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FV Top Level Categories

By FolioVision

Site Structure & Navigation / Categories & Taxonomies

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

FV Top Level Categories Review - In-Depth Analysis

This plugin fixes the Top Level Categories issue for WordPress 3.1 and above. It allows category URLs without the 'category/' prefix.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.79/10

User Rating

4.4/5 (based on 23+ reviews)

Active Installations

20,000+

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

This is a fix of Top Level Category plugin for WordPress 3.1 and further versions. Its purpose is to provide the same behavior as the original plugin, but in new WordPress versions.

The Top Level Categories plugin allows you to remove the prefix before the URL to your category page. For example, instead of http://foliovision.com/category/work, you can use http://foliovision.com/work for the address of 'work' category. WordPress doesn't allow you to have a blank prefix for categories, this plugin works around that restriction.

This plugin works also if you have a permalink structure like %postname% or %category%/%postname% - this wasn't possible in the original version. However, this feature might not work properly for child categories at this point. Test carefully!

Comparing to Alternatives

FV Top Level Categories is a specialized plugin focused on removing the 'category' base from WordPress URLs, with several alternatives available that offer different approaches to category and taxonomy management.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Effectively removes '/category/' from URLs without breaking pagination.
Lightweight and simple to use with minimal configuration.
Handles redirects automatically to maintain SEO integrity.
Compatible with popular themes like Avada.
Highly rated for reliability and ease of use.

Weaknesses

Limited to removing category base; lacks broader category management features.
No pro version or advanced premium features available.
Does not offer customization beyond URL structure changes.
May not suit users needing comprehensive taxonomy control.

User Sentiment Analysis

With an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 from 23 reviews, the plugin enjoys strong positive feedback, especially for its effectiveness and simplicity. The majority of users praise its functionality, while a small minority express dissatisfaction.

Positive highlights

"Work perfectly. Nothing to do. Just perfect." — SuzuKube
"Quick Fix for Pesky Problem" — bamajr
"Worked for me 🙂" — Pt
"Works Perfectly :: If you have your other permalinks correct!" — aplusdesign
"Simple. Light on code. Easy to understand interface." — ADigitalMark

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Limited feature set focused solely on removing category base.
No updates or premium support options available.
Lacks advanced customization or additional taxonomy tools.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who want a straightforward, reliable solution to remove the '/category/' base from their WordPress URLs without breaking pagination or SEO.

Not ideal for

Users seeking a comprehensive category management plugin or those who require advanced customization and premium support features.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides full functionality to remove the category base from URLs and handle redirects automatically, offering excellent value for users with this specific need.

Final Verdict

FV Top Level Categories excels at its core function of removing the category base from WordPress URLs, earning high praise for its simplicity, effectiveness, and compatibility with popular themes. It is a lightweight, no-frills plugin that performs well without introducing security concerns.

While it lacks advanced features and a pro version, it remains a top choice for users needing this specific functionality. Alternatives exist for broader category management, but for removing '/category/' from URLs, this plugin is a reliable and well-regarded option.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free FV Top Level Categories plugin.

Top Level Categories

FAQ

We recommend that you use the Redirection plugin and add your old an new category links, or use a Regex redirection rule. Make sure you change Tools -> Redirection -> Options -> URL Monitoring to “Don’t monitor”, as there is a bug in that feature (also in latest current version 2.2.5) – not related to FV Top Level Categories.