NS Category Widget

62 Quality Score

Active Installs

14/30

With only 1,000 active installs, this is a very small plugin in a niche that has plenty of alternatives, and its low install base limits its real-world reach.

Update Freshness

16/25

It was updated on 2025-09-12 and is tested against WordPress 6.8.5, so it is clearly being maintained for current core versions despite the modest user base.

User Rating

14/15

The 96 out of 100 rating from 34 users is excellent, though the small sample size means the number should be read with some caution.

Support Health

8/15

With zero support threads opened and zero resolved, there is essentially no public track record of how the author handles user issues, which is a real risk if something breaks on your site.

WP Compatibility

11/15

It requires PHP 7.2.24 and WordPress 6.0, and is tested up to 6.8.5, which is broadly compatible with most current hosting environments.

Scores higher than 11% of indexed plugins

About

A plugin to add widget for listing Categories and Taxonomies. Extending Default WordPress Category Widget.

Active Installs 1k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.8/5

Last Updated 2025-09-12 1:32am GMT

Requires WordPress 6.0+

Tested Up To 6.8.8

Requires PHP 7.2.24+

✓ No known vulnerabilities

What It Does

NS Category Widget adds a customizable sidebar widget that lists WordPress categories and custom taxonomies, going beyond the default category widget by supporting custom taxonomies and offering display options. It lets site owners present category archives in widget areas without writing code or installing a larger plugin. In practice, it functions as a lightweight, focused replacement or supplement to the built-in Categories widget.

Who It's For

This plugin is best for small to mid-sized WordPress sites that rely on custom taxonomies (such as topics, regions, or product types) and need a sidebar widget to showcase them. It suits bloggers, niche news sites, directories, and small magazines that want a simple, no-frills taxonomy listing without the overhead of a full page builder or mega-menu plugin. Sites already running a block theme with the Site Editor may find it less useful since block-based navigation often replaces the need for a legacy widget.

Who Should Skip It

If you are using a modern block theme and prefer the Site Editor or a navigation block to display categories, you do not need this plugin. Large or high-traffic sites that need dynamic AJAX filtering, post counts, or hierarchical dropdowns should look at more capable alternatives.

The Bottom Line

NS Category Widget is a focused, well-rated utility that does one thing and does it on current WordPress, but its tiny install count, no-thread support history, and the fact that it competes with native block-based category listings make it a niche choice. It is worth considering only if you specifically need a sidebar widget for custom taxonomies and value its minimal footprint over the richer ecosystems of larger alternatives. Most users will be better served by built-in block widgets or one of the higher-scored alternatives listed above.

Related Plugins

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Choose this if your main sidebar need is social proof through Google Reviews rather than category or taxonomy listings.

Rich Showcase for Google Reviews 90/100

Pick this when you want richer, more visual review displays and a much larger user community than NS Category Widget offers.

WP Popular Posts 89/100

Go with this if you want to surface popular posts in sidebars instead of, or alongside, category archives.

Custom Post Type UI 88/100

Pick this if your real problem is registering and managing custom post types and taxonomies rather than displaying them in a widget.

Blocksy Companion 86/100

Choose this if you use the Blocksy theme and want a tightly integrated companion with broader widget, template, and layout features.