Column Shortcodes vs Advanced Post Manager (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Column Shortcodes has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 134 reviews) and leads in active installations (60K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Column Shortcodes has accumulated 894K+ total downloads while Advanced Post Manager has 146K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Column Shortcodes | Advanced Post Manager | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 3.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 134 | ◄ | 11 |
| Active Installs | 60K+ | ◄ | 4.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 894K+ | ◄ | 146K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 years ago | ► | 7 months ago |
| First Released | 2012 | 2011 | |
| Age | 14 years | 15 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.8+ | 6.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.0.1 | 4.5.5 |
Rating Breakdown
Column Shortcodes
Advanced Post Manager
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Column Shortcodes averaged approximately 37 daily downloads while Advanced Post Manager averaged 22.
Recent Reviews
Column Shortcodes Reviews
Basic column shortcode, I’m sure there are better ones out there.
I only use this because it’s what my client already had installed and they’ve been using it for years. When I asked why I can’t align content vertically within a column I was simply told, “it can’t do
Perfect
Perfect plugin! Thanks a lot.
Easy to use
Simple and easy to use, that is the reason I like it.
Advanced Post Manager Reviews
Sucks if you just want to sort by date modified
I added this plugin because I needed to sort my events by when they were posted (or last edited), to view the most recent submissions. After installation I realized it does NOTHING – you have to read
Plugin này không làm gì cả
Plugin này không làm gì cả
Time zone mishandeling prevents us from upgrading
This is a potentially cool plugin, but the inconsistent and incorrect handling of time zone display in the basic version is a red flag for us to justify upgrading. The pages upon pages of troubleshoo
More Column Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Column Shortcodes and Advanced Post Manager
Make entire columns, sections and containers clickable in Elementor — improve navigation and user experience with just one link.
Easily equalize the height of columns or any collection of elements.
With the ACF Columns plugin it is possible to arrange ACF fields in column groups in the post editor.
Adds a sortable column to the posts and pages admin list with the word count of each page/post.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.