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Dashboard Notepad vs Dashboard Widgets Suite (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Dashboard Notepad

Dashboard Notepad

4.6(12)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 8 years ago
View Dashboard Notepad
VS
Dashboard Widgets Suite

Dashboard Widgets Suite

4.9(36)

4.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 week ago
View Dashboard Widgets Suite

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Dashboard Widgets Suite has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 36 reviews) while Dashboard Notepad leads in active installations (10K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Dashboard Notepad has accumulated 92K+ total downloads while Dashboard Widgets Suite has 153K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.6/5Dashboard Notepad
►
Dashboard Widgets Suite4.9/5
Total Reviews
12Dashboard Notepad
►
Dashboard Widgets Suite36
Active Installs
10K+Dashboard Notepad
◄
Dashboard Widgets Suite4.0K+
Total Downloads
92K+Dashboard Notepad
►
Dashboard Widgets Suite153K+
Support Resolution
N/ADashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite100%
Last Updated
8 years agoDashboard Notepad
►
Dashboard Widgets Suite1 week ago
First Released
2009Dashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite2016
Age
17 yearsDashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite10 years
WP Requires
2.8+Dashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite4.7+
PHP Requires
false+Dashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite5.6.20+
Business Model
FreeDashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets SuiteFree
Latest Version
1.42Dashboard Notepad
Dashboard Widgets Suite3.5

Rating Breakdown

Dashboard Notepad

4.6/5(12 reviews)
5
83%
4
8%
3
0%
2
0%
1
8%

Dashboard Widgets Suite

4.9/5(36 reviews)
5
94%
4
3%
3
0%
2
0%
1
3%

Recent Reviews

Dashboard Notepad Reviews

by adamharvey

Really works great

Thanks for this plugin, it works great!

by Paula Finch

Works Great! Simple and easy to use.

Works just like a plugin should. Easy to install and simple to use.

by Daniel

good communication tool

thanks for this. I use it to communicate with other authors. Really a labour saving device.

Dashboard Widgets Suite Reviews

by tinaponting

Great and simple:)

A great plugin for my blogs, to see social links, errrors and so on:)

by Anonymous User

Legit Useful & Educating

This really helped me secure my server, as a newbie. I had no idea we had to secure PHP and other stuff.

by mariushosting

A must-have plugin

One of the best plugins Jeff could ever devise. Simplicity, efficiency, everything at your fingertips. Increased user experience on WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dashboard Notepad or Dashboard Widgets Suite more popular?
Dashboard Notepad has 10K+ active installations while Dashboard Widgets Suite has 4.0K+. Dashboard Notepad is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Dashboard Notepad or Dashboard Widgets Suite?
Dashboard Notepad has a 4.6/5 rating from 12 reviews, while Dashboard Widgets Suite has a 4.9/5 rating from 36 reviews.
Are Dashboard Notepad and Dashboard Widgets Suite free?
Dashboard Notepad is free and Dashboard Widgets Suite is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Dashboard Notepad or Dashboard Widgets Suite?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Dashboard Notepad was last updated 8 years ago and Dashboard Widgets Suite was last updated 1 week ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.