WP Categories Widget

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

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

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share 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.

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A small install base leaves thin data to model from.

1. ★★★★★ Dillx

   9mo ago

   Great for Custom Taxonomies, but if only you could order the categories yourself.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ dj6082013

   2.5y 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 ↗
3. ★★★★★ Anonymous

   2.5y 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 ↗
4. ★★★★★ ilinet

   2.6y 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 ↗
5. ★★★★★ crzyhrse

   2.9y 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 ↗
6. ★★★★★ Karmi

   3.8y 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 ↗
7. ★★★★★ skerjanecm

   3.9y 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 ↗
8. ★★★★★ TE5LA

   3.9y 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 ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 2.8 Tested with wordpress version 6.9 Updated code 2.8
2. — Version 2.5 Tested with wordpress version 6.6.2 Added posts tags option for taxonomy 2.5
3. — Version 2.4 Tested with wordpress version 6.4.2 Added dropdown display option 2.4
4. — Version 2.1 Tested with wordpress version 5.8 Optimized Code 2.1
5. — Version 1.9 Fixed 1.8 version css/js issues 1.9
6. — 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

1 disclosed vulnerability on record for this plugin, fixed in the current version. Sites on older versions stay exposed until they update.

1. Medium · 6.1 WP Categories Widget <= 2.2 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2023-08-10 CVE-2023-31220 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') Affects <= 2.2 Patched in 2.3

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1

Translated into 1 language, 0 at 90% or more

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2026-05-20 7K+ → 6K+ down after 327 days in tier
2. 2025-06-27 8K+ → 7K+ down after 1 days in tier
3. 2025-06-26 7K+ → 8K+ up after 3 days in tier
4. 2025-06-23 8K+ → 7K+ down

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 B
• Latest Posts 5K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag B
• Flex Posts – Responsive Posts Block 3K+ 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.

WP Categories Widget: 6K+ active installs, 4.5★ (27 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-29. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-categories-widget