Progress Bar 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 #1,624, ahead of Progress Bar at #5,829. Over the last 7 days Shortcode Widget slipped 3 places and Progress Bar slipped 9 places. Shortcode Widget has the largest install base, roughly 10× the next: 10K+ active installs against 1K+ for Progress Bar. Downloads this week: Shortcode Widget 435 and Progress Bar 138. Ratings: Progress Bar 5★ from 24 and Shortcode Widget 4.9★ from 34 reviews.
| Metric | Progress Bar | Shortcode Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #5,829 ▼ 9 | #1,624 ▼ 3 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 138 | 435 |
| Rating | 5★ (24) | 4.9★ (34) |
| Last updated | Sep 13, 2026 | Mar 22, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.2.5 | 1.5.3 |
| Best rank on record | #5,814 | #1,616 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Feb 2012 | 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
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Progress Bar or Shortcode Widget?
By active installs, Shortcode Widget: 10K+ sites run it against 1K+ for Progress Bar, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 22, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Progress Bar or Shortcode Widget?
Shortcode Widget, at #1,624 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Progress Bar at #5,829. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Progress Bar 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.