Skip to content
StaleWP

Plan a move Radar no. 79 · Falling behind

Column Shortcodes

By Tobias Schutter

What it does: Creates columns in posts and pages through shortcodes.

Why it’s listed: The block editor has a Columns block, and this plugin was last updated in 2022. Old posts may still depend on its shortcodes. Removing it leaves the raw shortcode text on every page that used it, so convert those pages to the Columns block first.

View on WordPress.org ↗ Checked Reviewed by Abhishek Deshpande

Active installs
60k+
Last updated
2022-10-11
Tested up to
6.0.18
Rating
4.8 / 5 (134)
Version
1.0.1
Maintainers
4

Is Column Shortcodes still maintained?

It has gone over two years without an update.

Falling behind: WordPress or a service it relies on has moved on.

Placements are our opinion, based on public evidence. Risk here means a plugin may not get a fix if a problem appears. It doesn’t mean we found a flaw, unless we show an advisory. Going quiet alone never puts a plugin in Replace now.

Updates No release since 2022-10-11. That was 4 yr 1 mo before our check. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Compatibility Tested up to WordPress 6.0.18. WordPress 7.1.4 was current on 2026-10-31. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Security No public advisories found. A quiet record is not proof of safety. wpvulnerability.net · checked 2026-10-31
Reviews The latest 10 reviews average 4.7 stars, against 4.8 overall. None of them gave 1 or 2 stars. Newest activity: 2022-11-09. We see no negative trend. WordPress.org reviews · checked 2026-10-31
Maintainers 4 listed contributors. No recent support threads. WordPress.org plugin directory · checked 2026-10-31
Usage 2,037 downloads in the last 30 days, including updates. 95.13% of sites run version 1.0. WordPress.org stats · checked 2026-10-31

What to do next

  1. Back up the site, and use a staging copy for any change.
  2. Find posts using the shortcodes, and rebuild them with one of the alternatives below before you remove this plugin.

If it works today, no need to panic. Plan the change around your next update.

Recommended alternatives to Column Shortcodes

Columns block ↗

Built into the block editor.

No extra plugin needed

Kadence Blocks ↗

Extra layout blocks.

600k+ installs · 4.8 stars · Updated 2026-10-28 · Tested 7.1.4

GenerateBlocks ↗

Lightweight layout blocks.

200k+ installs · 4.9 stars · Updated 2026-10-13 · Tested 7.1.4

Each listed plugin was updated in the last six months, is tested with WordPress 7.0 or newer, and had no open advisory in WPVulnerability when we checked. We have not tried them ourselves. No one pays to appear here.

Latest reviews

Dates show last activity. Titles are written by WordPress.org users.

Also on this radar: Editor and layout

No one can pay to appear on the radar or to change a placement. How we stay independent

Something wrong, or updated since we checked? Suggest a correction

StaleWP Newsletter

What changed in the plugin directory, twice a month. Free, unsubscribe anytime.

See how we handle your email on our Legal page.