WP Meta and Date Remover vs Author Spotlight (Widget) (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
WP Meta and Date Remover
90K+ active installs
Free
Author Spotlight (Widget)
100 active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Author Spotlight (Widget) has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 2 reviews) while WP Meta and Date Remover leads in active installations (90K+ vs 100). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Meta and Date Remover has accumulated 2.1M+ total downloads while Author Spotlight (Widget) has 29K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Meta and Date Remover | Author Spotlight (Widget) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | ► | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 71 | ◄ | 2 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 100 |
| Total Downloads | 2.1M+ | ◄ | 29K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 weeks ago | ◄ | 9 years ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2009 | |
| Age | 11 years | 17 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.0.1+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.3.6 | 3.4 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Meta and Date Remover
Author Spotlight (Widget)
Download Trends
Recent Reviews
WP Meta and Date Remover Reviews
Does nothing!
Don’t waste your time, this plugin doesn’t remove a thing, absolutely useless
Can’t use on select posts unless you pay
Only function I wanted was to selectively hide the dates from select posts. Literally zero apart from that. The screenshots before you download the plugin make it appear as though targeted post date r
Plugin works ery good and also support
I used this plugin for six mounths it works perfectly and support also perfectly.
Author Spotlight (Widget) Reviews
No reviews yet
More Plugins Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as WP Meta and Date Remover and Author Spotlight (Widget)
Allows an admin (or capable user) to edit the author slug of a user, and change the author base.
Hide/Remove Metadata is a free WordPress plugin that helps you hide author and published date either by CSS or PHP from your website effortlessly.
Don't need the post date and author meta data on your pages? Install WP Author, Date and Meta Remover and its gone. It's that easy!
Easily display your author/user profile info inside WordPress widget.
Display to Post Author Information Box on bottom of the contents.
Disable Author Archives completely removes author archives and makes the web server return status code 404 ('Not Found') instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WP Meta and Date Remover or Author Spotlight (Widget) more popular?
Which has better ratings — WP Meta and Date Remover or Author Spotlight (Widget)?
Are WP Meta and Date Remover and Author Spotlight (Widget) free?
Which plugin has better support — WP Meta and Date Remover or Author Spotlight (Widget)?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.