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Latest Post Shortcode

By Iulia Cazan

Content Management / Blog & Article Publishing

Reviewed by Abdul Hameid

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

Latest Post Shortcode Review - In-Depth Analysis

The Latest Post Shortcode plugin allows you to display posts or pages dynamically using customizable shortcodes. It supports various output configurations and pagination options.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.89/10

User Rating

4.8/5 (based on 46+ reviews)

Active Installations

4,000+

Update Frequency

Very Good 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

The Latest Post Shortcode helps you display a list or grid of the posts or pages in a page or sidebar, without having to code or know PHP. The output parameters are extremely flexible, allowing you to choose the way your selected content will be displayed.

You can embed as many shortcodes in a page as you need, each shortcode configured differently. The shortcode for displaying the latest posts is [latest-selected-content] and can be generated very easily, the plugin will add a block or a shortcode button in the editor area.

You can write your own read more replacement, choose whether to show or hide featured images, and sort the items by several options, including AJAX pagination. This plugin works with any modern theme and is compatible with WordPress >= 5.0 + Gutenberg.

Starting with version 8.0.0, the plugin has a new UI and features, allowing the output of the shortcode to be configured as a slider. It also implements new hooks for custom output management.

Comparing to Alternatives

Latest Post Shortcode stands out in the recent posts plugin category with several close alternatives available that offer similar functionalities.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Highly customizable with many options to fit different needs
Lightweight with no large overhead or dependencies
Excellent support with responsive developer assistance
User-friendly for beginners and advanced users alike
Flexible shortcode usage to display posts anywhere on the site

Weaknesses

Has had recent medium-level security vulnerabilities, though fixed in latest versions
May require some CSS adjustments for perfect theme integration
No pro version available for extended premium features
Limited direct integration with some advanced page builders

User Sentiment Analysis

With a high overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 46 reviews, users overwhelmingly praise the plugin's functionality and support, with very few negative comments.

Positive highlights

'Perfect – does exactly what I was looking for' (willswing77)
'Excellent plugin and support' with responsive help fixing CSS issues (lklawless)
'Very customizable and great support' with quick developer response (colts26)
'Great flexibility and a real boost for beginners' (sunshinedaysagain)
'Excellent plugin to display posts anywhere on my site' (Jorge Gutierrez FP)

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Past security vulnerabilities requiring updates
Some users needed help adjusting styling for their themes
No premium version limits advanced feature availability

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a lightweight, flexible shortcode plugin to display latest posts anywhere on their WordPress site, especially those who appreciate responsive developer support and customization options.

Not ideal for

Users requiring a plugin with a premium version offering advanced features or those concerned about past security issues might want to consider alternatives or ensure they keep the plugin updated.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers comprehensive shortcode functionality to display latest posts with various customization options and no dependencies.

Final Verdict

Latest Post Shortcode is a highly rated and well-supported plugin that delivers flexible and customizable shortcode options for displaying recent posts. Its lightweight nature and excellent user support make it a strong choice for many WordPress users.

However, users should be aware of past medium-level security vulnerabilities that have been addressed in recent updates. The absence of a pro version means advanced features may be limited, so users with those needs might explore alternatives. Overall, it remains a reliable and user-friendly option for displaying latest posts.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Latest Post Shortcode plugin.

Configurable Shortcode With UI

Gutenberg Block

Paginated Posts

Posts Grid

Posts Shortcode

Screenshots

FAQ

You can use the LPS block in page/post content, in templates, and also in widgets area. Click in the editor and type /lps, or /latest, or /card. In the list of results you can see Overlay Cards, Vertical Cards, and Horizontal Cards. Just pick one as a starting point, any of the initial variations you select can be configured later as you need.