Category Posts Widget vs Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post…
20K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 206 reviews) while Category Posts Widget leads in active installations (40K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Category Posts Widget has accumulated 1.8M+ total downloads while Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… has 724K+. Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Category Posts Widget | Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 4.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 79 | ► | 206 |
| Active Installs | 40K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.8M+ | ◄ | 724K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ► | 1 week ago |
| First Released | 2007 | 2016 | |
| Age | 19 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 2.8+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free + Premium | |
| Latest Version | 4.9.22 | 3.0.13 |
Rating Breakdown
Category Posts Widget
Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Category Posts Widget averaged approximately 84 daily downloads while Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… averaged 387.
Recent Reviews
Category Posts Widget Reviews
It does exactly what it says
Good plugin to display your latest posts on a widget and filter them according to your preferences.
This solution worked in minutes — not days or weeks!
This plugin is exactly what they say it is: Simple Thorough Does it well It solved all of my issues within minutes. I had spent hours over a couple weeks using various workarounds and pl
A must have plugin.
Useful and easy to use. No support needed.
Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… Reviews
Absolutely brilliant plugin!
Does what it says. Easy to use. Great support – even on the free version.
Very nice postgrid plugin
Tried multiple plugins like this. At least 5 others. This one comes easily closest to what I want, straight out of the box. Free version is more than what most people will need. I’m looking into paid
Awesome plugin !!
Smart Post has a wide variety of Layout Presets & Content Orientations to choose from. The Navigation style options makes the Post slider blend in with any wordpress theme making it look like it’s par
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Category Posts Widget or Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… more popular?
Which has better ratings — Category Posts Widget or Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post…?
Are Category Posts Widget and Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post… free?
Which plugin has better support — Category Posts Widget or Smart Post Show – Post Grid, Post…?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.