Blocks CSS vs Simple CSS (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Custom CSS Plugins top 10: Blocks CSS at #5 and Simple CSS at #7. Blocks CSS leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Blocks CSS
Blocks CSS: CSS Editor for Gutenberg Blocks
Blocks CSS allows you add custom CSS to your Blocks straight from the Block Editor (Gutenberg).
Simple CSS
Add CSS to your website through an admin editor, the Customizer or a metabox for page/post specific CSS.
Who leads on what
Blocks CSS leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Blocks CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Blocks CSS has 25, Simple CSS has 60. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple CSS has more reviews behind its score: 60 against 25.
Blocks CSS was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; Simple CSS on September 15, 2025.
Blocks CSS was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 8,031 times against 1,927.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Blocks CSS
Pick Blocks CSS if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple CSS
Pick Simple CSS if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Blocks CSS vs Simple CSS side by side
| Blocks CSS | Simple CSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom CSS Plugins ranking | #5 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 25 | 60 |
| Active installs | 5,000+ | 80,000+ |
| Total downloads | 232,203 | 566,067 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 8,031 | 1,927 |
| Last updated | Oct 19, 2026 | Sep 15, 2025 |
| First published | Feb 14, 2019 | Nov 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 6.8.11 |
| Requires PHP | 5.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Blocks CSS ratings
Simple CSS ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Blocks CSS nor Simple CSS can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom CSS Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Blocks CSS vs Simple CSS: common questions
Is Blocks CSS better than Simple CSS?
Blocks CSS leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Blocks CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which has more users, Blocks CSS or Simple CSS?
Blocks CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Blocks CSS or Simple CSS?
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
Are Blocks CSS and Simple CSS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Blocks CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Blocks CSS and Simple CSS
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.