Highlighting Code Block vs String Locator
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
String Locator leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #363, ahead of Highlighting Code Block at #1,710. Over the last 7 days String Locator held its place and Highlighting Code Block climbed 3 places. String Locator has the largest install base, roughly 10× the next: 100K+ active installs against 10K+ for Highlighting Code Block. Downloads this week: String Locator 7,991 and Highlighting Code Block 362. Ratings: Highlighting Code Block 4.5★ from 20 and String Locator 4.6★ from 125 reviews.
| Metric | Highlighting Code Block | String Locator |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,710 ▲ 3 | #363 ▬ |
| Active installs | 10K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 362 | 7,991 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (20) | 4.6★ (125) |
| Last updated | Jul 1, 2026 | Sep 29, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.2.1 | 2.6.8 |
| Best rank on record | #1,700 | #357 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Dec 2018 | Aug 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
- Highlighting Code Block vs SyntaxHighlighter Evolved
- Highlighting Code Block vs Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter
- Highlighting Code Block vs Starter Templates by Kadence WP
- Highlighting Code Block vs WP Coder – Insert & Manage Code Snippets
- String Locator vs Customizer Search
- String Locator vs Enhanced Text Widget
- String Locator vs Disable Search
- String Locator vs SearchWP Live Ajax Search
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Highlighting Code Block or String Locator?
By active installs, String Locator: 100K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Highlighting Code Block, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 16, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Highlighting Code Block or String Locator?
String Locator, at #363 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Highlighting Code Block at #1,710. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Highlighting Code Block or String Locator 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.