PluginSift

Login as User vs Meks Smart Author Widget (2026)

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

Login as User

Login as User

4.8(40)

30K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 months ago
View Login as User
VS
Meks Smart Author Widget

Meks Smart Author Widget

4.5(8)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Meks Smart Author Widget

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Login as User has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 40 reviews) and leads in active installations (30K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Login as User has accumulated 517K+ total downloads while Meks Smart Author Widget has 430K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Login as User
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget4.5/5
Total Reviews
40Login as User
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget8
Active Installs
30K+Login as User
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget10K+
Total Downloads
517K+Login as User
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget430K+
Support Resolution
N/ALogin as User
Meks Smart Author WidgetN/A
Last Updated
2 months agoLogin as User
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget1 year ago
First Released
2019Login as User
Meks Smart Author Widget2014
Age
7 yearsLogin as User
Meks Smart Author Widget12 years
WP Requires
5.3+Login as User
Meks Smart Author Widget3.0+
PHP Requires
7.4+Login as User
Meks Smart Author Widgetfalse+
Business Model
FreeLogin as User
Meks Smart Author WidgetFree
Latest Version
1.6.8Login as User
Meks Smart Author Widget1.1.5

Rating Breakdown

Login as User

4.8/5(40 reviews)
5
88%
4
8%
3
0%
2
3%
1
3%

Meks Smart Author Widget

4.5/5(8 reviews)
5
88%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
13%

Recent Reviews

Login as User Reviews

by sckewbie

Fantastic product with great customer service

For development and testing, login as user is an essential tool. The pro version offers even more utility and flexibility. The best part is the development team behind it; only a few hours after rep

by raidenluke

Vital plugin for our company. Excellent support

Our company’s support team uses this plugin every day to assist customers who don’t always have access to their accounts. Support is fantastic! Recently, we had an issue with a plugin conflict and t

by CamZL1

Excellent Support

Although I only contacted the support one time on the weekend, I was impressed firstly by the fact they replied on the weekend and how accurate their diagnostic was. The issue was a simple settings th

Meks Smart Author Widget Reviews

by naveenyouth

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!

by JJNW

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

by brandontyler024

Not responsive

Simply not responsive out of the box.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Login as User or Meks Smart Author Widget more popular?
Login as User has 30K+ active installations while Meks Smart Author Widget has 10K+. Login as User is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Login as User or Meks Smart Author Widget?
Login as User has a 4.8/5 rating from 40 reviews, while Meks Smart Author Widget has a 4.5/5 rating from 8 reviews.
Are Login as User and Meks Smart Author Widget free?
Login as User is free and Meks Smart Author Widget is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Login as User or Meks Smart Author Widget?
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?
Login as User was last updated 2 months ago and Meks Smart Author Widget was last updated 1 year ago.

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