Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… vs Grid Columns (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for…
100K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 226 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… has accumulated 1.9M+ total downloads while Grid Columns has 37K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… | Grid Columns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | ◄ | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 226 | ◄ | 22 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.9M+ | ◄ | 37K+ |
| Support Resolution | 60% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 8 years ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Age | 16 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.9.0+ | 3.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.5.2 | 0.2.0 |
Rating Breakdown
Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for…
Grid Columns
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… averaged approximately 784 daily downloads while Grid Columns averaged 3.
Recent Reviews
Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… Reviews
Great Replacement for Reusable Text Blocks Plugin
Thank you for creating this plugin. I needed a replacement for the excellent but long defunct Reusable Text Blocks plugin by Hal Gatewood. Because for one website there were a couple of sentences I ne
good!
Finally, a plugin like this has appeared in the catalog!
Essential Tool for Custom Code Snippets
Shortcoder is a game-changer for anyone who needs to reuse HTML, CSS, or JavaScript across their site! Creating shortcodes is ridiculously simple – just name it, paste your code, and you’re done. Love
Grid Columns Reviews
Great plugin, but options could be increased, and support improved
I use this plugin for my site. It has a good basic functionality that works for items like restaurant menus. My only beefs with this plugin are that there is no free support for the plugin, and the
Still works
I still use this plugin with success. It just won’t get any easier than this.
Really good but you should merge in the Tiny MCE button plugin
This plugin is how things should be done, a great lightweight way to drop a versatile grid into any theme and to keep it when you change themes. I wish that the TinyMCE button add-on by a different au
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.