Custom CSS for Elementor vs Simple CSS (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Custom CSS Plugins top 10: Custom CSS for Elementor at #10 and Simple CSS at #6. Simple CSS leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Custom CSS for Elementor
This plugin helps you push custom CSS in any native Elementor widget, solving style control limitations.
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
Simple CSS leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom CSS for Elementor has 9, Simple CSS has 60. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple CSS has more reviews behind its score: 60 against 9.
Custom CSS for Elementor was updated more recently, on October 19, 2025; Simple CSS on September 15, 2025.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Custom CSS for Elementor
Pick Custom CSS for Elementor if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple CSS
Pick Simple CSS 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.
Custom CSS for Elementor vs Simple CSS side by side
| Custom CSS for Elementor | Simple CSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom CSS Plugins ranking | #10 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 9 | 60 |
| Active installs | 5,000+ | 80,000+ |
| Total downloads | 38,163 | 563,442 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Oct 19, 2025 | Sep 15, 2025 |
| First published | Oct 19, 2021 | Nov 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Custom CSS for Elementor 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 Custom CSS for Elementor nor Simple CSS can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom CSS Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Custom CSS for Elementor vs Simple CSS: common questions
Is Custom CSS for Elementor better than Simple CSS?
Simple CSS leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom CSS for Elementor or Simple CSS?
Simple CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom CSS for Elementor or Simple CSS?
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
Are Custom CSS for Elementor and Simple CSS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom CSS for Elementor may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom CSS for Elementor 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.