WP Categories Widget vs Latest Posts (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Latest Posts has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 7 reviews) while WP Categories Widget leads in active installations (7.0K+ vs 5.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Categories Widget has accumulated 117K+ total downloads while Latest Posts has 86K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Categories Widget | Latest Posts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 4.6/5 |
| Total Reviews | 27 | ◄ | 7 |
| Active Installs | 7.0K+ | ◄ | 5.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 117K+ | ◄ | 86K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ► | 2 days ago |
| First Released | 2016 | 2015 | |
| Age | 10 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.0+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 8.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.8.1 | 1.4.5 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Categories Widget
Latest Posts
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP Categories Widget averaged approximately 41 daily downloads while Latest Posts averaged 39.
Recent Reviews
WP Categories Widget Reviews
Great for Custom Taxonomies BUT if only
Great for Custom Taxonomies, but if only you could order the categories yourself.
Great Plugin but can’t customize order
It’s a simple yet efficient plugin. However, I wish that it let me decide the order of WooCommerce categories by myself.
Great plugin but need option to open in a window
WpCategory Plugin: Great plugin but would LOVE an option to open a category in a new Window. Thank you. Michel
Latest Posts Reviews
Easy to use
A nice, easy to use plugin. I just wish the date/time stamp was optional
A formidable plugin
Good plugin, once installed it is ready to use, without the need for configuration.
Good Service
I’m using WPML and previous version was not support. However 2 days after I requested it, they decided to update. And now I can use it with WPML. It was great support.
More Posts Widget Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as WP Categories Widget and Latest Posts
A widget to display posts with thumbnails in various layouts. Fits nicely in any widget area size.
Widget Post Slider to display posts image in a slider from category.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.