Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… vs Widget Classes (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, Widget Classes has a higher user rating (5/5 from 1 reviews) while Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… leads in active installations (100K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… has accumulated 1.9M+ total downloads while Widget Classes has 14K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… | Widget Classes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 226 | ◄ | 1 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.9M+ | ◄ | 14K+ |
| Support Resolution | 60% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 15 years ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2010 | |
| Age | 16 years | 16 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.9.0+ | 3+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.3+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.5.2 | 0.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for…
Widget Classes
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Shortcoder — Create Shortcodes for… averaged approximately 784 daily downloads while Widget Classes averaged 4.
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
Widget Classes Reviews
Incredibly useful and very simple
I’ve been using this plugin for years for commercial theme development. It’s worked with every release of WordPress so far. There are other plugins to add classes to widgets, but this one offers just
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.