Link Library vs Simple Link Directory (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Directory Plugins top 10: Link Library at #9 and Simple Link Directory at #7. They split the 6 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.
Link Library
The purpose of this plugin is to add the ability to output a list of link categories and a complete list of links with notes and descriptions.
Simple Link Directory
Simple Link Directory – AI Powered
AI Powered LINK DIRECTORY Plugin for WordPress to Curate Links for Web Directory. Link Management, Directory Listings, Link Archive, Vendor Directory
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Simple Link Directory ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Directory Plugins.
Link Library has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Simple Link Directory is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 121 reviews, against 4.7 from 97 reviews.
Simple Link Directory has more reviews behind its score: 121 against 97.
Link Library was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; Simple Link Directory on October 7, 2026.
Link Library was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 7,919 times against 6,726.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Link Library
Pick Link Library if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Link Directory
Pick Simple Link Directory if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Link Library vs Simple Link Directory side by side
| Link Library | Simple Link Directory | |
|---|---|---|
| Directory Plugins ranking | #9 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 97 | 121 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,442,953 | 388,013 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 7,919 | 6,726 |
| Last updated | Oct 19, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 17, 2005 | Sep 14, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Link Library ratings
Simple Link Directory 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 Link Library nor Simple Link Directory can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Directory Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Link Library vs Simple Link Directory: common questions
Is Link Library better than Simple Link Directory?
They split the 6 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. Simple Link Directory ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Directory Plugins.
Which has more users, Link Library or Simple Link Directory?
Simple Link Directory ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Directory Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Link Library or Simple Link Directory?
Link Library has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Link Library and Simple Link Directory free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Link Library may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Link Directory may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Link Library and Simple Link Directory
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.