Kirki Customizer Framework vs Custom Category Templates (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Kirki Customizer Framework
500K+ active installs
Free
Custom Category Templates
3.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Kirki Customizer Framework has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 78 reviews) and leads in active installations (500K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Kirki Customizer Framework has accumulated 12M+ total downloads while Custom Category Templates has 61K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Kirki Customizer Framework | Custom Category Templates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ◄ | 4.3/5 |
| Total Reviews | 78 | ◄ | 6 |
| Active Installs | 500K+ | ◄ | 3.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 12M+ | ◄ | 61K+ |
| Support Resolution | 60% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 10 years ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2011 | |
| Age | 12 years | 15 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.3+ | 3.4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 5.2.2 | 0.2.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Kirki Customizer Framework
Custom Category Templates
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Kirki Customizer Framework averaged approximately 3,174 daily downloads while Custom Category Templates averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
Kirki Customizer Framework Reviews
Version 5.1.1, no corresponding ChangeLog update.
I’d like to know the specific changes that are being applied to my website with each plugin update. It seams that the author forgot to add a corresponding changelog entry for the version 5.1.1 update
Great plugin!
Great plugin!
Slider Not working
I migrated a domain / new client that had kirki customizer slider – doesn’t look like it’s been working for quite some time. No updates to php/plugins/WP or otherwise was able to fix this issue – Fina
Custom Category Templates Reviews
WPML
Thanks for plugin. For WPML sites there will be problem, because of WPML bug https://wpml.org/forums/topic/category-templates-issue/ We resolved it by adding 11 priority in add_filter( ‘category_templ
Ignore the Newb
If you still need someone holding your hand through template development then this plugin might be a bit out of your league. It works perfectly, just an awesome plugin. Great job shazdeh.
Very poor
This sucks! It would give it a minus figure if I could do that! As a newbie to WP, this has got to be one of THE WORST plug-in’s I’ve ever seen. Where’s the documentation? I got this to appear in my d
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.