PluginSift

Modern Footnotes vs FD Footnotes Plugin (2026)

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

Modern Footnotes

Modern Footnotes

4.8(32)

6.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 9 months ago
View Modern Footnotes
VS
FD Footnotes Plugin

FD Footnotes Plugin

4.5(21)

1.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 9 years ago
View FD Footnotes Plugin

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Modern Footnotes has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 32 reviews) and leads in active installations (6.0K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Modern Footnotes has accumulated 113K+ total downloads while FD Footnotes Plugin has 56K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Modern Footnotes
◄
FD Footnotes Plugin4.5/5
Total Reviews
32Modern Footnotes
◄
FD Footnotes Plugin21
Active Installs
6.0K+Modern Footnotes
◄
FD Footnotes Plugin1.0K+
Total Downloads
113K+Modern Footnotes
◄
FD Footnotes Plugin56K+
Support Resolution
N/AModern Footnotes
FD Footnotes PluginN/A
Last Updated
9 months agoModern Footnotes
◄
FD Footnotes Plugin9 years ago
First Released
2017Modern Footnotes
FD Footnotes Plugin2008
Age
9 yearsModern Footnotes
FD Footnotes Plugin18 years
WP Requires
4.6+Modern Footnotes
FD Footnotes Plugin2.0+
PHP Requires
false+Modern Footnotes
FD Footnotes Pluginfalse+
Business Model
FreeModern Footnotes
FD Footnotes PluginFree
Latest Version
1.4.20Modern Footnotes
FD Footnotes Plugin1.36

Rating Breakdown

Modern Footnotes

4.8/5(32 reviews)
5
91%
4
3%
3
0%
2
6%
1
0%

FD Footnotes Plugin

4.5/5(21 reviews)
5
71%
4
19%
3
0%
2
5%
1
5%

Recent Reviews

Modern Footnotes Reviews

by andorel

Good but incomplete

It’s make the job in a very (to much ?) simple way. The code [mfn_list class=modern-footnotes-list] is very usefull to print the footnote list wherever we want !!! also the compatibility with old edit

by efrap

Works very well

This plugin works well and is easy to use. The footnote list shortcode is useful for custom templates.

by rene-michaels

Simple and Effective

Works perfectly on desktop and mobile.

FD Footnotes Plugin Reviews

by inge12

Simple plugin still works Sep 2018

We’ve been using this plugin for maybe 6 years or more. It is now September 2018, and the plugin has been apparently abandoned. But apparently the code was good enough that it is still working flawles

by ostinatofreak

Good, but currently “abandoned”

Would be five stars, except my Wordfence security plugin just notified me today that it appears FD Footnotes is “abandoned” (updated June 6, 2016, tested to WP 4.3.16). I hope the developer does what

by JK

Easy to use and looking good

Using it on all my websites, one of my favourite plugins in order to keep content not really belonging to the post separated, but still mentioning it. Edtit in 10/2020: Although not maintained since 2

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Modern Footnotes or FD Footnotes Plugin more popular?
Modern Footnotes has 6.0K+ active installations while FD Footnotes Plugin has 1.0K+. Modern Footnotes is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Modern Footnotes or FD Footnotes Plugin?
Modern Footnotes has a 4.8/5 rating from 32 reviews, while FD Footnotes Plugin has a 4.5/5 rating from 21 reviews.
Are Modern Footnotes and FD Footnotes Plugin free?
Modern Footnotes is free and FD Footnotes Plugin is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Modern Footnotes or FD Footnotes Plugin?
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?
Modern Footnotes was last updated 9 months ago and FD Footnotes Plugin was last updated 9 years ago.

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