Dashboard Columns vs Ultimate Dashboard
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Dashboard Columns v1.3.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 5.0/5 Visit Details | Ultimate Dashboard v3.8.18 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.6/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 1,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Last updated | May 10, 2026 | October 10, 2026 |
| Editions | Dashboard Columns | Ultimate Dashboard · Ultimate Dashboard PRO ($) |
| Pros | Column count set from Screen Options on the dashboard; Responsive layout on smaller screens; No settings page to maintain | Custom dashboard widgets and admin menu editing in the free version; Login page branding and login redirect rules included free; No tracking or telemetry in the code |
| Cons | Changes only the dashboard layout; Shows a one-time onboarding notice | Several branding and login options show a PRO-only message in the free version; Onboarding email signup goes through a vendor proxy |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Dashboard column count from Screen Options, One-time onboarding notice, Dashboard layout styles | Custom dashboard widgets (icon, text, HTML), Admin menu editor, Admin bar item control, Login redirect rules by role, Login page customizer, Admin branding (logo, colours, layout), Settings export and import tools, Dark mode and other options shown as PRO-only ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| — | MailerLite | |
| Requires WordPress | 5.8 | 4.6 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6 |
| Tested up to | 6.9 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | No |
| External services | — | ultimatedashboard.io |