Custom Sidebars vs WPML Widget Filter
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
Custom Sidebars leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #447, ahead of WPML Widget Filter at #17,528. Over the last 7 days Custom Sidebars slipped 1 place and WPML Widget Filter slipped 42 places. Custom Sidebars has the largest install base, roughly 1250× the next: 100K+ active installs against 80+ for WPML Widget Filter. Downloads this week: Custom Sidebars 1,315 and WPML Widget Filter 18. Ratings: Custom Sidebars 4.7★ from 1,028 and WPML Widget Filter 5★ from 2 reviews.
| Metric | Custom Sidebars | WPML Widget Filter |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #447 ▼ 1 | #17,528 ▼ 42 |
| Active installs | 100K+ | 80+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,315 | 18 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (1,028) | 5★ (2) |
| Last updated | Aug 16, 2026 | Sep 1, 2014 |
| Current version | 3.38 | 0.1 |
| Best rank on record | #439 | #16,860 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2010 | Sep 2014 |
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
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- WPML Widget Filter vs SMK Sidebar Generator
- WPML Widget Filter vs SpiceBox
- WPML Widget Filter vs Content Aware Sidebars
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Custom Sidebars or WPML Widget Filter?
By active installs, Custom Sidebars: 100K+ sites run it against 80+ for WPML Widget Filter, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 22, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Custom Sidebars or WPML Widget Filter?
Custom Sidebars, at #447 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with WPML Widget Filter at #17,528. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Custom Sidebars or WPML Widget Filter 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.