WordPress Ad Widget vs AdRotate
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | WordPress Ad Widget v2.20.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.3/5 Visit Details | AdRotate v5.19.3 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.3/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Last updated | September 25, 2025 | October 10, 2026 |
| Editions | Ad Widget for WordPress | AdRotate Banner Manager · AdRotate Professional ($) |
| Pros | Simple sidebar widgets for HTML, image and Parkave ads; No ad manager setup needed; Settings page under the Settings menu | Ad groups and schedules in the free version; Local impression and click counting without an outside service |
| Cons | Relies on the Broadstreet service and its scripts; Loads third-party scripts on the admin page; Limited to sidebar widget placements | Geo targeting and advanced scheduling need AdRotate Professional; Upgrade prompts appear across the dashboard |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | HTML ad widget, Image ad widget, Parkave ad widget, Ad Widget settings page, Ad image fetched into the media library | Single adverts and groups output, Gutenberg block and widget for ads, Local impression and click counter, Geo targeting (Pro, license key field) ($), Advanced schedules per advert (Pro) ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Other | Broadstreet | — |
| Requires WordPress | 3.0 | 4.9 |
| Requires PHP | — | 8.0 |
| Tested up to | 6.8.2 | 7.1.3 |
| Phones home | No | No |
| External services | my.broadstreetads.com, broadstreet-common.s3.amazonaws.com, cdn.broadstreetads.com | — |
| Blocks | — | 2 |
| Shortcodes | — | 1 |
| Custom tables | — | 7 |