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Slate Admin Theme vs Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) (2026)

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

Slate Admin Theme

Slate Admin Theme

4.7(44)

6.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 4 years ago
View Slate Admin Theme
VS
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)

Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)

3.3(84)

1.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 months ago
View Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Slate Admin Theme has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 44 reviews) and leads in active installations (6.0K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Slate Admin Theme has accumulated 141K+ total downloads while Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) has 116K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Slate Admin Theme
◄
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)3.3/5
Total Reviews
44Slate Admin Theme
►
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)84
Active Installs
6.0K+Slate Admin Theme
◄
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)1.0K+
Total Downloads
141K+Slate Admin Theme
◄
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)116K+
Support Resolution
N/ASlate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)N/A
Last Updated
4 years agoSlate Admin Theme
►
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)3 months ago
First Released
2014Slate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)2017
Age
12 yearsSlate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)9 years
WP Requires
4.0+Slate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)6.2+
PHP Requires
false+Slate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)7.4+
Business Model
FreeSlate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)Free
Latest Version
1.2.4Slate Admin Theme
Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)4.2.1

Rating Breakdown

Slate Admin Theme

4.7/5(44 reviews)
5
82%
4
11%
3
2%
2
2%
1
2%

Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)

3.3/5(84 reviews)
5
52%
4
4%
3
4%
2
2%
1
38%

Recent Reviews

Slate Admin Theme Reviews

by rob0m

It’s beautiful

Slate make wp=admin a pleasure to use.

by zaka888

Cant save customizer after installing this plugin

This plugin now pretty much destroys the customizer as well as UX builder. Do not download. Very buggy

by Li-An

Good

This admin theme is particularly well thought for High resolution screens so it’s better than default theme.

Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) Reviews

by leanderlindahl

No markdown

I would have to agree with the other reviews/comments. No markdown.

by dramsuko

can’t use markdown editor!!

can’t use markdown editor!!

by jakeparis

Plugin doesn’t deliver markdown

I believe this plugin is in violation of the WordPress terms. You can’t access its main feature “markdown editor” without paying. The free version only has a dark mode/light mode toggle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Slate Admin Theme or Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) more popular?
Slate Admin Theme has 6.0K+ active installations while Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) has 1.0K+. Slate Admin Theme is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Slate Admin Theme or Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)?
Slate Admin Theme has a 4.7/5 rating from 44 reviews, while Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) has a 3.3/5 rating from 84 reviews.
Are Slate Admin Theme and Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) free?
Slate Admin Theme is free and Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Slate Admin Theme or Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode)?
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?
Slate Admin Theme was last updated 4 years ago and Markdown Editor (Formerly Dark Mode) was last updated 3 months ago.

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