Lightweight Sidebar Manager vs Hello Plus (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Lightweight Sidebar Manager
90K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Lightweight Sidebar Manager has a higher user rating (4.2/5 from 21 reviews) and leads in active installations (90K+ vs 80K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Lightweight Sidebar Manager has accumulated 1.1M+ total downloads while Hello Plus has 448K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Lightweight Sidebar Manager | Hello Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | ◄ | 3/5 |
| Total Reviews | 21 | ◄ | 1 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 80K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.1M+ | ◄ | 448K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 6 months ago |
| First Released | 2017 | 2024 | |
| Age | 9 years | 2 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 6.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.0.0 | 1.7.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Lightweight Sidebar Manager
Hello Plus
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Lightweight Sidebar Manager averaged approximately 133 daily downloads while Hello Plus averaged 514.
Recent Reviews
Lightweight Sidebar Manager Reviews
Fantastic plugin, works perfectly, never an issue
Had it for years, always worked perfectly
Very Helpful and Works Nicely
Very helpful plugin and thank you to the developers!!!
Easy to use, works well
It took jut a few moments to figure out how to use this plugin (just follow the instructions), but then it was very easy. And it allows us to personalize our site to a much greater degree than ever be
Hello Plus Reviews
Dropdown Icon Alignment Issue on Mobile After Latest Update
The latest update introduced a helpful improvement with auto-toggling dropdowns. However, on mobile devices, the dropdown icon appears on the next line instead of staying alongside the text.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lightweight Sidebar Manager or Hello Plus more popular?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.