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Permalink Manager Lite vs Top Level Categories (2026)

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

Permalink Manager Lite

Permalink Manager Lite

4.8(176)

100K+ active installs

Free + Premium

Updated 3 weeks ago
View Permalink Manager Lite
VS
Top Level Categories

Top Level Categories

5(4)

2.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 8 years ago
View Top Level Categories

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Top Level Categories has a higher user rating (5/5 from 4 reviews) while Permalink Manager Lite leads in active installations (100K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Permalink Manager Lite has accumulated 2.7M+ total downloads while Top Level Categories has 91K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Permalink Manager Lite
►
Top Level Categories5/5
Total Reviews
176Permalink Manager Lite
◄
Top Level Categories4
Active Installs
100K+Permalink Manager Lite
◄
Top Level Categories2.0K+
Total Downloads
2.7M+Permalink Manager Lite
◄
Top Level Categories91K+
Support Resolution
75%Permalink Manager Lite
Top Level CategoriesN/A
Last Updated
3 weeks agoPermalink Manager Lite
◄
Top Level Categories8 years ago
First Released
2016Permalink Manager Lite
Top Level Categories2007
Age
10 yearsPermalink Manager Lite
Top Level Categories19 years
WP Requires
4.4.0+Permalink Manager Lite
Top Level Categories2.0.9+
PHP Requires
5.4+Permalink Manager Lite
Top Level Categoriesfalse+
Business Model
Free + PremiumPermalink Manager Lite
Top Level CategoriesFree
Latest Version
2.5.3.2Permalink Manager Lite
Top Level Categories1.0.1

Rating Breakdown

Permalink Manager Lite

4.8/5(176 reviews)
5
92%
4
2%
3
1%
2
0%
1
5%

Top Level Categories

5/5(4 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Permalink Manager Lite Reviews

by mcdeth

it does what it has to do and no bloat

extra: great support and works well with rank math/polylang and other plugins.

by The Moss Report

Saved me a ton of time! So Powerful, it’s almost scary!

If you need to make global changes to the permalinks and url structure of your website, this is one serious tool. The support is outstanding, and you can just feel how well the code is written. This i

by mediambev

Excellent plugin with outstanding support

Permalink Manager Pro is simply the best plugin for URL optimization. I use it with JReviews and initially had a conflict, but Maciej’s support went far beyond expectations to fix it. Now everything w

Top Level Categories Reviews

by Matthew Stratford

Still works!

It still does exactly what it says on the tin, even after a full version change from 2.x.x to 3.x.x!

by Angua

all I needed

thank you!

by nguacon01

great plugin

This plugin is awesome

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Permalink Manager Lite or Top Level Categories more popular?
Permalink Manager Lite has 100K+ active installations while Top Level Categories has 2.0K+. Permalink Manager Lite is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Permalink Manager Lite or Top Level Categories?
Permalink Manager Lite has a 4.8/5 rating from 176 reviews, while Top Level Categories has a 5/5 rating from 4 reviews.
Are Permalink Manager Lite and Top Level Categories free?
Permalink Manager Lite is free + premium and Top Level Categories is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Permalink Manager Lite or Top Level Categories?
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?
Permalink Manager Lite was last updated 3 weeks ago and Top Level Categories was last updated 8 years ago.

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