Category Posts Widget vs Smart Recent Posts Widget (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Smart Recent Posts Widget
9.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smart Recent Posts Widget has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 30 reviews) while Category Posts Widget leads in active installations (40K+ vs 9.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Category Posts Widget has accumulated 1.8M+ total downloads while Smart Recent Posts Widget has 132K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Category Posts Widget | Smart Recent Posts Widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 79 | ◄ | 30 |
| Active Installs | 40K+ | ◄ | 9.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.8M+ | ◄ | 132K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2007 | 2016 | |
| Age | 19 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 2.8+ | 5.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.3+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.9.22 | 1.0.4 |
Rating Breakdown
Category Posts Widget
Smart Recent Posts Widget
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Category Posts Widget averaged approximately 84 daily downloads while Smart Recent Posts Widget averaged 16.
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 Recent Posts Widget Reviews
Excellent
Excellent plugin
Just perfect
works like a charm!
exactly what I need
very complete and with custom CSS avaliable
More Recent Posts Worth Comparing
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Redirect your visitors to another page than the post content when they click on the post title.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Category Posts Widget or Smart Recent Posts Widget more popular?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.