Column Shortcodes vs Meks Flexible Shortcodes
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Column Shortcodes leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #649, ahead of Meks Flexible Shortcodes at #1,590. Over the last 7 days Column Shortcodes climbed 3 places and Meks Flexible Shortcodes slipped 4 places. Column Shortcodes has the largest install base, roughly 6× the next: 60K+ active installs against 10K+ for Meks Flexible Shortcodes. Ratings: Column Shortcodes 4.8★ from 134 and Meks Flexible Shortcodes 4.2★ from 10 reviews.
| Metric | Column Shortcodes | Meks Flexible Shortcodes |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #649 ▲ 3 | #1,590 ▼ 4 |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 251 | — |
| Rating | 4.8★ (134) | 4.2★ (10) |
| Last updated | Oct 11, 2022 | Jun 10, 2025 |
| Current version | 1.0.1 | 1.3.8 |
| Best rank on record | #649 | #1,579 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2012 | Jan 2014 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 4 | 0 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Column Shortcodes or Meks Flexible Shortcodes?
By active installs, Column Shortcodes: 60K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Meks Flexible Shortcodes, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Column Shortcodes or Meks Flexible Shortcodes?
Column Shortcodes, at #649 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Meks Flexible Shortcodes at #1,590. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Column Shortcodes or Meks Flexible Shortcodes alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.