Smart Recent Posts Widget vs WP Views Counter (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Smart Recent Posts Widget
9.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, WP Views Counter has a higher user rating (5/5 from 5 reviews) while Smart Recent Posts Widget leads in active installations (9.0K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Smart Recent Posts Widget has accumulated 132K+ total downloads while WP Views Counter has 42K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Smart Recent Posts Widget | WP Views Counter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 30 | ◄ | 5 |
| Active Installs | 9.0K+ | ◄ | 2.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 132K+ | ◄ | 42K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 100% | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 3 months ago |
| First Released | 2016 | 2013 | |
| Age | 10 years | 13 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.8+ | 3.1+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | 7.0+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.0.4 | 2.1.3 |
Rating Breakdown
Smart Recent Posts Widget
WP Views Counter
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Smart Recent Posts Widget averaged approximately 16 daily downloads while WP Views Counter averaged 17.
Recent Reviews
Smart Recent Posts Widget Reviews
Excellent
Excellent plugin
Just perfect
works like a charm!
exactly what I need
very complete and with custom CSS avaliable
WP Views Counter Reviews
AJAX Supported!
Only free Plugin that does the trick without slowing down the site. NO unnecessary bloat! Thanks alot.
Fantastic Plugin – running behind Cloudflare
I tested the view counter plugin on a test site running behind Cloudflare, and it is truly well-built and lightweight. Thanks to the developer for the excellent work. It was the only plugin that worke
Muy util aun en 2018!
funcionando con WP 4.9.4 y Divi ultima versión enhorabuena
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smart Recent Posts Widget or WP Views Counter more popular?
Which has better ratings — Smart Recent Posts Widget or WP Views Counter?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.