Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks
by Themeisle · SEO
Also makes 26 other plugins · 1.8M+ installs across the portfolio →
Remove Category URL strips the /category/ base from your category URLs, turning something like /category/my-category/ into simply /my-category/.
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 86/100
no flags
Active installs
40K+
≈48K estimated
Momentum
-11%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “seo”, “slug” and “taxonomy” for “base”, “strips” and “categories”. “seo” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “base” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “slug” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “strips” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “taxonomy” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “categories” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
86 health vs 65 average across 2,216 SEO plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →7.1%
of downloads still active
At least 40K of 566.9K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median SEO plugin keeps 1.2%, across 1,192 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other SEO 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 12 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.3★ over 61 reviews, smoothed to 4.21★
5 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.
43
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
30%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
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 url | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| remove category base | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| remove category | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| category base your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| category permalinks | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| category | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| how to remove category | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| remove url box | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| remove url | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| remove | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| the category | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| base | #5 | #5 | up 1 |
| remove product category | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| base url | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| category slug | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| url | #6 | #7 | 0 |
| by category | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| from url | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| strips | #7 | #9 | — |
| permalinks your tag | #9 | #10 | up 1 |
| seo your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| slug your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| taxonomy your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
120 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 75 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 “seo”, “slug” and “taxonomy” for “base”, “strips” and “categories”. “seo” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “base” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “slug” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “strips” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “taxonomy” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “categories” 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 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 18.5K · 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
12d ago
latest release · v1.2.5 · 19 Oct 2026
13
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 49% 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 “40K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 3 months ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 50K.
Install history since 11 Aug 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Laset12mo ago
додає непотрібні елементи в адмінку, спамить свій блог
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ spamlover3.2y ago
I used this plug-in recently and when I analysed my sites via Google Search Console, none of my pages were referenced. Each time, the Google crawler told me that the URL was invalid or that the server had a problem (with the page inspector).I removed the plug-in and everything was back to normal (I now use Rank Math to remove the category).Maybe this plug-in has had its day in the past, but be careful now.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ carlosmartinez0013.6y ago
Este plugin hace algo que en mi opinión debería hacer nativamente WordPress. Elimina ese molesto “category” de nuestras urls para darle un aspecto más naturar a todas las urls de categorías de la web.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ PUShAUNE4.1y ago
No setting page to use the plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hfng4.3y ago
Despite not having any updates since 2 years+, this plugin works like a charm!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ studioactiv85.3y ago
If you are like me .. there are some websites that need this function..It works and is a fundamental fix.. so don’t worry if it isn’t an ‘updated plugin’. The Category Base hasn’t changed in WordPress.. and this works better than adding “.” in the permalink area.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ toad786.0y ago
I struggled to get the Category base removed using WordPress’ Permalink structure and it always resulted in Error 404s. Adding this plugin (which I should’ve done in the first place), saved oodles of time.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ housePeople296.4y ago
I needed to remove the ‘category’ word from url and by the classic procedure from WordPress default setting I faced a bit of side effects…problems of redirect and other stuff. This plugin with only the installation has resolved all my problems.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2026-10-19 Version 1.2.5 Updated dependencies 1.2.5
- 2026-07-29 Version 1.2.4 Updated dependencies 1.2.4
- 2026-05-25 Version 1.2.3 Updated dependencies 1.2.3
- 2026-04-09 Version 1.2.2 Updated dependencies 1.2.2
- 2026-01-12 Version 1.2.1 Improved experience by flushing permalinks on uninstall Enhanced security 1.2.1
- 2025-11-06 Version 1.2.0 Remove Category URL plugin has been acquired by Themeisle 🎉 We’re happy to announce that Themeisle is now the new owner of Remove Category URL. This acquisition will help ensure the plugin’s continued development, bette 1.2.0
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
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
6 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Remove Category URL strips the /category/ base from your category URLs, turning something like /category/my..."
- ✓ 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 Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WPML, Multisite, YouTube.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 2 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,546 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("permalinks", "slug", "taxonomy" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-08-15 50K+ → 40K+ down after 112 days in tier
- 2026-04-25 60K+ → 50K+ down after 34 days in tier
- 2026-03-22 50K+ → 60K+ up after 765 days in tier
- 2024-02-16 60K+ → 50K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2024-02-14 50K+ → 60K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2024-02-12 60K+ → 50K+ down after 443 days in tier
- 2022-11-26 70K+ → 60K+ down after 26 days in tier
- 2022-10-31 60K+ → 70K+ up after 3 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).
-
No Category Parents 6K+ installs · 4.1★ · 3 shared tags A -
Custom Permalinks 100K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A - R Remove Taxonomy Base Slug 4K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Automatically Update Permalinks 1K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D -
Remove Taxonomy URL 1K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/remove-category-url" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Remove Category URL – Remove ‘category’ base from category permalinks: 40K+ active installs, 4.3★ (61 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/remove-category-url
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