Search & Filter vs Category Posts Widget (2026)

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

Search & Filter

Search & Filter

4.5(174)

50K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View Search & Filter
VS
Category Posts Widget

Category Posts Widget

4.5(79)

40K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Category Posts Widget

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Search & Filter has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 174 reviews) and leads in active installations (50K+ vs 40K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Search & Filter has accumulated 950K+ total downloads while Category Posts Widget has 1.8M+. Category Posts Widget has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.5/5Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget4.5/5
Total Reviews
174Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget79
Active Installs
50K+Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget40K+
Total Downloads
950K+Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget1.8M+
Support Resolution
0%Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget0%
Last Updated
3 months agoSearch & Filter
Category Posts Widget1 month ago
First Released
2013Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget2007
Age
13 yearsSearch & Filter
Category Posts Widget19 years
WP Requires
3.5+Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget2.8+
PHP Requires
false+Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget5.3+
Business Model
FreeSearch & Filter
Category Posts WidgetFree
Latest Version
1.2.18Search & Filter
Category Posts Widget4.9.22

Rating Breakdown

Search & Filter

4.5/5(174 reviews)
5
84%
4
2%
3
2%
2
4%
1
7%

Category Posts Widget

4.5/5(79 reviews)
5
84%
4
5%
3
1%
2
0%
1
10%

Recent Reviews

Search & Filter Reviews

by shinji

The instructions on how to change the settings to version 3.X are insufficient a

We were using version 2.X.The instructions on how to change the settings to version 3.X are insufficient and unclear. In addition, when upgrading from 2.X to 3.X, a database error occurs (in secret

by saksaksak

Could be developed.

I tried to test the starter (free) version of the plugin with Kadence theme. It is great that is supports filtering via custom taxonomies. The UI of the plugin is outdated. The only way to define filt

by lisalindeman

The Support is Excellent!

I had an odd problem, which was certain posts and pages appearing in results despite not containing the search term. I submitted a support ticket and got a quick response. Their support was extremely

Category Posts Widget Reviews

by danielepais

It does exactly what it says

Good plugin to display your latest posts on a widget and filter them according to your preferences.

by rob21403

This solution worked in minutes — not days or weeks!

This plugin is exactly what they say it is: Simple Thorough Does it well It solved all of my issues within minutes. I had spent hours over a couple weeks using various workarounds and pl

by yodastudio

A must have plugin.

Useful and easy to use. No support needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Search & Filter or Category Posts Widget more popular?
Search & Filter has 50K+ active installations while Category Posts Widget has 40K+. Search & Filter is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Search & Filter or Category Posts Widget?
Search & Filter has a 4.5/5 rating from 174 reviews, while Category Posts Widget has a 4.5/5 rating from 79 reviews.
Are Search & Filter and Category Posts Widget free?
Search & Filter is free and Category Posts Widget is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Search & Filter or Category Posts Widget?
As of April 2026, Search & Filter has a 0% support resolution rate while Category Posts Widget has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Search & Filter was last updated 3 months ago and Category Posts Widget was last updated 1 month ago.

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