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Simple Local Avatars vs Meks Smart Author Widget (2026)

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

Simple Local Avatars

Simple Local Avatars

4.6(89)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Simple Local Avatars
VS
Meks Smart Author Widget

Meks Smart Author Widget

4.5(8)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Meks Smart Author Widget

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Simple Local Avatars has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 89 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Local Avatars has accumulated 2.4M+ total downloads while Meks Smart Author Widget has 430K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.6/5Simple Local Avatars
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget4.5/5
Total Reviews
89Simple Local Avatars
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget8
Active Installs
100K+Simple Local Avatars
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget10K+
Total Downloads
2.4M+Simple Local Avatars
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget430K+
Support Resolution
N/ASimple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author WidgetN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoSimple Local Avatars
◄
Meks Smart Author Widget1 year ago
First Released
2011Simple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author Widget2014
Age
15 yearsSimple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author Widget12 years
WP Requires
6.6+Simple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author Widget3.0+
PHP Requires
7.4+Simple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author Widgetfalse+
Business Model
FreeSimple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author WidgetFree
Latest Version
2.8.6Simple Local Avatars
Meks Smart Author Widget1.1.5

Rating Breakdown

Simple Local Avatars

4.6/5(89 reviews)
5
80%
4
9%
3
4%
2
1%
1
6%

Meks Smart Author Widget

4.5/5(8 reviews)
5
88%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
13%

Recent Reviews

Simple Local Avatars Reviews

by MCD Diseño Web

Simple and Effective for Managing Local Avatars

Simple Local Avatars has been the perfect solution for managing avatars on my WordPress site. I love how easy it is to let users upload their own images without relying on external services. The insta

by oshurkov

Идеально!

Все работает как надо, css обволакивается и пользователи становятся довольными! Спасибо!

by MTC

So good!

SIMPLE solution to the GDPR issue with WordPress Gravatars. I usually set up a default avatar for guests and allow users to use their own. Keep it up!

Meks Smart Author Widget Reviews

by naveenyouth

Best; works well!

My theme didn’t come with an author box; so, I’m using this plugin. This is an excellent plugin which works well on all devices!

by JJNW

Damn near perfect!

This is an amazing plugin, period. Lots of widget options, from size of avatar to automatically detect author (by the posts they published – VERY COOL), from linking authors name to link showing all t

by brandontyler024

Not responsive

Simply not responsive out of the box.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Local Avatars or Meks Smart Author Widget more popular?
Simple Local Avatars has 100K+ active installations while Meks Smart Author Widget has 10K+. Simple Local Avatars is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Local Avatars or Meks Smart Author Widget?
Simple Local Avatars has a 4.6/5 rating from 89 reviews, while Meks Smart Author Widget has a 4.5/5 rating from 8 reviews.
Are Simple Local Avatars and Meks Smart Author Widget free?
Simple Local Avatars is free and Meks Smart Author Widget is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Local Avatars or Meks Smart Author Widget?
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?
Simple Local Avatars was last updated 1 month ago and Meks Smart Author Widget was last updated 1 year ago.

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