Custom CSS Pro 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 Pro at #3 and Simple CSS at #6. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Custom CSS Pro
Professional real-time CSS editor for those who want to code CSS.
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
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Custom CSS Pro ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 7,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Custom CSS Pro has 15, Simple CSS has 60. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple CSS has more reviews behind its score: 60 against 15.
Custom CSS Pro was updated more recently, on August 23, 2026; 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 Pro
Pick Custom CSS Pro if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple CSS
Pick Simple CSS if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Custom CSS Pro vs Simple CSS side by side
| Custom CSS Pro | Simple CSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom CSS Plugins ranking | #3 | #6 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 15 | 60 |
| Active installs | 7,000+ | 80,000+ |
| Total downloads | 74,238 | 563,442 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 23, 2026 | Sep 15, 2025 |
| First published | Jul 30, 2016 | Nov 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Custom CSS Pro 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 Pro 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 Pro vs Simple CSS: common questions
Is Custom CSS Pro better than Simple CSS?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Custom CSS Pro ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which has more users, Custom CSS Pro or Simple CSS?
Custom CSS Pro ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Custom CSS Pro or Simple CSS?
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 7,000+.
Are Custom CSS Pro and Simple CSS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Custom CSS Pro may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Custom CSS Pro 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.