Blog Designer Pack vs Smart Post (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Post Grid Plugins top 10: Blog Designer Pack at #7 and Smart Post at #6. Smart Post leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Blog Designer Pack
Blog Designer Pack – Blog, Post Grid, Post Slider, Post Carousel, Category Post, News
News & Blog plugin for post grid, post slider, post carousel, post filter, masonry, ticker & list category posts using shortcode, Elementor & Divi.
Smart Post
Smart Post – Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider Gutenberg Blocks for Blog & News
Display posts in Grid, Carousel, Slider, Timeline, List & Live Filter layouts with Gutenberg Blocks & Ready Patterns - Elementor, Divi, & Shortcodes.
Who leads on what
Smart Post leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Smart Post ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Post Grid Plugins.
Blog Designer Pack has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Both are rated 4.7 out of 5 (79 and 209 reviews).
Smart Post has more reviews behind its score: 209 against 79.
Smart Post was updated more recently, on September 2, 2026; Blog Designer Pack on August 27, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Blog Designer Pack
Pick Blog Designer Pack if you want the plugin more sites already run.
Smart Post
Pick Smart Post if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Blog Designer Pack vs Smart Post side by side
| Blog Designer Pack | Smart Post | |
|---|---|---|
| Post Grid Plugins ranking | #7 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 79 | 209 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 927,547 | 835,817 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 6, 2018 | Sep 21, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Blog Designer Pack ratings
Smart Post 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 Blog Designer Pack nor Smart Post can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Post Grid Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Blog Designer Pack vs Smart Post: common questions
Is Blog Designer Pack better than Smart Post?
Smart Post leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smart Post ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Post Grid Plugins.
Which has more users, Blog Designer Pack or Smart Post?
Smart Post ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Post Grid Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Blog Designer Pack or Smart Post?
Blog Designer Pack has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Blog Designer Pack and Smart Post free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Blog Designer Pack is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Smart Post is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Blog Designer Pack and Smart Post
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.