List Categories vs Shortcodes Ultimate (Paid)
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| Feature | List Categories v0.5 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.5/5 Visit Details | Shortcodes Ultimate (Paid) v7.9.2 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 5,000+ | 400,000+ |
| Last updated | September 13, 2026 | October 17, 2026 |
| Editions | List Categories | Shortcodes Ultimate · Shortcodes Ultimate Pro ($) |
| Pros | Passes every wp_list_categories() argument through as a shortcode attribute; Works with any taxonomy, including tags; Tiny footprint: one file, no settings screen | Large set of content shortcodes; Visual generator with preview; Works in block editor, classic editor and widgets |
| Cons | Output is a plain list with no styling or grid options; No admin settings; configuration lives in each shortcode; Shortcode only; no block or widget version | Extra shortcodes and styles are in the paid Pro version; Uses the Freemius SDK for licensing and opt-in telemetry; Video shortcodes embed YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion |
| Mentioned in our posts | — | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | All wp_list_categories arguments as shortcode attributes, List any taxonomy via the taxonomy attribute, Empty terms hidden by default | Content shortcodes (tabs, accordions, buttons, sliders), Visual shortcode generator, Lightbox, Shortcodes Ultimate widget, WooCommerce conditional content, Pro-only shortcodes and styles (upgrade message in generator) ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Social | — | YouTube embeds, Vimeo embeds |
| E-commerce | — | WooCommerce |
| Other | — | Dailymotion embeds, Freemius SDK |
| Requires WordPress | 3.3 | 6.0 |
| Requires PHP | — | 7.0 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | Only if you agree |
| Shortcodes | 1 | — |