Compact WP Audio Player vs Podbean Shortcode (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Compact WP Audio Player
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Podbean Shortcode has a higher user rating (4.2/5 from 5 reviews) while Compact WP Audio Player leads in active installations (20K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Compact WP Audio Player has accumulated 662K+ total downloads while Podbean Shortcode has 14K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Compact WP Audio Player | Podbean Shortcode | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | ► | 4.2/5 |
| Total Reviews | 68 | ◄ | 5 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 662K+ | ◄ | 14K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 8 years ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2017 | |
| Age | 13 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.0+ | 2.5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.9.15 | 1.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Compact WP Audio Player
Podbean Shortcode
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Compact WP Audio Player averaged approximately 49 daily downloads while Podbean Shortcode averaged 5.
Recent Reviews
Compact WP Audio Player Reviews
(Almost) exactly – and I mean exactly – what I was looking for. But…
Really love this plug in! I wanted exactly this – just a single, simple button, alternating between play and pause, allowing people to play or not as they saw fit, linking to an audio file in the back
Choosing other player images
It does what it promises very well. I have replaced the controls images with custom ones. Is it possible to get a code snippet to be able to choose between different “play” images? This to
The rarest thing, a simple clean, functional plugin
Ridiculously simple. Works well. I customised the play/pause images to fit the design of my website. It plays audio. Job done. Please keep supporting it, it’s great!
Podbean Shortcode Reviews
Doesn’t Work
The shortcode does not work. However, the standard iFrame code does work just fine. The biggest issue I have is that it does not fully integrate with your Podbean account making the switch over seaml
Multi-site
Works great, when will the multi player be ready? 🙂
Thanks to Podbean
Big thanks to Podbean. This Plugin makes sharing to WordPress pretty easy. And the embedded player is beautifully designed. Thanks again.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Compact WP Audio Player or Podbean Shortcode more popular?
Which has better ratings — Compact WP Audio Player or Podbean Shortcode?
Are Compact WP Audio Player and Podbean Shortcode free?
Which plugin has better support — Compact WP Audio Player or Podbean Shortcode?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.