Best code highlight plugins for WordPress
The most popular code highlight plugins for WordPress in November 2026, in WordPress.org’s own popular order, which follows active installs. Code Block leads with 200+ active installs, ahead of WP Code Highlight (200+) and Syntax Highlighter MT (100+). All 7 plugins tagged “Code Highlight” are below, with figures from WordPress.org that update every day.
Installs aren’t everything: a recent release, a “Tested up to” that matches the current WordPress, and support threads that get resolved show a plugin is looked after. Open any plugin for its downloads, rank history and alternatives.
Research this niche or see all plugins.
Top 7 code highlight plugins
- 1.
Code BlockThe most installed code highlight plugin, with 200+ active installs. No reviews yet, updated 3 days ago.
- 2.
WP Code Highlight200+ active installs. Rated 3.9 from 14 reviews, last updated 12 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.9.40.
- 3.
Syntax Highlighter MT100+ active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 11 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 4.3.0.
- 4.
WP Editarea100+ active installs. Only 3 reviews so far, last updated 13 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.6.1.
- 5.
AI Code Highlight10+ active installs. Only 2 reviews so far, last updated 12 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.7.41.
- 6.
WP Code Pre10+ active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 5 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.8.19.
- 7.
Gist API Code insertFewer than 10 active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 1 year ago. Tested only up to WordPress 6.3.14.
All 7 plugins tagged “Code Highlight”
Code Block
Up in the last 7 days:63#11,443by bPlugins3 days ago
Create syntax-highlighted, copy-ready code snippets in Gutenberg with responsive layouts, themes, and shortcode support.
- Installs
- 200+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 11/day
WP Code Highlight
Down in the last 7 days:4#12,727by acalbert12 years ago
WP Code Highlight provides clean syntax highlighting and it also provides a code button.
- Installs
- 200+
- Rating
- 3.9(14)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Syntax Highlighter MT
Up in the last 7 days:5#16,347by iamthechad11 years ago
This plugin works like many of the others that enable the use of the Syntax Highlighter tool. Dynamic plugin loading
- Installs
- 100+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
WP Editarea
Up in the last 7 days:74#16,361by takien13 years ago
WP Editarea turns your Oldschool textarea code editor in Wordpress Dashboard (plugin/theme editor) into a fancy realtime highlighted code editor using …
- Installs
- 100+
- Rating
- 3.0(3)
- Downloads
- 0/day
AI Code Highlight
Up in the last 7 days:6,690#40,834by Andrei Ionescu12 years ago
Highlight your code using Google Code Prettify Script. Simply press the button on editor toolbar and paste your code. The plugin does all the rest.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- 3.0(2)
- Downloads
- 0/day
WP Code Pre
#47,180by zeshanb5 years ago
This simple plugin was created because of security concerns related to using PHP preg_replace directly. With transition to PHP7, it's advised to …
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Gist API Code insert
Up in the last 7 days:7,571#49,011by pinchoalex1 year ago
Inserts Github Gist code directly in to your posts via shortcode without using js embed script
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day