Compact Archives vs Shortcode Widget
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
Shortcode Widget leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,622, ahead of Compact Archives at #5,038. Over the last 7 days Shortcode Widget slipped 1 place and Compact Archives slipped 3 places. Shortcode Widget has the largest install base, roughly 5× the next: 10K+ active installs against 2K+ for Compact Archives. Downloads this week: Shortcode Widget 405 and Compact Archives 87. Ratings: Compact Archives 5★ from 9 and Shortcode Widget 4.9★ from 34 reviews.
| Metric | Compact Archives | Shortcode Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #5,038 ▼ 3 | #1,622 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 2K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 87 | 405 |
| Rating | 5★ (9) | 4.9★ (34) |
| Last updated | Feb 16, 2026 | Mar 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 4.1.1 | 1.5.3 |
| Best rank on record | #5,034 | #1,616 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2008 | Feb 2013 |
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
More comparisons
- Compact Archives vs Disable Author Archives
- Compact Archives vs Blocksy Companion
- Compact Archives vs PHP Code Widget
- Compact Archives vs SpiceBox
- Shortcode Widget vs Donations via PayPal
- Shortcode Widget vs Reusable Blocks Extended
- Shortcode Widget vs Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget)
- Shortcode Widget vs Blocksy Companion
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Compact Archives or Shortcode Widget?
By active installs, Shortcode Widget: 10K+ sites run it against 2K+ for Compact Archives, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 19, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Compact Archives or Shortcode Widget?
Shortcode Widget, at #1,622 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Compact Archives at #5,038. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Compact Archives or Shortcode Widget 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.