Classic Editor +
by Pieter Bos · Uncategorized
Also makes 4 other plugins · 33.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
The "Classic Editor +" plugin disables the block editor, removes enqueued scripts/styles and brings back classic Widgets.
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 91/100
no flags
Active installs
30K+
≈39K estimated
Momentum
-20%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Rating quality scores 88/100. Lift the average: resolve the issues driving the low reviews.
91 health vs 58 average across 25,737 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.0%
of downloads still active
At least 30K of 747.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,769 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized 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 5 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 8 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 31 reviews, smoothed to 4.41★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
2 of 2 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.
57
Momentum
Holding steady
+2.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
53%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| remove frontend scripts your tag | #1 | #1 | up 2 |
| remove frontend styling your tag | #1 | #1 | up 2 |
| frontend editor | #1 | #1 | up 3 |
| classic editor your tag | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| remove patterns your tag | #2 | #3 | up 1 |
| classic | #3 | #4 | up 1 |
| classic widgets your tag | #4 | #6 | up 2 |
| content editor | #5 | #8 | down 1 |
| classic editor widgets | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| editor | #9 | #11 | up 2 |
| front end editor | #6 | #8 | down 1 |
| editor styles | #4 | #6 | down 1 |
| plugin editor | #7 | #9 | up 4 |
| block editor removal | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| block editor | #10 | #16 | up 14 |
| theme editor | #8 | #10 | 0 |
| text editor | #8 | #10 | up 2 |
| file editor | #8 | #12 | up 9 |
| disable block editor | #5 | #7 | up 3 |
| post editor | #10 | #15 | up 6 |
85 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 47 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Your five tags are all earning their place. Each gets you onto page 1 of its own search, so none is worth giving up. “content editor”, “plugin editor” and “ux” (#5, #7 and #7 untagged) would be the next worth testing if a slot frees up.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 59.8K · 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.
5
releases in the last 12 months
9d ago
latest release · v4.4.5 · 22 Oct 2026
29
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 89% 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 “30K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 47 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 40K.
Install history since 2 Sep 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ 1waytoheaven1.1y ago
Thank you for this plugin that I’ve used for years without a glitch. However, the latest WP update stops this plugin from offering to change the font colour. No colour palatte appears in Visual view, so you have to laboriously type in the css tags in code view. Any chance you can get it back for us Pieter?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ landapro1.7y ago
Does it’s thing and does it well. Kicks butt!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ remedia2221.8y ago
Everything that kill Gutenberg is my friend.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ deralict2.1y ago
Gutenberg sucks.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ d4niwp2.3y ago
This plugin is excellent, lightweight and allows you to restore the awesome Classic Editor. Kudos to Developer. WordPress (Automattic) why push so hard for the Block Editor, even here?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Dario Devcic3.5y ago
I appreciate innovations in general, but I’m not a fan of the block editor. So, it’s great that the Classic editor is still an option. Thanks for keeping it available and continuing to develop it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Adesignpro3.9y ago
I had serious issues editing a few pages. Somehow the Gutenberg block editor got stuck on and you couldn’t switch it back to classic. I added plugins to fix it such as “Enable Classic Editor” by Ayon GK, “Disable Gutenberg” by WebDevStudios and a few others. I had so many plugins deactivated and nothing was working even with this “Classic Editor Plus”. Those didn’t fix anything. “Classic Editor Plus” must be used solo to work or so it seems. After all plugins were deactivated. I only activated “Classic Editor Plus” and Wa-La, it was fixed and that damn nasty block was gone. How to remove the block option is another issue but I won’t touch it. Call me old fashioned but I know my way around classic. Thanks guys.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Yuusuke Wada4.5y ago
Just fantastic for those who hate the new Gutenberg UI.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 4.4.1 date: April 27, 2025 edit maximum amount tags readme file tested up to WP 6.8 4.4.1
- — Version 4.4.0 August 22, 2024 Removes WP Patterns 4.4.0
- — Version 4.3.0 November 10, 2023 Removes further blocks related CSS from Woocommerce (if active) – thanks to @Florian for PR #18 4.3.0
- — Version 4.2.0 March 29, 2023 Remove blocks stylesheet loaded by WPML (if WPML is active) 4.2.0
- — Version 4.1.1 February 8, 2023 Remove global styles and enqueueing of classic-themes.min.css 4.1.1
- — Version 4.1.0 February 8, 2023 Make things work again by replacing wp_enqueue_scripts with enqueue_block_assets 4.1.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (4.4.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2022-01-24 Cross-Site Request Forgery Affects <= 2.6.3 Patched in 2.6.4
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 14 languages, 3 at 90% or more
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
5 of 8 pass · checked 30 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "The "Classic Editor +" plugin disables the block editor, removes enqueued scripts/styles and brings back cl..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 5 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 5 of 5 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("if you have"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Gutenberg, Block editor, WPML.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,342 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("remove frontend scripts", "remove frontend styling", "remove patterns" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-09-14 40K+ → 30K+ down after 137 days in tier
- 2026-04-30 50K+ → 40K+ down after 180 days in tier
- 2025-11-01 40K+ → 50K+ up after 15 days in tier
- 2025-10-17 50K+ → 40K+ down after 4 days in tier
- 2025-10-13 40K+ → 50K+ up after 34 days in tier
- 2025-09-09 30K+ → 40K+ up after 2197 days in tier
- 2019-09-04 20K+ → 30K+ up after 215 days in tier
- 2019-02-01 10K+ → 20K+ up after 8 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).
-
Classic Editor and Classic Widgets 20K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
WPDevs Classic Editor & Widgets 20+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B - D Disable Block 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
-
Restore Classic Editor & Widgets – Clean & Lightweight Dashboard — installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags C -
Classic Editor 8M+ installs · 4.9★ · 1 shared tag A - C Classic Widgets 2M+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Classic Editor + into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/classic-editor-addon" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Classic Editor + — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Classic Editor +: 30K+ active installs, 4.9★ (31 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/classic-editor-addon
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