WP Categories Widget
by WP-EXPERTS.IN · Admin & Utilities
Also makes 20 other plugins · 25.8K+ installs across the portfolio →
Display the list of categories for any taxonomies type (WooCommerce Product Category, Blog Category, Project Category...etc) in sidebar
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 81/100
no flags
Active installs
6K+
≈6.5K estimated
Momentum
+16%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “custom widget”, “posts widget” and “taxonomy widget” for “categories”, “feedback widget” and “widget titles”. “custom widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “categories” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “posts widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “feedback widget” sits at #22 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “taxonomy widget” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #15. “widget titles” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
81 health vs 56 average across 5,897 Admin & Utilities plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →4.9%
of downloads still active
At least 6K of 122.1K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Admin & Utilities plugin keeps 0.6%, across 4,189 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
Well tuned across the board
Updated 258 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.9.11, the current branch or newer
4.5★ over 27 reviews, smoothed to 4.24★
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.
32
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.9
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
8%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| categories widget | #1 | #2 | 0 |
| product categories widget your tag | #6 | #13 | down 1 |
| categories | #10 | #13 | 0 |
| widget empty categories | #4 | #6 | 0 |
| exclude categories widget | #4 | #6 | down 1 |
| category widget your tag | #12 | #18 | down 4 |
| widget categories | #5 | #10 | up 1 |
| taxonomy widget your tag | #15 | #19 | down 3 |
| categories posts widget | #10 | #16 | 0 |
| categories sidebar | #10 | #12 | down 1 |
| feedback widget | #22 | #21 | down 2 |
| widget titles | #24 | #24 | 0 |
| list categories | #16 | #13 | down 1 |
| wp category | #18 | #22 | up 1 |
| exclude category from blog | #22 | #20 | down 1 |
| product categories | #22 | #20 | down 2 |
| web widget | #24 | #21 | down 3 |
| category posts widget | #24 | #21 | down 2 |
| page categories | #24 | #22 | down 1 |
| custom widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| posts widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
46 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 19 listed. 27 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 widget”, “posts widget” and “taxonomy widget” for “categories”, “feedback widget” and “widget titles”. “custom widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “categories” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “posts widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “feedback widget” sits at #22 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “taxonomy widget” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #15. “widget titles” sits at #24 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 “category widget”. #12 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
- One page off on “taxonomy widget”. #15 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 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 6.1K · 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
9mo ago
latest release · v2.8.1 · 16 Feb 2026
21
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 48% 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 “6K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 6 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 55% of the way through.
Install history since 20 Jul 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Dillx11mo ago
Great for Custom Taxonomies, but if only you could order the categories yourself.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ dj60820132.6y ago
It’s a simple yet efficient plugin. However, I wish that it let me decide the order of WooCommerce categories by myself.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous2.7y ago
WpCategory Plugin: Great plugin but would LOVE an option to open a category in a new Window. Thank you. Michel
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ilinet2.8y ago
The plugin for the dropdown display of categories is excellent for us, we are satisfied with everything, especially with the support!! 🙂
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ crzyhrse3.1y ago
Works great, does as it says, code is clean, authors are fast and responsive, go the extra mile and more with support, and are really solid behind it…
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Karmi4.0y ago
Just started a new Self-Hosted WordPress blog @ Hostinger and have searched for days to find a Categories drop-down plugin for my sidebar. Easy to use ‘n it worked w/o any issues. Ditto on the \o/ ‘Hippity hip Hoorah‘ \o/
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ skerjanecm4.0y ago
Simple and efficient plugin with good support. With added option in version 1.4.1 at widget settings to define the default category text for dropdown categories list. Which is very useful if you are using other language than English.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ TE5LA4.1y ago
Didn’t work on my WP site. Added as widget, deselected some categories, they still show up on the sidebar. Breaks entire theme. Main body is blank. No posts display in body if category is selected.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.8 Tested with wordpress version 6.9 Updated code 2.8
- — Version 2.5 Tested with wordpress version 6.6.2 Added posts tags option for taxonomy 2.5
- — Version 2.4 Tested with wordpress version 6.4.2 Added dropdown display option 2.4
- — Version 2.1 Tested with wordpress version 5.8 Optimized Code 2.1
- — Version 1.9 Fixed 1.8 version css/js issues 1.9
- — Version 1.8 Tested with wordpress version 5.5.1 Make user friendly select category list Fixed minor issues Released addon 1.1 verison 1.8
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (2.8.1). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2023-08-10 CVE-2023-31220 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.2 Patched in 2.3
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 1 language, 0 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
5 of 8 pass · checked 1 Nov 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Display the list of categories for any taxonomies type (WooCommerce Product Category, Blog Category, Projec..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 6 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 WooCommerce, Block editor.
- ✓ Headings and lists 3 headings and 2 lists.
- ! Enough to quote 904 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ! Tags match the text Only 0 of 5 tags appear in the text ("category widget", "custom widget", "posts-widget", "product categories widget", "taxonomy widget" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-05-20 7K+ → 6K+ down after 327 days in tier
- 2025-06-27 8K+ → 7K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-06-26 7K+ → 8K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2025-06-23 8K+ → 7K+ down after 1119 days in tier
- 2022-05-31 7K+ → 8K+ up after 254 days in tier
- 2021-09-19 5K+ → 7K+ up after 238 days in tier
- 2021-01-24 2K+ → 5K+ 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).
-
Iks Menu – WordPress Category Accordion Menu & FAQs 10K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A -
Latest Posts 4K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag B -
Flex Posts – Responsive Posts Block 2K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
Widget Post Slider 1K+ installs · 4.0★ · 1 shared tag B -
Advanced Categories Widget 700+ installs · 4.3★ · 1 shared tag D - A ABD Dashboard Widget Manager 300+ installs · 4.0★ · 1 shared tag D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP Categories Widget into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-categories-widget" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP Categories Widget — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP Categories Widget: 6K+ active installs, 4.5★ (27 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-categories-widget
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