Multicolumn Category Widget 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 #1,621, ahead of Multicolumn Category Widget at #10,489. Over the last 7 days Shortcode Widget held its place and Multicolumn Category Widget climbed 18 places. Shortcode Widget has the largest install base, roughly 33× the next: 10K+ active installs against 300+ for Multicolumn Category Widget. Downloads this week: Shortcode Widget 395 and Multicolumn Category Widget 35. Ratings: Multicolumn Category Widget 4.2★ from 5 and Shortcode Widget 4.9★ from 34 reviews.
| Metric | Multicolumn Category Widget | Shortcode Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #10,489 ▲ 18 | #1,621 ▬ |
| Active installs | 300+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 35 | 395 |
| Rating | 4.2★ (5) | 4.9★ (34) |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Mar 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.29 | 1.5.3 |
| Best rank on record | #10,316 | #1,616 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Apr 2014 | 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
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- Multicolumn Category Widget vs Blocksy Companion
- Multicolumn Category Widget vs Pages with category and tag
- Shortcode Widget vs Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget)
- Shortcode Widget vs Donations via PayPal
- Shortcode Widget vs Reusable Blocks Extended
- Shortcode Widget vs Blocksy Companion
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Multicolumn Category Widget or Shortcode Widget?
By active installs, Shortcode Widget: 10K+ sites run it against 300+ for Multicolumn Category Widget, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 17, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Multicolumn Category Widget or Shortcode Widget?
Shortcode Widget, at #1,621 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Multicolumn Category Widget at #10,489. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Multicolumn Category Widget 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.