Donations via PayPal 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
Donations via PayPal leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,203, ahead of Shortcode Widget at #1,624. Over the last 7 days Donations via PayPal climbed 9 places and Shortcode Widget climbed 4 places. Donations via PayPal has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 20K+ active installs against 10K+ for Shortcode Widget. Ratings: Donations via PayPal 4.7★ from 27 and Shortcode Widget 4.9★ from 34 reviews.
| Metric | Donations via PayPal | Shortcode Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,203 ▲ 9 | #1,624 ▲ 4 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 333 | — |
| Rating | 4.7★ (27) | 4.9★ (34) |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Mar 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.9.11 | 1.5.3 |
| Best rank on record | #1,203 | #1,623 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2009 | 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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- Donations via PayPal vs Reusable Blocks Extended
- Shortcode Widget vs Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget)
- Shortcode Widget vs Kaya QR Code Generator
- Shortcode Widget vs Reusable Blocks Extended
- Shortcode Widget vs Blocksy Companion
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Donations via PayPal or Shortcode Widget?
By active installs, Donations via PayPal: 20K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Shortcode Widget, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 13, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Donations via PayPal or Shortcode Widget?
Donations via PayPal, at #1,203 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Shortcode Widget at #1,624. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Donations via PayPal 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.