudneuhaus5.8y ago
So nice to have a plugin with such a list of filters and actions and all documented! Thank you 🙂
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hughc6.0y ago
I love the way this module works. trivial to set up< generates nice readable URLs (very useful when manually creatying deep links form elsewhere the flexibility that it offers for adding filter UI elements (or not, if you have no need for them)
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Chris Feix6.3y ago
…there were any support at all. Every person having a problem here got snubbed. No response. No answers to be found. USE THIS PLUGIN IF: 1) You’re okay with the standard archive page. 2) Your NOT using multisite. 3) You want a beautiful filter to do menial tasks. DO NOT USE IF: 1) You want a custom results page. 2) You’re on a deadline. Like any type of deadline. 3) You can write it yourself.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ schoefl6.5y ago
Thank you very much!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ parsianweb986.7y ago
This plugin save my life. thanks
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.6.0 BUGFIX: A post type whose name contains a hyphen, like wp-book, is now resolved correctly from its archive template. Previously only the part before the first hyphen was used, which meant the filter module silently didn’ 2.6.0
- — Version 2.5.0 BUGFIX: The post type slug is no longer added twice to the filtered URL when a taxonomy is registered with a rewrite slug nested under the post type archive, like the rewrite slug horses/locations on a post type archived 2.5.0
- — Version 2.4.9 BUGFIX: The [show_beautiful_filters] and [show_beautiful_filters_info] shortcodes now render at the position of the shortcode instead of above the content. If you previously relied on the old placement you may need to mo 2.4.9
- — Version 2.4.8 IMPROVEMENT: Tested up to WordPress 7.1. BUGFIX: Fixed a PHP 8+ fatal error that could occur on archive pages when an array-style query parameter was present in the URL. Also hardened a couple of related PHP 8 notices. 2.4.8
- — Version 2.4.7 BUGFIX: Sorted a security issue. Please make sure you update to this version or later. 2.4.7
- — Version 2.4.6 BUGFIX: Fixed issue where the allowed post types option value beautiful_taxonomy_filters_post_types could be something other than an array and caused fatal errors. 2.4.6
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.6.0). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2026-08-25 CVE-2026-78288 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 2.4.6 Patched in 2.4.7
- 2024-12-06 CVE-2024-12270 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 2.4.3 Patched in 2.4.4
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.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 116 languages, 5 at 90% or more
Plus 92 more locales with partial translations.
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.
This plugin’s searches fall outside the topics measured so far. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
8 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Supercharge your custom post type archives by letting visitors filter posts by their terms/categories. This..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 12 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 10 of 12 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you need", "who want", "use this").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Polylang, Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 41 headings and 6 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 17,952 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "pretty permalinks" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-04-26 3K+ → 2K+ down after 660 days in tier
- 2024-07-05 4K+ → 3K+ down after 436 days in tier
- 2023-04-26 5K+ → 4K+ down after 404 days in tier
- 2022-03-18 6K+ → 5K+ down after 1203 days in tier
- 2018-12-01 5K+ → 6K+ up after 275 days in tier
- 2018-03-01 4K+ → 5K+ up after 239 days in tier
- 2017-07-05 2K+ → 4K+ up after 515 days in tier
- 2016-02-06 1K+ → 2K+ up after 245 days in tier
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).
-
Search & Filter 40K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A - C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags B
-
Brands for WooCommerce 5K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A - T Taxonomy Dropdown Widget 1K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags B
- T Taxonomy List Widget 1K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B
-
Post Category Filter (WP Admin) 1K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Beautiful taxonomy filters into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/beautiful-taxonomy-filters" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Beautiful taxonomy filters — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Beautiful taxonomy filters: 2K+ active installs, 4.9★ (68 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-03. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/beautiful-taxonomy-filters
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.