Related Posts for WordPress vs Related Posts Thumbnails (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: Related Posts for WordPress at #5 and Related Posts Thumbnails at #3. Related Posts Thumbnails leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Related Posts for WordPress
The best WordPress plugin for related posts. Simple, flexible, powerful algorithm, and built-in caching. Fully setup with only 1 click!
Related Posts Thumbnails
Related Posts Thumbnails Plugin for WordPress
Related Posts by WPBrigade is The Best Customizable plugin, that nicely displays related posts thumbnails under the post.
Who leads on what
Related Posts Thumbnails leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Related Posts Thumbnails ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Related Posts Plugins.
Related Posts Thumbnails has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Related Posts Thumbnails is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 233 reviews, against 4.6 from 325 reviews.
Related Posts for WordPress has more reviews behind its score: 325 against 233.
Related Posts Thumbnails was updated more recently, on July 17, 2026; Related Posts for WordPress on May 10, 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.
Related Posts for WordPress
Pick Related Posts for WordPress if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Related Posts Thumbnails
Pick Related Posts Thumbnails if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Related Posts for WordPress vs Related Posts Thumbnails side by side
| Related Posts for WordPress | Related Posts Thumbnails | |
|---|---|---|
| Related Posts Plugins ranking | #5 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 325 | 233 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 639,096 | 1,096,206 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | May 10, 2025 | Jul 17, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 6, 2014 | May 21, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Related Posts for WordPress ratings
Related Posts Thumbnails 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 Related Posts for WordPress nor Related Posts Thumbnails can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Related Posts Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Related Posts for WordPress vs Related Posts Thumbnails: common questions
Is Related Posts for WordPress better than Related Posts Thumbnails?
Related Posts Thumbnails leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Related Posts Thumbnails ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Related Posts Plugins.
Which has more users, Related Posts for WordPress or Related Posts Thumbnails?
Related Posts Thumbnails ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Related Posts Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Related Posts for WordPress or Related Posts Thumbnails?
Related Posts Thumbnails has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Related Posts for WordPress and Related Posts Thumbnails free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Related Posts for WordPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Related Posts Thumbnails is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Related Posts for WordPress and Related Posts Thumbnails
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Internal Linking of Related Contents
3,000+ installs · 4.2 from 5 reviews
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Contextual Related Posts
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 201 reviews
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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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Inline Related Posts
100,000+ installs · 4.3 from 77 reviews
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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.