Contextual Related Posts vs Manual Related Posts (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Related Posts Plugins top 10: Contextual Related Posts at #2 and Manual Related Posts at #9. Contextual Related Posts leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Contextual Related Posts
Keep visitors on your site longer with intelligent, fast-loading, contextually related posts. Block, shortcode, custom post type and widget ready.
Manual Related Posts
A simple 'related posts' plugin that lets you select related posts manually.
Who leads on what
Contextual Related Posts leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Contextual Related Posts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Related Posts Plugins.
Contextual Related Posts has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Contextual Related Posts has 201, Manual Related Posts has 23. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Contextual Related Posts has more reviews behind its score: 201 against 23.
Contextual Related Posts was updated more recently, on September 5, 2026; Manual Related Posts on August 30, 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.
Contextual Related Posts
Pick Contextual Related Posts if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Manual Related Posts
Manual Related Posts does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Contextual Related Posts vs Manual Related Posts side by side
| Contextual Related Posts | Manual Related Posts | |
|---|---|---|
| Related Posts Plugins ranking | #2 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 201 | 23 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,763,249 | 83,191 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 5, 2026 | Aug 30, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 21, 2009 | Apr 13, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Contextual Related Posts ratings
Manual Related Posts 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 Contextual Related Posts nor Manual Related Posts can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Related Posts Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Contextual Related Posts vs Manual Related Posts: common questions
Is Contextual Related Posts better than Manual Related Posts?
Contextual Related Posts leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Contextual Related Posts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Related Posts Plugins.
Which has more users, Contextual Related Posts or Manual Related Posts?
Contextual Related Posts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Related Posts Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Contextual Related Posts or Manual Related Posts?
Contextual Related Posts has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Contextual Related Posts and Manual Related Posts free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Contextual Related Posts is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Manual Related Posts may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Contextual Related Posts and Manual Related Posts
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Related Posts By PickPlugins
3,000+ installs · 4.6 from 39 reviews
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Yet Another Related Posts Plugin
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 1,163 reviews
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Related Posts by Taxonomy
10,000+ installs · 4.8 from 77 reviews
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Related Posts for WordPress
10,000+ installs · 4.6 from 325 reviews
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Custom Related Posts
3,000+ installs · 4.9 from 46 reviews
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- Contextual Related Posts vs Yet Another Related Posts Plugin
- Custom Related Posts vs Manual Related Posts
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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.