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Easy Category Icons

By templatic1

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

Easy Category Icons Review - In-Depth Analysis

The Easy Category Icons plugin allows you to display category icons in your WordPress sidebar and before category titles. Customize your categories with unique icons for better visual appeal.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.77/10

User Rating

2.6/5 (based on 10+ reviews)

Active Installations

600+

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

The Easy Category Icons plugin adds the ability for your theme to show a category icon in the sidebar and before the category title in your WordPress website.

After installing and activating the plugin, create one or more categories and upload images or icons for the particular category.

This plugin allows you to enhance your WordPress site by showing a nice little icon beside the category name. It is especially useful for sites with a limited number of categories, making them visually appealing.

Once you have added category icons, they will appear on the category page before the category title and in the categories widget.

Best of all, this is an absolutely free plugin that is easy to use and set up.

Comparing to Alternatives

Easy Category Icons does not have any close direct alternatives in its category, making it a unique but isolated option for users.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple to install and use within the WordPress admin dashboard.
Allows adding icons to categories in the admin area.
No known security vulnerabilities reported.
Lightweight plugin without complex features.

Weaknesses

Icons do not display on posts or category archives as expected.
Lacks support and updates, leading to compatibility issues.
No integration with popular themes or page builders.
Limited functionality compared to more robust category icon plugins.

User Sentiment Analysis

User reviews are polarized with a majority expressing dissatisfaction, reflected in a low overall rating and many 1-star reviews.

Positive highlights

"Good Plugin But I Find Bug." - Mohammad Amin
"Simple to use in the admin dashboard." - inferred from positive review
"Lightweight and no security issues." - inferred from security scan

Common complaints

Plugin does not work as intended; icons fail to display on posts or category pages.
Lack of support and updates from the developer.
Incompatibility with certain themes and page builders.
Icons only show in admin dashboard, not on front-end widgets or archives.
Plugin appears abandoned and outdated.

Weaknesses

Poor front-end functionality limits usefulness.
No developer support or updates reduces reliability.
Compatibility issues with modern WordPress versions and themes.
User frustration due to non-functioning features.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users looking for a very basic category icon plugin who are comfortable troubleshooting and do not require front-end display functionality.

Not ideal for

Users needing reliable front-end icon display, active support, or compatibility with modern themes and page builders should avoid this plugin.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic category icon assignment visible in the admin area only.

Final Verdict

Easy Category Icons is a lightweight plugin with no known security issues, but it suffers from critical functionality problems and lack of support. The icons do not display on the front-end, severely limiting its usefulness for most users.

Given the absence of alternatives and the plugin's shortcomings, users seeking reliable category icon functionality should consider other solutions or be prepared for potential troubleshooting and limited features.