Manual Related Posts

76 Quality Score

Active Installs

14/30

With only 1,000 active installs, this is a niche plugin, but the quality of those users is reflected in a perfect rating score.

Update Freshness

25/25

The plugin was updated on 2026-01-10 and is tested against WordPress 6.9.4, indicating active and current maintenance.

User Rating

15/15

All 23 reviewers gave it a perfect score, which is unusual and signals that the small user base is highly satisfied with its simplicity.

Support Health

8/15

Zero support threads means there is no public track record of the author helping users, which is a concern if you ever run into trouble.

WP Compatibility

15/15

The plugin requires only WordPress 4.1 and PHP 7.0, and has been tested up to WordPress 6.9.4, so it will run on virtually any modern WordPress install.

Scores higher than 46% of indexed plugins

About

A simple 'related posts' plugin that lets you select related posts manually.

Active Installs 1k+

Rating ★★★★★ 5/5

Last Updated 2026-08-30 5:13pm GMT

Requires WordPress 4.1+

Tested Up To 7.1

Requires PHP 7.0+

✓ No known vulnerabilities

What It Does

Manual Related Posts adds a meta box to the WordPress post editor where authors can hand-pick which posts appear as 'related' content alongside each article. Instead of relying on tags, categories, or algorithms, editors have full control over the recommendations shown to readers. It is intentionally minimal, with no automatic matching, thumbnail grids, or styling built in.

Who It's For

This plugin suits publishers, editors, and content marketers who want curated, hand-picked related content rather than algorithmic suggestions, such as magazine sites, niche blogs, and news outlets where editorial judgement matters more than automation. It works well for small-to-medium sites where an editor can reasonably maintain related links on every post. It also fits affiliate or educational sites where specific recommendations need careful human selection.

Who Should Skip It

If you manage a large site with hundreds of posts where manually linking each article is unrealistic, or you want automatic suggestions driven by tags, categories, or content similarity, skip this plugin. Anyone needing thumbnails, analytics, or advanced display layouts will also be disappointed, as this plugin deliberately ships none of that.

The Bottom Line

Manual Related Posts scores 75.68/100 and delivers exactly what it promises: a no-frills way for editors to choose related posts by hand. The perfect user rating and recent updates are genuine positives, but the tiny install base and absence of any support history mean you are betting on a one-developer tool. It is a solid choice for small curated sites and a poor choice for anyone wanting automation or scale.

Related Plugins

Contextual Related Posts 83/100

Pick this instead if you want automatic, algorithm-driven related posts based on post content with no manual selection needed.

VK All in One Expansion Unit 82/100

Choose this if you want related posts bundled with a broader suite of site features like SEO, social, and design tools.

Pick this when you want automatic suggestions with thumbnail images and more display options out of the box.