WordPress plugin comparison

Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets vs Custom Sidebars

Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets

by Travis Pflanz

100+ installs5.0

Custom Sidebars

by WebFactory

100K+ installs4.7

At a glance

Custom Sidebars has more active installs: 100K+, against 100+ for Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets.
On a typical day, Custom Sidebars is downloaded about 230 times, Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets about 5.
Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets is rated higher: 5.0 out of 5 from 3 reviews, against 4.7 from 1,028 reviews.
Custom Sidebars was updated more recently: Aug 16, 2026, against Jul 24, 2014 for Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets.
Custom Sidebars is tested with a newer WordPress: 7.1.4, against 3.9.40 for Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets.
Custom Sidebars has been around longer: since 2010, against 2014 for Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets.

Custom Sidebars leads on 6 of 7 comparable lines.

Metric	Allow Shortcode in Text Widgets	Custom Sidebars
Popular rank	#13,003	#449
Active installs	100+	100K+
Downloads, last 30 days	106	6.3K
Rating	5.0(3)	4.7(1K)
Support threads resolved	–	100%
Tested up to	3.9.40	7.1.4
Search multiplier	×0.00	×1.31
Last release	12 years ago	2 months ago
Requires PHP	–	5.6

From WordPress.org's public data, refreshed every night. Downloads are WordPress.org's official daily figures for the last 30 days.

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