Countdown Timer Block vs Simple Countdown (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Countdown Timer Plugins top 10: Countdown Timer Block at #8 and Simple Countdown at #10. Countdown Timer Block leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Countdown Timer Block
Countdown Timer Block – build urgency for events and launches
Countdown timer block for Gutenberg – count down to events, sales, and launches with customizable layouts, colors, separators, and patterns.
Simple Countdown
Simple Countdown Timer – Sales, Launch and Event Countdowns
Add a countdown to any page or post for a sale, launch or event. Build one in a click, or customise every part of it.
Who leads on what
Countdown Timer Block leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Countdown Timer Block ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
Countdown Timer Block has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Countdown Timer Block has 4, Simple Countdown has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Countdown Timer Block has more reviews behind its score: 4 against 1.
Simple Countdown was updated more recently, on September 6, 2026; Countdown Timer Block 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.
Countdown Timer Block
Pick Countdown Timer Block if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Countdown
Pick Simple Countdown if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Countdown Timer Block vs Simple Countdown side by side
| Countdown Timer Block | Simple Countdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Countdown Timer Plugins ranking | #8 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 4 | 1 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 44,398 | 16,494 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 30, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 2, 2021 | Jan 22, 2023 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Countdown Timer Block ratings
Simple Countdown 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 Countdown Timer Block nor Simple Countdown can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Countdown Timer Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Countdown Timer Block vs Simple Countdown: common questions
Is Countdown Timer Block better than Simple Countdown?
Countdown Timer Block leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Countdown Timer Block ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
Which has more users, Countdown Timer Block or Simple Countdown?
Countdown Timer Block ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Countdown Timer Block or Simple Countdown?
Countdown Timer Block has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Countdown Timer Block and Simple Countdown free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Countdown Timer Block may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Countdown may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Countdown Timer Block and Simple Countdown
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.