Simple Custom CSS Plugin vs Design Upgrade for LearnDash (2026)

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

Simple Custom CSS Plugin

Simple Custom CSS Plugin

4.7(159)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Simple Custom CSS Plugin
VS
Design Upgrade for LearnDash

Design Upgrade for LearnDash

5(53)

7.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 years ago
View Design Upgrade for LearnDash

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Design Upgrade for LearnDash has a higher user rating (5/5 from 53 reviews) while Simple Custom CSS Plugin leads in active installations (100K+ vs 7.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Custom CSS Plugin has accumulated 3.1M+ total downloads while Design Upgrade for LearnDash has 237K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash5/5
Total Reviews
159Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash53
Active Installs
100K+Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash7.0K+
Total Downloads
3.1M+Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash237K+
Support Resolution
N/ASimple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash100%
Last Updated
1 year agoSimple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash3 years ago
First Released
2013Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash2018
Age
13 yearsSimple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash8 years
WP Requires
3.0.1+Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash4.6+
PHP Requires
false+Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash5.6+
Business Model
FreeSimple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDashFree
Latest Version
4.0.7Simple Custom CSS Plugin
Design Upgrade for LearnDash2.12

Rating Breakdown

Simple Custom CSS Plugin

4.7/5(159 reviews)
5
90%
4
4%
3
1%
2
0%
1
5%

Design Upgrade for LearnDash

5/5(53 reviews)
5
98%
4
2%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Simple Custom CSS Plugin Reviews

by Bub

Blocks Media view

This plugin block me from viewing my media files when I am, for instance, trying to add an image block to a page. Except for this I think it is an excellent plugin. My work-around will be to disable t

by cengoguven

So simple yet works perfect!

İt’s so easy to use and does the job as described.

by ellissei

Useful but doesn’t know modern properties

Simple and useful, but modern CSS properties like clamp(), repeat(), margin-inline, or less common units like dvh throw syntax errors. For beginners, this can be really confusing.

Design Upgrade for LearnDash Reviews

by ianbryan

Not worth the paid version

This plugin worked great, but broke down when interoperating with other vital plugins and customizations in our LearnDash install. I didn’t request a refund because the refund policy requires you to “

by trainingcity

Worth Buying the Paid version

This plugin is easy to deploy and well worth the cost for the paid version. Styling LearnDash is not really difficult, but this plugin will solve 99% of your challenges with getting the courses, lesso

by arika

Great Plugin and Exceptional Customer Service

I debated for a bit before buying the pro version of this plugin but it really is a life saver and makes LearnDash look 1000 times better. I spent 20+ hours being really frustrated trying to make thi

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Custom CSS Plugin or Design Upgrade for LearnDash more popular?
Simple Custom CSS Plugin has 100K+ active installations while Design Upgrade for LearnDash has 7.0K+. Simple Custom CSS Plugin is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Custom CSS Plugin or Design Upgrade for LearnDash?
Simple Custom CSS Plugin has a 4.7/5 rating from 159 reviews, while Design Upgrade for LearnDash has a 5/5 rating from 53 reviews.
Are Simple Custom CSS Plugin and Design Upgrade for LearnDash free?
Simple Custom CSS Plugin is free and Design Upgrade for LearnDash is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Custom CSS Plugin or Design Upgrade for LearnDash?
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?
Simple Custom CSS Plugin was last updated 1 year ago and Design Upgrade for LearnDash was last updated 3 years ago.

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