Essential Widgets
v3.2.1by Catch Themes · updated 4 months ago
Essential Widgets is a WordPress plugin for widgets that allows you to create and add amazing widgets with high customization option
- Rank
- #1,814
- No change0 vs yesterday
- Active installs (est.)
- ≈ 14,000
- 10K+ reported · Medium
- Total downloads
- 523.5K
- 523,486 all-time
- Rating
- 3.5/5
- 2 reviews
- Support resolved
- 100%
- 1 of 1 threads, last 2 months
Essential Widgets at a glance
Essential Widgets is a WordPress plugin by Catch Themes with 10K+ active installs, the #1,814 most popular plugin on WordPress.org. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 75 times, 2% fewer than the month before. It’s rated 3.5 out of 5 from 2 reviews. Version 3.2.1 came out on Jun 18, 2026 and is tested up to WordPress 7.0.8. Among the 328 plugins tagged “tags”, it ranks #5. It was first released in 2017.
Chart time range
Applies to every chart below. History from Oct 9, 2026, 31 days.
Downloads over time
Download stats1.9K downloads · the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Essential Widgets |
|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | 81 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 70 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 61 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 70 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 65 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 87 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 72 |
| Oct 26, 2026 | 77 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 83 |
| Oct 24, 2026 | 70 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 103 |
| Oct 22, 2026 | 181 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | 129 |
| Oct 20, 2026 | 66 |
| Oct 19, 2026 | 70 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 60 |
| Oct 17, 2026 | 46 |
| Oct 16, 2026 | 54 |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 69 |
| Oct 14, 2026 | 63 |
| Oct 13, 2026 | 60 |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 56 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 65 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 55 |
| Oct 9, 2026 | 65 |
Unusual spikes are usually updates, not new installs.
Estimated installs
≈ 13,816 · -0.3% in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Estimated installs |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | 13,816 |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 13,814 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 13,863 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 13,854 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 13,818 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 13,826 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 13,836 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 13,850 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 13,861 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 13,862 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 13,859 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 13,864 |
Rank over time
#1,814 · down 3 in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | #1,814 |
| Nov 7, 2026 | #1,814 |
| Nov 6, 2026 | #1,813 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | #1,810 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | #1,811 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | #1,813 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | #1,813 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | #1,813 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | #1,812 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | #1,812 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | #1,813 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | #1,816 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | #1,816 |
| Oct 16, 2026 | #1,811 |
Growth %
Average -0.03% a day in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Growth |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | +0.01% |
| Nov 7, 2026 | -0.18% |
| Nov 5, 2026 | +0.07% |
| Nov 4, 2026 | +0.26% |
| Nov 3, 2026 | -0.06% |
| Nov 2, 2026 | -0.07% |
| Nov 1, 2026 | -0.10% |
| Oct 31, 2026 | -0.08% |
| Oct 30, 2026 | -0.01% |
| Oct 29, 2026 | +0.02% |
| Oct 28, 2026 | -0.04% |
Active installs band
10K+ on WordPress.org
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 6, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 10K+ |
| Oct 16, 2026 | 10K+ |
Search rankings
Where it appears in WordPress.org search for the searches you track, checked every day.
See where Essential Widgets ranks in search
Track this plugin to check its position for the searches you choose, daily, with an alert when it moves.
Change log
From our daily snapshot of WordPress.org- Rank #1816 → #1810
- Tested up to 7.0.7 → 7.0.8
Versions in use
Share of active installs on each published version, from WordPress.org.
- v3.240%
- v2.216%
- v3.111%
- v3.08.9%
- Other24%
Rating trend
3.5★★★★★2 reviews · steady in the last 30 days
Requirements & info
Version history- Version
- 3.2.1
- Requires WordPress
- 5.9
- Tested up to
- 7.0.8
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- First released
- Nov 22, 2017
- Last updated
- Jun 18, 2026
- Releases, last 12 months
- …
Questions about Essential Widgets
How many websites use Essential Widgets?
Essential Widgets is active on 10K+ WordPress sites, as WordPress.org reports it. WordPress.org rounds the number down, so the real count is somewhat higher. That makes it the #1,814 most popular plugin on WordPress.org.
How many times has Essential Widgets been downloaded?
523,486 times in total since 2017. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 75 times. See download stats
When was Essential Widgets last updated?
Version 3.2.1 came out on Jun 18, 2026 (4 months ago). See every release
Is Essential Widgets compatible with the latest WordPress?
It’s tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, one version behind the current 7.1. Authors often update this line a few weeks after a release.
Does Essential Widgets have known security vulnerabilities?
None that affect the current version. WPVulnerability’s database lists 3 older issues, fixed in earlier versions, so keep Essential Widgets up to date. See its security record
Is Essential Widgets still maintained?
Yes. Its last release was 4 months ago. Its authors resolved 1 of the 1 support threads opened in the last two months.
What rating does Essential Widgets have?
3.5 out of 5 from 2 reviews on WordPress.org.
What are the best alternatives to Essential Widgets?
The plugins most like Essential Widgets, by the tags they share, are Flexible Posts Widget (7K+), Widgets on Pages (20K+) and SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle (400K+). Compare all alternatives
Latest reviews
Analyze reviewsReview stats
3.5
★★★★★
2 reviews
- 5 stars: 1 reviews, 50%
- 4 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- 3 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- 2 stars: 1 reviews, 50%
- 1 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- Positive
- 50%4–5★
- Mixed
- 0%3★
- Critical
- 50%1–2★
- About 1 more 5★ reviews would lift it to 3.6.
- Each new 1★ review takes 2 five-star reviews to balance out.
Compare with competitors
Add up to 1 competitor. No account needed.
| Metric | |
|---|---|
| Estimated installs | ≈ 14,000 |
| Reported installs | 10K+ |
| Rating | 3.5 |
| Reviews | 2 |
| Total downloads | 523.5K |
| Author | Catch Themes |
| First released | Nov 22, 2017 |
| Version | 3.2.1 |
| Requires WP | 5.9 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 |
| Last updated | Jun 18, 2026 |
Alternatives to Essential Widgets
Compare all alternativesPopular plugins with the same tags, the most in common first.
Flexible Posts Widget
by DaveE
An advanced posts display widget with many options. Display posts in your sidebars any way you'd like!
- Rank
- #2,511
- Installs
- 7K+
- 4.7
Widgets on Pages
by toddhalfpenny
The easiest and highest rated way to Add Widgets or Sidebars to Posts and Pages using Visual editor, shortcodes or template tags.
- Rank
- #1,360
- Installs
- 20K+
- 4.7
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle
by Greg - SiteOrigin
Essential elements for modern websites. Add buttons, sliders, heroes, maps, images, carousels, features, icons, more. Create dynamic pages easily.
- Rank
- #145
- Installs
- 400K+
- 4.9
Jeg Kit for Elementor
by jegtheme
Extend Elementor with 68+ widgets, 114 prebuilt demos, Mega Menu Builder, Theme Builder, and advanced interactive effects.
- Rank
- #174
- Installs
- 300K+
- 3.8
Widget Importer & Exporter
by Steven Gliebe
Import and export your widgets.
- Rank
- #264
- Installs
- 200K+
- 4.7
Widget CSS Classes
by Jory Hogeveen
Add custom classes and ids plus first, last, even, odd, and numbered classes to your widgets.
- Rank
- #530
- Installs
- 80K+
- 4.9
Side by side:Essential Widgets vs Flexible Posts WidgetEssential Widgets vs Widgets on PagesEssential Widgets vs SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle
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