Custom Permalinks vs Smart User Slug Hider (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smart User Slug Hider has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 55 reviews) while Custom Permalinks leads in active installations (100K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Custom Permalinks has accumulated 2.5M+ total downloads while Smart User Slug Hider has 53K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Custom Permalinks | Smart User Slug Hider | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 116 | ◄ | 55 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 3.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 2.5M+ | ◄ | 53K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 5 months ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2008 | 2014 | |
| Age | 18 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 2.6+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | 5.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.1.2 | 4.0.6 |
Rating Breakdown
Custom Permalinks
Smart User Slug Hider
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Custom Permalinks averaged approximately 263 daily downloads while Smart User Slug Hider averaged 5.
Recent Reviews
Custom Permalinks Reviews
Changed the slug but the page turned unavailable
Did not work… I dont think this is a functional plugin. it has 4 stars in total with lots of 1 stars i guess it is what it is. I deleted the plugin and it is fine now.
caused Posts/Pages to redirect to other posts/pages.
blog post are redirecting to some other post. i dunno why. but deactivating this plugin resolved the issue. So the issue must be in the plugin. is there anything i can do in this situation?
Excellent plugin
Excellent plugin. I would really like to see categories included as well.
Smart User Slug Hider Reviews
Sad Loss
What a pity that the author is retiring and feels he can no longer support this plugin because it really did do the job and very well indeed. I do hope someone will pick up the coding and get it work
Does exactly as required!
Does exactly what it says and minimal set up required. Just what I needed, thanks! I had an idea inspired by a kids’ educational app that self-generates memorable passwords that might be good for a
Good plugin
I used a different user slug hider in the past and when it stopped being updated I switched to this one.
More Url Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Custom Permalinks and Smart User Slug Hider
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Permalink Manager for WooCommerce improves your store permalinks and remove product, product_category and product_tag slugs from the URL.
Short Code to grab any URL parameter from the Query String and display it or display conditional content.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.