SiteOrigin CSS
by Greg - SiteOrigin · Uncategorized
Also makes 9 other plugins · 901K+ installs across the portfolio →
Powerful, simple CSS editing for WordPress. Visual controls & real-time previews for effortless site customization.
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 90/100
no flags
Active installs
100K+
≈180K estimated
Momentum
+282%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “theme editor” for “inspector”. “theme editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “inspector” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
90 health vs 58 average across 25,734 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.6%
of downloads still active
At least 100K of 6.2M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,766 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 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
Well tuned across the board
Updated 22 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 153 reviews, smoothed to 4.70★
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.
38
Momentum
Mixed: one swing, the rest drifting
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
14%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| css | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| visual css your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| css editor your tag | #3 | #2 | 0 |
| siteorigin | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| simple css | #4 | #4 | up 1 |
| website styling your tag | #5 | #4 | down 1 |
| live editing your tag | #7 | #7 | down 2 |
| site css | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| inspector | #6 | #3 | down 1 |
| effortless | #9 | #8 | 0 |
| css wordpress | #4 | #5 | 0 |
| licensing | #7 | #5 | 0 |
| easy css | #5 | #3 | down 1 |
| measurements | #8 | #4 | down 1 |
| standings | #8 | #6 | up 1 |
| customization | #13 | #11 | up 5 |
| selector | #9 | #7 | up 1 |
| measurement | #9 | #5 | 0 |
| styling | #15 | #14 | down 2 |
| theme editor your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
57 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 19 listed. 38 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 “theme editor” for “inspector”. “theme editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “inspector” sits at #6 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 175.7K · 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
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
22d ago
latest release · v1.6.8 · 9 Oct 2026
58
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 69% 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 “100K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 16 months ago and the previous band took 7.8 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 200K.
Install history since 9 Nov 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ peternt6mo ago
The best CSS editor I have come across!Stable, lightweight VAST improvements for workflow with their editor with, transform preview and inspector. Overall a great and simple plugin that I wish I knew about years ago – I was using other CSS solutions that were trying too much or simply didn’t work half the time. SiteOrigin Nailed this one with an elegant solution to one of the most popular issues of wordpress – editing CSS in a fast, effective and convenient way! Suggestions for improvements Resizing the CSS panel in Expanded mode Create additional CSS files, that prints after the main file – this would allow better structure and faster navigation. Thanks in advance
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ parsmanyaser1.2y ago
It really makes it easy even for developers by showing the selectors and class names! It really helps me a lot. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sonyamakepeace2.0y ago
I don’t know what I’d do without this. I used to struggle writing styles in WordPress, mainly because it was difficult to target a particular property using the browser inspector. But this makes the whole job dead easy, and it’s free!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Stanislav2.1y ago
Dear friends, this plugin is a real masterpiece! Everything is done simply and conveniently. Developers, I admire your work! You are real professionals in your field!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ janino2.2y ago
thecanuckian wrote a year or so ago “where has this been all my life?”… I can only repeat. This is one of the most useful WordPress plugins I know. It will shorten the editing time and one can also learn something in coding. Thank you very much for creating it and taking care of updating it. Best regards, friends!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kojot2.9y ago
SUPER PLUGIN
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ thecanuckian3.5y ago
Seriously. Enough said.If you have thought up swears in multiple languages trying to deal with selectors and precedence, this tool is TOTALLY for you.My production time just got cut in half. To the fabulous humans who developed this plugin: please make more things. You make beautiful, beautiful things.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Pieterjan Deneys3.5y ago
This is one of the best CSS plugins out there. It’s WAY better for custom CSS than the built in WP way. While writing this review, I made two feature requests which would bump it up to five stars. One thing I’m personally missing is a sort of CSS guide. As in, links to the W3C page of that properity for people to read up upon.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.6.6 Fixed admin field heights and toolbar button layout for WordPress 7.0 form control changes. 1.6.6
- — Version 1.6.5 Updated Tested up to tag. 1.6.5
- — Version 1.6.4 Installer: Updated submodule. Updated Tested up to tag. 1.6.4
- — Version 1.6.3 Resolved Uninstall Notice: Updated register_uninstall_hook callback to use a static class method, addressing a WordPress notice introduced in version 3.1.0. 1.6.3
- — Version 1.6.2 Fixed uninstall process to prevent PHP fatal error by updating the register_uninstall_hook callback to use a valid instance method. 1.6.2
- — Version 1.6.1 CSS Output Location: Additional check to ensure the default is Dedicated File. 1.6.1
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (1.6.8). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched High · 7.2 SiteOrigin CSS <= 1.6.7 - Unauthenticated Stored DOM-Based Cross-Site Scripting via Comment Anchor href via Visual Inspector ↗2026-10-15 CVE-2026-111122 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.6.7 Patched in 1.6.8
- Patched High · 7.2 SiteOrigin CSS <= 1.6.7 - Unauthenticated Stored DOM-Based Cross-Site Scripting via Comment Author URL via Inspector href Sink ↗2026-10-15 CVE-2026-107764 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.6.7 Patched in 1.6.8
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
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 24 languages, 11 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
2 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you have", "perfect for").
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 9 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,930 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 1 of 5 tags appear in the text ("live editing", "theme editor", "visual css", "website styling" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-07-21 200K+ → 100K+ down after 2839 days in tier
- 2017-10-12 100K+ → 200K+ up after 301 days in tier
- 2016-12-15 90K+ → 100K+ up after 45 days in tier
- 2016-10-31 70K+ → 90K+ up after 50 days in tier
- 2016-09-11 30K+ → 70K+ up after 177 days in tier
- 2016-03-18 20K+ → 30K+ up after 77 days in tier
- 2016-01-01 10K+ → 20K+ up after 88 days in tier
- 2015-10-05 7K+ → 10K+ up after 29 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).
-
Visual CSS Style Editor 30K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A -
Theme Editor 50K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag B -
WPIDE – File Manager & Code Editor 40K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A -
WP Editor 20K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag B -
Blocks CSS: CSS Editor for Gutenberg Blocks 4K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
SCSS WP Editor 800+ installs · 4.2★ · 1 shared tag B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for SiteOrigin CSS into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/so-css" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="SiteOrigin CSS — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> SiteOrigin CSS: 100K+ active installs, 4.9★ (153 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/so-css
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