Simple CSS vs WP Add Custom 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: Simple CSS at #6 and WP Add Custom CSS at #4. Simple CSS leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple CSS
Add CSS to your website through an admin editor, the Customizer or a metabox for page/post specific CSS.
WP Add Custom CSS
Add custom css to the whole website and to specific posts and pages.
Who leads on what
Simple CSS leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
WP Add Custom CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Simple CSS is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 60 reviews, against 4.8 from 89 reviews.
WP Add Custom CSS has more reviews behind its score: 89 against 60.
Simple CSS was updated more recently, on September 15, 2025; WP Add Custom CSS on August 14, 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.
Simple CSS
Pick Simple CSS if you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP Add Custom CSS
Pick WP Add Custom CSS if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple CSS vs WP Add Custom CSS side by side
| Simple CSS | WP Add Custom CSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Custom CSS Plugins ranking | #6 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 60 | 89 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 563,442 | 1,008,690 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 15, 2025 | Aug 14, 2025 |
| First published | Nov 21, 2015 | Oct 4, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 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.
Simple CSS ratings
WP Add Custom 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 Simple CSS nor WP Add Custom CSS can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Custom CSS Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple CSS vs WP Add Custom CSS: common questions
Is Simple CSS better than WP Add Custom 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. WP Add Custom CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple CSS or WP Add Custom CSS?
WP Add Custom CSS ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Custom CSS Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple CSS or WP Add Custom CSS?
Simple CSS has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are Simple CSS and WP Add Custom CSS free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Add Custom CSS may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple CSS and WP Add Custom 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.