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Authors Widget

By flocsy

Community & Social / User-Generated Content

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Authors Widget Review - In-Depth Analysis

Authors Widget displays a list or cloud of authors in the sidemenu. It shows the number of posts and links to RSS feeds next to their names.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.9/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 4+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Authors Widget shows the list or cloud of the authors, with the number of posts, link to RSS feed next to their name, avatar. It is useful in a multi-author blog, where you want to have the list in the sidemenu.

The widget can also display an Author Cloud if SEO Tag Cloud plugin is installed.

Comparing to Alternatives

Authors Widget is a straightforward plugin with a clear focus on displaying author information, standing out among several alternatives that offer similar features.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and effective functionality
High user satisfaction with a perfect rating
No known security vulnerabilities
Lightweight with no unnecessary features

Weaknesses

Limited to basic author display features
No premium version to unlock advanced options
Smaller user base compared to some alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

With a perfect 5-star rating from all reviewers, user feedback is overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the plugin's reliability and simplicity.

Positive highlights

'Does exactly what it says. Very nice.' — Ronaldus
'Works as advertised! Simple but effective' — tijsgerritsen

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Lacks advanced customization options
No updates or new features recently due to low development activity

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, reliable author widget without the need for advanced customization or multiple author support.

Not ideal for

Those looking for a feature-rich author box with guest author support or post rating features may find this plugin too basic.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers all core functionalities needed to display author information effectively.

Final Verdict

Authors Widget excels in delivering a simple and effective solution for displaying author information, backed by flawless user ratings and a clean security record. Its straightforward approach makes it a dependable choice for users who prioritize ease of use over extensive features.

However, users seeking more advanced capabilities or ongoing development might consider alternatives with richer feature sets. Overall, Authors Widget is a solid, no-frills plugin that fulfills its purpose well without security concerns or user complaints.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Authors Widget plugin.

Authors

Multi Author

Author Cloud

Screenshots

FAQ

To install Authors Widget follow the following steps:

Unpack authors.zip to /wp-content/plugins/authors/ directory
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Go to ‘Presentation’ or ‘Design’ or ‘Appearance’ menu
Go to ‘Widgets’ menu
Drag & Drop the Authors Widget to the place on your sidebar where you would like to display the authors’ list

Optionally you can change the following settings: