Best custom author plugins for WordPress
The most popular custom author plugins for WordPress in November 2026, in WordPress.org’s own popular order, which follows active installs. Change Author leads with 1K+ active installs, ahead of Custom Author Byline (500+) and Assign Staff as Author for Total (20+). All 3 plugins tagged “custom author” 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.
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Top 3 custom author plugins
- 1.
Change AuthorThe most installed custom author plugin, with 1K+ active installs. Rated 4.0 from 12 reviews, last updated 8 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 4.8.34.
- 2.
Custom Author Byline500+ active installs. Rated 3.0 from 10 reviews, last updated 15 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.1.4.
- 3.
Assign Staff as Author for Total20+ active installs. No reviews yet, updated 3 months ago.
All 3 plugins tagged “custom author”
Change Author
Up in the last 7 days:15#5,846by Martin Teley9 years ago
This plugin lets you assign non-authors as post author.
- Installs
- 1K+
- Rating
- 4.0(12)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Custom Author Byline
Up in the last 7 days:3#9,094by croakingtoad15 years ago
Allows you to add an author name and link to the byline, other than the actual logged in user, without that custom author having to have a WordPress a …
- Installs
- 500+
- Rating
- 3.0(10)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Assign Staff as Author for Total
Up in the last 7 days:486#25,688by WPExplorer3 months ago
Assign staff members as the "author" for any page or post to be displayed in the post meta or author bio.
- Installs
- 20+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day