Columns

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

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.

Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.

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.

0 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.

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

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share 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.

Crossed into this band 13 months ago; the previous band took 15 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.

1. ★★★★★ meylodie

   3.0y ago

   It does not compare with other columns plugins, as it is the simplest I have been able to use. It is perfect when using Disable Gutenberg or such.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ Bianca

   9.2y ago

   I really like these kind of lean plugins. Maybe it’s not for everyone but it doesn’t add any bloat and I like that. To the people who say this plugin is not responsive. Responsive settings are based on CSS defined media breakpoints. The author of this plugin did not include these. Different themes use different breakpoints. So yeah you might have to add a few lines of css yourself to accomplish responsive effects. But in the end this will always look better than pre defined responsive css settings included in some other plugins, which will not always look good on every theme. example: @media only screen and (max-width:768px) { .columns-2 .column { width: 100%; } .columns-3 .column { width: 100%; } }

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ WebDeb

   10.2y ago

   Installed great but on a phone gives two really skinny columns instead of stacking them up.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ easilyconfused

   10.5y ago

   It sort of works but put everything into a colored box with a tiny font. Useless to me but might be OK for some people (that like tiny fonts and weird boxes)

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ Andrew Misplon

   11.4y ago

   Thanks Konstantin, great plugin, simple and to the point. I just tested it in Black Studio TinyMCE (Visual Editor widget) inserted into Page Builder (by SiteOrigin) and everything works 100%. All the best from everyone here at SiteOrigin 🙂

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ marjons

   11.5y ago

   It works quick and easy to understand. Only minor is that it’s up to 3 columns.

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ Roop

   11.6y ago

   This is a Elastic column plugin not a Responsive plugin.

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ ahsanpervaiz

   12.0y ago

   I tried many shortcode and easy column plugins but none was working with Page Builder but this one sure does works great

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 0.7.3 Testing in 4.3 and 4.4 0.7.3
2. — Version 0.7.2 Fix wpautop issues when another shortcode appears in a column Testing in 3.7.1 and 3.8 0.7.2
3. — Version 0.7.1 Clear floats after column group Allow other shortcodes inside column contents 0.7.1
4. — Version 0.7 First version 0.7

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3

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.

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2025-10-05 4K+ → 3K+ down after 437 days in tier
2. 2024-07-25 5K+ → 4K+ down after 2 days in tier
3. 2024-07-23 4K+ → 5K+ up after 1 days in tier
4. 2024-07-22 5K+ → 4K+ down after 325 days in tier
5. 2023-09-01 6K+ → 5K+ down after 244 days in tier
6. 2022-12-31 7K+ → 6K+ down after 284 days in tier
7. 2022-03-22 8K+ → 7K+ down after 237 days in tier
8. 2021-07-28 9K+ → 8K+ down after 280 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).

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Drop a live Pulse card for Columns into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

Columns: 3K+ active installs, 4.1★ (22 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/columns