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Better Font Awesome

By Mickey Kay

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Better Font Awesome Review - In-Depth Analysis

Better Font Awesome integrates the latest Font Awesome versions into WordPress. It offers shortcodes, HTML support, and a TinyMCE generator for easy icon usage.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.56/10

User Rating

4.6/5 (based on 85+ reviews)

Active Installations

70,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Better Font Awesome allows you to automatically integrate the latest available version of Font Awesome into your WordPress project. It provides accompanying CSS, shortcodes, and a TinyMCE icon shortcode generator.

This plugin is designed to keep your Font Awesome version up-to-date without manual intervention. It is backwards compatible, meaning you can switch versions without modifying your existing shortcodes.

The plugin also features CDN speeds, pulling Font Awesome CSS from the reliable jsDelivr CDN. Users can easily generate shortcodes using the TinyMCE dropdown menu, making it user-friendly for those editing in visual mode.

Comparing to Alternatives

Better Font Awesome is a plugin designed to integrate Font Awesome icons into WordPress sites, offering an alternative to the official Font Awesome plugin and others like WP SVG Icons.

Top alternatives

Better Font Awesome

Strengths

Supports older Font Awesome 5+ versions preferred by some users.
Works right out of the box without complex setup.
Free to use with straightforward shortcode implementation.

Weaknesses

Lacks comprehensive documentation, making usage unclear for some users.
TinyMCE editor integration is reported as non-functional or missing.
Search functionality within the plugin is unresponsive for some users.
No active support or updates for extended periods, causing user concerns.

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback reveals a mix of satisfaction with functionality and frustration with support and certain features.

Positive highlights

"Worked perfectly and supported older Font Awesome 5+ versions I prefer." - Avrom
"Developer is busy but working on the plugin as much as he has time." - alexio
"After the new release (2.x) all seems to work fine." - merlin1764

Common complaints

TinyMCE editor integration does not appear or function properly.
Search bar within the plugin is unresponsive and unusable.
Lack of documentation on how to use the plugin effectively.
Poor or slow support response from the developer.

Weaknesses

Shortcodes are the only apparent method to use icons, limiting flexibility.
Plugin can be buggy after updates with unresolved issues for extended periods.
Some users report the plugin does not work at all in their environment.
Filter in TinyMCE editor is unresponsive in certain WordPress versions.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who prefer a simple, free solution to add Font Awesome icons, especially those comfortable using shortcodes and who favor older Font Awesome versions.

Not ideal for

Users who need seamless TinyMCE editor integration, comprehensive documentation, or active support may find this plugin lacking and should consider alternatives.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes basic Font Awesome icon integration via shortcodes, supporting older Font Awesome versions without additional cost or premium features.

Final Verdict

Better Font Awesome offers a straightforward and free way to use Font Awesome icons, particularly appealing to users who prefer older icon versions and shortcode usage.

However, its lack of documentation, limited editor integration, and inconsistent support may hinder users seeking a more polished and fully supported icon solution.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Better Font Awesome plugin.

Better Font Awesome

Font Awesome integration

icon shortcode generator

Screenshots

FAQ

This plugin is unique in that it automatically pulls in all available versions of Font Awesome, meaning you never have to wait for the plugin developer to add the latest version. Furthermore, Better Font Awesome is designed to work with a wide variety of shortcode formats used by other Font Awesome plugins – this means that you can easily switch to Better Font Awesome (if, for example, you need to include icons from the most recent version of Font Awesome, which isn’t always available with other plugins), and they will still work.