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Shortcode in Menus vs Widgets in Menu for WordPress (2026)

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

Shortcode in Menus

Shortcode in Menus

4.7(82)

50K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Shortcode in Menus
VS
Widgets in Menu for WordPress

Widgets in Menu for WordPress

4.8(21)

9.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 7 years ago
View Widgets in Menu for WordPress

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Widgets in Menu for WordPress has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 21 reviews) while Shortcode in Menus leads in active installations (50K+ vs 9.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shortcode in Menus has accumulated 502K+ total downloads while Widgets in Menu for WordPress has 106K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Shortcode in Menus
►
Widgets in Menu for WordPress4.8/5
Total Reviews
82Shortcode in Menus
◄
Widgets in Menu for WordPress21
Active Installs
50K+Shortcode in Menus
◄
Widgets in Menu for WordPress9.0K+
Total Downloads
502K+Shortcode in Menus
◄
Widgets in Menu for WordPress106K+
Support Resolution
N/AShortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPressN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoShortcode in Menus
◄
Widgets in Menu for WordPress7 years ago
First Released
2013Shortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPress2014
Age
13 yearsShortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPress12 years
WP Requires
3.6+Shortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPress3.5+
PHP Requires
5.6+Shortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPressfalse+
Business Model
FreeShortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPressFree
Latest Version
3.5.1Shortcode in Menus
Widgets in Menu for WordPress1.0.0

Rating Breakdown

Shortcode in Menus

4.7/5(82 reviews)
5
90%
4
2%
3
0%
2
1%
1
6%

Widgets in Menu for WordPress

4.8/5(21 reviews)
5
90%
4
5%
3
0%
2
0%
1
5%

Recent Reviews

Shortcode in Menus Reviews

by andrebell82

‘Please provide a valid link.’

Interesting concept but adding the shortcode to the link as the images show generates a wordpress error: ‘Please provide a valid link.’ So, unfortunately, cannot add the shortcode to nav bar as the ex

by Namaste

Please don’t let this plugin die..

I kindly ask the developers to maintain this plugin updated… please 🙂

by madbirdesign

Didn’t work for me

Didn’t work in shortcode menu item or custom link.

Widgets in Menu for WordPress Reviews

by Vox

Great, Even Better When Paired

Great utility and I find it especially graceful when paired with XYZ’s PHP & HTML snippet injectors. Together one can add a drop-down tag cloud to a menu, thus freeing up valuable screen space for con

by ecv80

Does the job (on 5.2.2)

Seems to be working beautifully in 5.2.2 ! This topic was modified 6 years, 7 months ago by ecv80.

by igorandre

Not Works on version 5.1.1

This plugin not works in this version but works perfectly on versions before 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shortcode in Menus or Widgets in Menu for WordPress more popular?
Shortcode in Menus has 50K+ active installations while Widgets in Menu for WordPress has 9.0K+. Shortcode in Menus is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Shortcode in Menus or Widgets in Menu for WordPress?
Shortcode in Menus has a 4.7/5 rating from 82 reviews, while Widgets in Menu for WordPress has a 4.8/5 rating from 21 reviews.
Are Shortcode in Menus and Widgets in Menu for WordPress free?
Shortcode in Menus is free and Widgets in Menu for WordPress is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Shortcode in Menus or Widgets in Menu for WordPress?
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?
Shortcode in Menus was last updated 1 month ago and Widgets in Menu for WordPress was last updated 7 years ago.

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