Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order Review - In-Depth Analysis
Easily order categories and custom taxonomy terms using drag and drop functionality. Sort terms hierarchically with no theme or plugin updates required.
Performance Overview
User Rating
4.5/5 (based on 162+
reviews)
Active Installations
500,000+
Update Frequency
Outstanding
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 plugin allows you to order categories and all custom taxonomy terms hierarchically using a drag and drop sortable interface. The customized sorting is applied to front queries on the fly without needing to update themes or plugins.
If multiple taxonomies are created for a custom post type, a menu will allow you to choose the one that needs to be sorted. Child categories can also be ordered using the same interface, enhancing your site's taxonomy management.
Additionally, the admin terms interface can be sorted according to your new sort order, making it easier to manage your categories and terms.
Comparing to Alternatives
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order sits in a fairly crowded niche of taxonomy sorting plugins, all offering similar drag-and-drop reordering for categories and custom taxonomy terms. Its long track record and broad compatibility with CPTs and WooCommerce help it stand out among the alternatives.
Strengths
- Works well with custom post types and WooCommerce product categories
- Simple, intuitive drag-and-drop interface praised by many users
- Responsive support according to reviewers
- Established plugin with a long history and large user base
Weaknesses
- Some users report it interferes with get_terms() sorting even when disabled for a taxonomy
- No built-in way to exclude specific taxonomies from ordering without a code snippet
- Past security vulnerabilities, though now patched
User Sentiment Analysis
With 162 ratings, the plugin holds a strong 4.5-star average, and 82% of reviewers gave it 5 stars. However, roughly 10.5% of ratings are 1 or 2 stars, indicating a small but vocal minority experiencing functional problems.
Positive highlights
- "Works perfectly with CPTs and Woocommerce. Support is also excellent!" — andyt1980
- "This plugin is very simple to use and it helps a lot when you have dozens of categories to manage. A real time saver." — yodastudio
- "Works really well, thanks a lot!" — Kasutan
- "Thank you for this simple but essential plugin! Easy to use. Should be in WP core!" — ldwd
Common complaints
- Term order randomly changes on refresh, making the plugin unreliable for some users
Weaknesses
- Two historical vulnerabilities (PHP Object Injection and XSS) were found in old versions, though both are fixed
- Some reports of ordering conflicts with get_terms() even when custom sorting is disabled
- Lack of granular control to exclude specific taxonomies from reordering without custom code
Who Should Use This?
Best for
Site owners and developers managing sites with numerous categories or custom taxonomies—especially WooCommerce stores—who want a simple, visual way to control term display order without complex configuration.
Not ideal for
Users running multiple taxonomies who need selective control over which ones get reordered, or those on older, unpatched versions given the plugin's past vulnerability history should update immediately and verify behavior after WordPress core updates.
Pricing & Value
Free version includes
The free version provides full drag-and-drop ordering for categories and taxonomy terms, with support for custom post types and WooCommerce, covering the core needs of most users at no cost.
Pro version (23 USD / lifetime)
A pro version is available, typically offering extended features such as advanced ordering options, additional taxonomy support, or premium support channels, though specific feature details are not fully detailed in user feedback.
Final Verdict
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order earns strong overall sentiment, with the vast majority of users praising its simplicity and reliable performance across CPTs and WooCommerce setups. Still, a notable subset of reviewers report ordering inconsistencies, including one case where sort order changed unpredictably on refresh, suggesting the plugin isn't entirely bug-free for every configuration.
Given its two historical vulnerabilities—both patched years ago—and a low current risk score, security is not a pressing concern as long as the plugin is kept updated. With several close alternatives available, users prioritizing rock-solid taxonomy control across multiple unrelated taxonomies might want to compare options, but for straightforward category ordering needs, this plugin remains a solid, well-supported choice.
Other Notable Features
Here are a few other notable features of this free
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order plugin.
FAQ
Absolutely, you can!
Unlike many other plugins, you don’t have to do any code changes to make your post order to apply, accordingly to custom-defined order. There is an option to auto-update the WordPress queries so the posts will be returned in customised order. This can be turned off (Autosort) to allow customized code usage.
Include a ‘orderby’ => ‘term_order’ within your get_terms() arguments.
You can sort ALL taxonomies ( hierarhically active ), including the default Categories.
Absolutely, the plugin can do that. In fact you can configure so only the admin will update and the front side template will display the terms as before.
All ideas are welcome and i put them on my list to be implemented into the new versions. Anyway this may take time, but if you are in a rush, please consider a small donation and we can arrange something.
Contributors and developers
“Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order”
is open source software. The following people have
contributed to this plugin.
