Controlled Admin Access vs Meks Smart Author Widget (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Controlled Admin Access
10K+ active installs
Free
Meks Smart Author Widget
10K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Controlled Admin Access has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 44 reviews) and leads in active installations (10K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Controlled Admin Access has accumulated 218K+ total downloads while Meks Smart Author Widget has 430K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Controlled Admin Access | Meks Smart Author Widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 44 | ◄ | 8 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | 10K+ | |
| Total Downloads | 218K+ | ► | 430K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 months ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2014 | |
| Age | 11 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.1.2 | 1.1.5 |
Rating Breakdown
Controlled Admin Access
Meks Smart Author Widget
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Controlled Admin Access averaged approximately 42 daily downloads while Meks Smart Author Widget averaged 23.
Recent Reviews
Controlled Admin Access Reviews
Great Plugin
It’s a very great plugin. Thank you.
Perfect software
The software works perfectly. Something than can maybe be added is a way to log page view, of the admins we create. (Real time, or simply log events & display them onto a page), maybe with an email no
Excellent!
This is an extremely useful little plugin that not only makes it easier to provide admin access to outsiders but also to understand what actions they are taking and ensuring they don’t have access to
Meks Smart Author Widget Reviews
Best; works well!
My theme didn’t come with an author box; so, I’m using this plugin. This is an excellent plugin which works well on all devices!
Damn near perfect!
This is an amazing plugin, period. Lots of widget options, from size of avatar to automatically detect author (by the posts they published – VERY COOL), from linking authors name to link showing all t
Not responsive
Simply not responsive out of the box.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.