Same Category Posts
by Daniel Floeter · Blocks
Also makes 5 other plugins · 11.8K+ installs across the portfolio →
Show posts related to the current category or other custom post types.
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Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
3K+
≈3.5K estimated
Momentum
-30%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “custom post type” for “category”. “custom post type” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “category” sits at #12 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 71 average across 2,524 Blocks plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.8%
of downloads still active
At least 3K of 78.3K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Blocks plugin keeps 2.1%, across 1,578 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Blocks 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 4 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
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 38 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 13 reviews, smoothed to 4.22★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
Get the full rank-higher report →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.
40
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
23%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| same | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| same category your tag | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| category posts your tag | #3 | #8 | 0 |
| feature category posts | #4 | #10 | up 1 |
| exclude category posts | #4 | #8 | down 1 |
| category | #12 | #15 | up 2 |
| posts category | #5 | #12 | down 1 |
| posts by category | #6 | #14 | 0 |
| related posts your tag | #19 | #19 | down 4 |
| category post | #7 | #15 | 0 |
| show posts | #18 | #19 | down 2 |
| author posts to category | #8 | #16 | down 2 |
| list category posts | #8 | #18 | 0 |
| popular posts | #15 | #19 | up 2 |
| related by category | #10 | #17 | 0 |
| category posts widget | #10 | #18 | 0 |
| add category | #11 | #16 | up 1 |
| thumbnail related posts | #11 | #18 | 0 |
| the category | #12 | #17 | up 1 |
| manual related posts | #13 | #20 | down 1 |
| custom post type your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| posts block your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
131 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 95 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
- Swap “custom post type” for “category”. “custom post type” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “category” sits at #12 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 3.9K · 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
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.
4
releases in the last 12 months
1mo ago
latest release · v1.2.1 · 23 Sep 2026
36
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 “3K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.1 years ago; the previous band took 17 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 18 Nov 2016
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ mo19997.1y ago
Easy to install and customize. It does what it suppose to do. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ cengoguven7.9y ago
Works great but I couldn’t find a way to remove / change the header “SAME CATEGORY” words. Any clue please? Oops! I found how to do it. It’s under the widget properties. Sorry for the false alarm. This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by cengoguven.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jromaine8.3y ago
I tried a number of different related post type plugins and this one was by far the easiest to use, and most effective. 5 stars!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Brian TN8.5y ago
Thanks for the great plugin. I have been looking for a plugin that can have similar formats: A title (H2), an excerpt and a thumbnail in a right position. This plugin has all I need.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Mohsin Alam8.7y ago
I was looking for showing post list from the same category only, then after few weeks search, I found this plugin. Salute to you for this great plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jf98589.4y ago
I bought this product because I wanted my posts to look exactly like the pictures. I initially had trouble installing it due to an error message, and customer service responded promptly that I had to uninstall the free version before installing the premium version. However, upon installing the premium version, I did not feel that it operated exactly as described. The product did not display a vertical scrolling news ticker for my WordPress blog and display posts as displayed in the picture. It looked different and, therefore, I had no use for the product. I emailed customer service THE SAME NIGHT that I purchased it for a refund and NEVER got a response. When I later disputed the purchase through Paypal, the company promptly responded but refused to give a refund. Luckily, I am only out $12 but I am advising potential buyers not to make the same mistake that I did and purchase the product. This topic was modified 9 years ago by jf9858. This topic was modified 9 years ago by jf9858.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kais729.4y ago
Very useful plugin, it works perfectly.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ oksanaromaniv9.4y ago
Thank you for the great plugin! The support is also on the high level. The author added a necessary feature for me just in a couple of days! Now you can use shortcodes in widget titles 🙂 Thank you, Oksana
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.1.20 Security scan by Wordfence 1.1.20
- — Version 1.1.19 Prevent widget rendering for posts without terms 1.1.19
- — Version 1.1.18 Cleanup for anchor title 1.1.18
- — Version 1.1.17 Bugfix Excerpt length overrides other filters 1.1.17
- — Version 1.1.16 Bugfix Showing to much posts from not related categories 1.1.16
- — Version 1.1.15 Bugfix HTML entities in title attributes 1.1.15
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.2.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 5.4 Same Category Posts <= 1.1.19 - Authenticated (Author+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Widget Title Placeholder ↗2026-01-23 CVE-2025-14797 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.1.19 Patched in 1.1.20
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.
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
5 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 "Show posts related to the current category or other custom post types."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 3 of 6 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("Post title filter example").
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("if you want"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,171 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "Posts Block" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-10-05 4K+ → 3K+ down after 495 days in tier
- 2023-05-29 5K+ → 4K+ down after 91 days in tier
- 2023-02-27 4K+ → 5K+ up after 1143 days in tier
- 2020-01-11 3K+ → 4K+ up after 143 days in tier
- 2019-08-21 2K+ → 3K+ up after 634 days in tier
- 2017-11-25 1K+ → 2K+ up after 198 days in tier
- 2017-05-11 900+ → 1K+ up
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).
-
Custom Related Posts 3K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Embedded Posts 50+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
Custom Post Type Permalinks 200K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
VK All in One Expansion Unit 100K+ installs · 3.9★ · 1 shared tag B -
YARPP – Yet Another Related Posts Plugin 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag C -
Contextual Related Posts 50K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Same Category Posts into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/same-category-posts" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Same Category Posts — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Same Category Posts: 3K+ active installs, 4.7★ (13 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/same-category-posts
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