82
Classic Widgets
A tiny time machine for anyone hating the block editor.
HealthyDecliningWordPress.org
82/100
This official tool provides exactly what it promises by restoring the classic widget interface.
Active installs
~2.5 million
our estimate · wp.org shows 2.0M+
Rating
4.9★
274 ratings
Trend · vs a year ago
-26%
Declining fast
2,619 → 1,947 installs/day
Warnings
- Distributed from inside WordPress.org's main product — growth is partly captive.
What to watch out for
- MINORdownloads down 26% vs a year ago
Downloads over time
real new installs per day · release spikes shown separately from the trend2025-04-302025-08-082025-11-162026-02-232026-06-03
organicrelease spikerelease tailorganic trend · 14d rolling median
Declining fast · -26% in the last year
2,619/day a year ago→1,947/day today
Reviews
what people actually sayClassic Widgets is a well-regarded plugin that restores the pre-block widget interface in WordPress, widely appreciated for its simplicity and reliability, though it offers no features beyond that single function and has at least one reported compatibility issue with newer WordPress versions.
What people like
- +Reliably restores the classic (pre-block) widget interface, removing confusion caused by the block widget editor×10
- +Extremely easy to install and use with no configuration required×7
- +Does not slow down the site
Common complaints
- −Does nothing beyond restoring the old widget screen — users note it adds no extra features or value×3
- −Classic admin bar no longer stays sticky after the WordPress 6.8 update, indicating a compatibility issue (since 6.8)
Review trustReviews look organic
- 4.76★Verified rating — holds steady vs the raw 4.90★
- 3%One-shot reviewers — most reviewers are active community members
Reviews per month · 5★ vs lower
2023-07-202025-01-102026-06-04
5★ reviews1–4★ reviews
All-time ratings · 274 total
Latest reviews · 90 analyzed
- 2026-06-02★★★★★Block Editor? No Tnkzplante351-shot
- 2026-05-26★★★★★Exactly What I NeededManja Seiler
- 2026-05-22★★★★★exactly what i neededRena
- 2026-05-20★★★★★Clients Stay HappyRandy
- 2026-05-14★★★★★Lifesaver fr frdoreen101
- 2026-05-05★★★★★Old Widgets Againhunterfox3
- 2026-04-24★★★★★Old Style Helpwestonasher
- 2026-04-21★★★★★Simple n Perfecteangreine1
- 2026-04-16★★★★★Simple Widget Fixthomas452
- 2026-04-07★★★★★Simple Widget Fixmalka22
Releases
recent versions from WordPress.org SVNFor developers & the curious
the raw signals behind the grade — none of this is on the friendly summary aboveDownload signals
Baselines are computed on organic days only — release spikes and their tails are excluded, so they're not inflated by the auto-update wave.
1,879
Baseline · median of last 7 organic days
1,870
Prior 7-day baseline
1,359
Floor · 25th percentile over 14 days
2,043
Latest day · 2026-06-03(organic)
+0.5%
Week-over-week organic trend
Review signals
Concentration and drive-by metrics drive the review-burst and fake-review flags. 30–40% solo reviewers is normal; we only flag the extremes.
17%
Max month share · biggest single 30-day window
1.43
Distribution CV · <0.6 even, >1.5 bursty
88%
5★ share in analyzed sample
3%
Solo reviewers · only this one wp.org activity
—
Volume velocity · last 6mo vs prior 6mo
4.73 → 4.76★
Sample avg · raw → solo-filtered