Media Categories vs Media Library Categories
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
Media Library Categories leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,247, ahead of Media Categories at #10,771. Over the last 7 days Media Library Categories climbed 6 places and Media Categories slipped 57 places. Media Library Categories has the largest install base, roughly 67× the next: 20K+ active installs against 300+ for Media Categories. Downloads this week: Media Library Categories 824 and Media Categories 30. Ratings: Media Categories 3.4★ from 7 and Media Library Categories 4.2★ from 52 reviews.
| Metric | Media Categories | Media Library Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #10,771 ▼ 57 | #1,247 ▲ 6 |
| Active installs | 300+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 30 | 824 |
| Rating | 3.4★ (7) | 4.2★ (52) |
| Last updated | Dec 18, 2012 | Aug 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.5 | 2.0.2 |
| Best rank on record | #10,595 | #1,247 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jan 2012 | Nov 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
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Media Categories or Media Library Categories?
By active installs, Media Library Categories: 20K+ sites run it against 300+ for Media Categories, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Media Categories or Media Library Categories?
Media Library Categories, at #1,247 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Media Categories at #10,771. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Media Categories or Media Library Categories 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.