Side Menu Lite – Sticky Floating Side Menu
by Wow-Company · Admin & Utilities
Also makes 22 other plugins · 93.5K+ installs across the portfolio →
Create a sticky vertical sidebar menu that enhances navigation and highlights important links on your website.
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
B 84/100
no flags
Active installs
7K+
≈7.9K estimated
Momentum
+11%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “floating button” and “sidebar menu” for “submenus” and “wp nav menu”. “floating button” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “submenus” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “sidebar menu” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #12. “wp nav menu” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
84 health vs 56 average across 5,896 Admin & Utilities plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.5%
of downloads still active
At least 7K of 156.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Admin & Utilities plugin keeps 0.6%, across 4,186 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Admin & Utilities 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 3 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 67 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.0★ over 12 reviews, smoothed to 4.08★ 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.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
21%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| side menu | #1 | #3 | 0 |
| side navigation menu | #1 | #3 | 0 |
| side | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| floating menu your tag | #5 | #13 | 0 |
| side navigation | #2 | #4 | — |
| floating side tab | #2 | #3 | 0 |
| nav menu your tag | #8 | #16 | up 2 |
| fixed menu your tag | #8 | #16 | 0 |
| custom side menu | #3 | #10 | 0 |
| submenus | #6 | #8 | 0 |
| sidebar menu your tag | #12 | #18 | down 4 |
| floating navigation menu | #6 | #12 | 0 |
| nav menu roles | #7 | #14 | 0 |
| sticky nav | #7 | #13 | 0 |
| vertical menu | #13 | #19 | up 1 |
| wp nav menu | #13 | #20 | up 1 |
| menu visibility | #13 | #16 | down 2 |
| sidebar vertical menu | #8 | #14 | 0 |
| menu | #24 | #24 | down 1 |
| floating | #24 | #20 | 0 |
| floating button your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
139 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 92 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “floating button” and “sidebar menu” for “submenus” and “wp nav menu”. “floating button” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “submenus” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “sidebar menu” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #12. “wp nav menu” sits at #13 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “sidebar menu”. #12 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 9.4K · 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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
3
releases in the last 12 months
5mo ago
latest release · v5.5.3 · 20 May 2026
38
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 67% 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 “7K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 20 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 24 Jun 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ pissenlit5mo ago
It does its job, I’ve been using it for 6 years and it’s never given me any trouble!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ rakhmatichsan1.9y ago
Very simple to use and deliver. Thank you very much for the plugin. Worth the paid version if need arise. IMHO.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kaedinger2.3y ago
Thank you very much for removing a feature without explicit notice, and even breaking my site! Removing the icons from the free version without announcing beforehand is an ill move. And with the update, the side menu stopped working (just displayed the contents on the bottom of the page) until I went in to the menu configuration, did absolutely nothing and saved. Now it at least shows up again. The icons are still listed as a feature, though. In the plugin itself, they are listed as a pro feature. It was fun while it lasted. But how can I ever trust a developer who REMOVES features without prior notice?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ acschris3.8y ago
Great plugin This topic was modified 3 years, 6 months ago by acschris.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hackoa3.8y ago
Link color inherit theme link color and can not use the plugin. No choice between animate and not animate. No option between slide and don’t slide. But the big problem is the color.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Smexhy4.9y ago
free version is not usable, you can’t change anything besides text and icon, not even color..not worth it
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ francis19625.0y ago
Excellent plug-in qui fonctionne très bien. Je suis passé à la version Pro et je ne le regrette pas. Avant de sauter le pas, j’ai posé une question au support, la réponse a été très rapide et claire.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ lencer5.8y ago
I bought the lifetime license and try to configure the menus like I want. But I found out three bugs and I described 2 wishes towards the developer. Three days later I get the request to download the new version and there were all errors removed and extensions added. Outstanding support! I like best the possibility to define the menus for desktop and mobile use based on the resolution. That works very well.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 5.5.3 Fixed a minor bug with output tags Fixed: a minor bug with code quality 5.5.3
- — Version 5.5.2 Fixed: minor bug with Content::create() Fixed: minor bug with Settings::option() Fixed: grammar error in ListTable = 5.5.1= * Updated: Font Awesome library upgraded to version 7.1 . * Updated: wp-color-picker-alpha to ve 5.5.2
- — Version 5.5 Updated: Font Awesome library upgraded to version 7.0.0 . 5.5
- — Version 5.4.4 Improved: Reorganized method order in the DBManager class for better readability and maintenance 5.4.4
- — Version 5.4.3 Fixed: incorrect user capabilities handling Fixed: menu detection issue in Script Maker 5.4.3
- — Version 5.4.2 Improved: Screen reader support for the side menu by adding role=”navigation” and aria-label attributes. 5.4.2
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 6 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (5.5.3). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 4.3 Side Menu Lite – add sticky fixed buttons <= 4.2 - Cross-Site Request Forgery ↗
- Patched Medium · 6.1 Multiple Wow-Company Plugins (Various Versions) -- Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via 'page' parameter ↗2023-05-22 CVE-2023-2362 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.0.1 Patched in 4.0.2
- 2021-07-27 CVE-2021-24580 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 2.2.6 Patched in 2.2.6
- 2021-06-28 CVE-2021-24521 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 2.1.1 Patched in 2.2.1
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
7 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 "Create a sticky vertical sidebar menu that enhances navigation and highlights important links on your website."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("perfect for", "great for").
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 6 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,079 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "fixed menu", "nav menu" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-03-02 6K+ → 7K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2025-03-01 7K+ → 6K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-02-28 6K+ → 7K+ up after 328 days in tier
- 2024-04-06 5K+ → 6K+ up after 224 days in tier
- 2023-08-26 4K+ → 5K+ up after 326 days in tier
- 2022-10-04 3K+ → 4K+ up after 198 days in tier
- 2022-03-20 1K+ → 3K+ 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).
-
Button Generator – Easily Create Custom Buttons with Icons and Analytics 4K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A -
Floating Button – Easily Create Sticky, Fixed & Floating Buttons 4K+ installs · 3.4★ · 2 shared tags B -
Easy Sidebar Menu Widget 2K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags D -
Flexi Menu – Floating, Vertical, Dropdown & Right Click Menus 40+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags - L Larbous Floating Menu 10+ installs · 3.8★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Joinchat – Enhanced “click to chat” 700K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Side Menu Lite – Sticky Floating Side Menu into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/side-menu-lite" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Side Menu Lite – Sticky Floating Side Menu — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Side Menu Lite – Sticky Floating Side Menu: 7K+ active installs, 4.0★ (12 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/side-menu-lite
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.