Sidebar Manager vs SMK Sidebar Generator
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
Sidebar Manager leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #547, ahead of SMK Sidebar Generator at #1,761. Over the last 7 days Sidebar Manager climbed 1 place and SMK Sidebar Generator climbed 4 places. Sidebar Manager has the largest install base, roughly 8× the next: 80K+ active installs against 10K+ for SMK Sidebar Generator. Downloads this week: Sidebar Manager 766 and SMK Sidebar Generator 321. Ratings: Sidebar Manager 4.2★ from 21 and SMK Sidebar Generator 4.4★ from 5 reviews.
| Metric | Sidebar Manager | SMK Sidebar Generator |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #547 ▲ 1 | #1,761 ▲ 4 |
| Active installs | 80K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 766 | 321 |
| Rating | 4.2★ (21) | 4.4★ (5) |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.0.0 | 3.6.0 |
| Best rank on record | #538 | #1,723 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2017 | Jan 2014 |
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, Sidebar Manager or SMK Sidebar Generator?
By active installs, Sidebar Manager: 80K+ sites run it against 10K+ for SMK Sidebar Generator, according to WordPress.org figures captured on November 2, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Sidebar Manager or SMK Sidebar Generator?
Sidebar Manager, at #547 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with SMK Sidebar Generator at #1,761. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Sidebar Manager or SMK Sidebar Generator 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.