Advanced Sidebar Menu vs Stag Custom Sidebars (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Stag Custom Sidebars has a higher user rating (5/5 from 7 reviews) while Advanced Sidebar Menu leads in active installations (10K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Advanced Sidebar Menu has accumulated 1.4M+ total downloads while Stag Custom Sidebars has 68K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Advanced Sidebar Menu | Stag Custom Sidebars | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 37 | ◄ | 7 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | ◄ | 2.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.4M+ | ◄ | 68K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 months ago | ◄ | 5 years ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2013 | |
| Age | 15 years | 13 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.2.0+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 9.8.3 | 1.2.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Advanced Sidebar Menu
Stag Custom Sidebars
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Advanced Sidebar Menu averaged approximately 55 daily downloads while Stag Custom Sidebars averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
Advanced Sidebar Menu Reviews
Really useful product
I downloaded and installed it , and while there wasn’t an option of floating icons I wanted, it got the job done
Pro version is a disaster
The pro version of this plugin is a disaster. As soon as you activate it, it renders your menu items invisible. Also to get the full benefit of it you have to install the Classic Sidebar plugin as t
Doesn’t work
I’d love to have a plugin like this but I can’t make it work. Best I can do is make a list of categories, but I can’t get it to list individual posts within a category. Tried everything. Nothing works
Stag Custom Sidebars Reviews
Thank you
Un plugin molto utile e semplicissimo da usare. Grazie per il grande lavoro!
Very easy to use
Easy to use and it works well with a floating widget plugin that I needed as well. Solved a “sticky” problem. Good job!
The most simple way to add sidebars (new widget areas)
The way this is implemented it should be part of the core and maybe just offer a way for devs to remove it for their themes. Anyhow this is ideal. Just simple and effective with the option to shortco
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Advanced Sidebar Menu or Stag Custom Sidebars more popular?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.