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Widget Context

By Kaspars

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

Widget Context Review - In-Depth Analysis

Show and hide widgets on specific posts, pages, and sections of your site.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.78/10

User Rating

4.5/5 (based on 98+ reviews)

Active Installations

30,000+

Update Frequency

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

Use Widget Context to show and hide widgets on certain sections of your site - front page, posts, pages, archives, search, etc. Use targeting by URLs with wildcard support for maximum flexibility.

Widget visibility can be configured under individual widget settings under 'Appearance → Widgets' in your WordPress administration area or through the widget editing interface in the Customizer.

The 'Target by URL' feature allows targeting sections of your website based on the request URLs. It supports relative URLs for flexibility across different domains and server environments.

Use the wildcard symbol '*' for matching dynamic parts of the URL. For example, you can match all posts in a specific category or all child pages of a parent page.

Comparing to Alternatives

Widget Context is a popular plugin for controlling widget visibility with several direct alternatives available that offer similar functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Highly rated with over 80% 5-star reviews indicating strong user satisfaction
Supports advanced widget visibility controls based on post types and other conditions
Has a pro version offering additional features
Works well with the latest WordPress versions as of 2026
Easy to use according to multiple users

Weaknesses

Does not support widget visibility based on page slug, which some users find limiting
Compatibility issues with the new Gutenberg Widget editor
Has a known security vulnerability fixed only in version 1.4.0
Some users report lack of support and plugin not working in recent updates

User Sentiment Analysis

The plugin enjoys a high overall rating with 88.7% of users giving it 4 or 5 stars, reflecting general satisfaction. However, about 9.3% of users rated it poorly, highlighting some issues.

Positive highlights

'Great plugin. Works well in 2026 with the latest Wordpress.' - teodorcat
'Excellent plugin! Solved a problem that was breaking my mind.' - fernandokerber
'Does what it says. Very good.' - maxxtrosweden
'This is a great plugin, works as expected and you can't be without it.' - dimal
'Excellent but Not Playing Well With the New Gutenberg Widget' - JomJalan

Common complaints

Plugin stopped working and lacks support according to some users

Weaknesses

Limited widget visibility options, e.g., no page slug selection
Compatibility issues with new Gutenberg widget editor
Known security vulnerability prior to version 1.4.0
Reported lack of support and maintenance

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who need advanced widget visibility controls based on post types and other conditions and want a plugin that is well-rated and actively maintained with a pro version.

Not ideal for

Users who require widget visibility based on page slugs, rely heavily on the new Gutenberg widget editor, or need guaranteed ongoing support and security assurances.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides robust widget visibility controls suitable for most users.

Pro version

Offers additional advanced features beyond the free version to enhance widget visibility and management.

Final Verdict

Widget Context is a highly rated and widely used plugin that effectively manages widget visibility with advanced options and a pro version for enhanced functionality. It is well-suited for users looking for reliable widget control compatible with recent WordPress versions.

However, it has some limitations such as lack of page slug visibility, compatibility issues with the new Gutenberg widget editor, and a past security vulnerability. Users needing these features or guaranteed support may want to consider alternatives.