The best plugins for custom widgets and sidebars are Custom Sidebars, Content Aware Sidebars, Widget Options and SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle. They let you show different widgets on different pages, add new widget areas and build richer widgets than WordPress ships with. What works depends on whether your theme is classic or a block theme.
That last point trips up many owners, so this guide starts there. Then it lists nine plugins that are current in the WordPress directory, what each does, and how to choose.
Widgets in a classic theme and a block theme
WordPress has two ways to handle sidebar content, and the plugin you need depends on which one your site uses.
Classic themes and widget areas
A classic theme registers widget areas, often called sidebars, and shows them in fixed places such as the right column or the footer. You manage them under Appearance, then Widgets. Since WordPress 5.8 that screen uses the block editor, so each widget is a block. If you prefer the older screen, the Classic Widgets plugin restores it.
Block themes and the Site Editor
A block theme has no widget areas. Instead it uses templates and template parts, which you edit in the Site Editor under Appearance, then Editor. A sidebar is a template part, and “widgets” are simply blocks you place inside it. You can add a different sidebar to each template, for example one for posts and none for pages, without a plugin.
That changes what you need. On a block theme you rarely need a plugin to add sidebars. You may still want one for conditional display, such as showing a block only to logged-in users or only on certain pages. On a classic theme, sidebar manager plugins still earn their keep, because registering extra widget areas by hand means editing theme code.
Not sure which kind you have? If Appearance shows an Editor item and no Customize or Widgets menu, you are on a block theme. If it shows Widgets and Customize, you are on a classic theme.
1. Custom Sidebars
Custom Sidebars lets you create new widget areas and replace the default sidebar on selected posts, pages, categories or post types. You do the work from the widgets screen, with no code.
Best for: classic themes where you want a different sidebar on different sections of the site.
2. Content Aware Sidebars
Content Aware Sidebars creates widget areas and shows them based on conditions, such as the page, post type, taxonomy, author or logged-in status. A free version covers the core features, and paid add-ons extend the rules.
Best for: sites that need rule-based sidebars, such as a different sidebar for each category.
3. Widget Options
Widget Options adds visibility settings to every widget, for both classic widgets and blocks. You can limit a widget to certain pages, user roles, devices or times. A paid version adds more controls.
Best for: owners who want per-widget display rules without installing a separate sidebar system.
4. SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle is a collection of ready-made widgets, including sliders, buttons, pricing tables, testimonials and maps. Each widget has its own settings panel, and you can turn on only the ones you need. It pairs with Page Builder by SiteOrigin, though it works in widget areas on its own.
Best for: classic themes where you want ready-made widgets with design controls.
5. Black Studio TinyMCE Widget
Black Studio TinyMCE Widget adds a visual editor widget so you can write formatted text, add images and place links in a sidebar without raw HTML. It is a long-standing, simple plugin that does one job.
Best for: classic widget screens where you want a rich text widget. On the block-based widgets screen, the Paragraph and Image blocks do the same job.
6. Widget Context
Widget Context lets you show or hide each widget based on the page being viewed, using a set of simple rules. It focuses on that one task and adds little else.
Best for: owners who want a small plugin that controls where each widget appears.
7. Block Visibility
Block Visibility adds conditional display controls to blocks. You can show or hide any block by schedule, user role, login state and more, which includes blocks you place in a Site Editor template part.
Best for: block themes, where “widgets” are blocks and you still want conditional display.
8. Widget Importer and Exporter
Widget Importer & Exporter moves your widgets from one site to another through an export file. It saves a lot of time when you set up a staging site or build several sites with the same layout.
Best for: agencies and owners who copy widget setups between sites.
9. Classic Widgets
Classic Widgets is an official WordPress plugin that brings back the widgets screen from before WordPress 5.8. Many older sidebar plugins were written for that screen, so this plugin keeps them working. It does nothing on a block theme, which has no widget areas.
Best for: classic-theme sites that rely on older widget plugins.
Comparison table
| Plugin | What it does | Works well with |
|---|---|---|
| Custom Sidebars | Creates and swaps sidebars per page or section | Classic themes |
| Content Aware Sidebars | Rule-based sidebars | Classic themes |
| Widget Options | Visibility rules for each widget | Classic widgets and blocks |
| SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle | Ready-made widgets | Classic themes |
| Black Studio TinyMCE Widget | Rich text widget | Classic widgets screen |
| Widget Context | Show or hide widgets by page | Classic widgets |
| Block Visibility | Conditional display for blocks | Block themes |
| Widget Importer and Exporter | Moves widget setups between sites | Classic themes |
| Classic Widgets | Restores the older widgets screen | Classic themes |
How to choose
- Find out your theme type. Block theme or classic theme decides most of the answer.
- Block theme: build sidebars as template parts in the Site Editor. Add Block Visibility only if you need conditions.
- Classic theme with several sidebars: use Custom Sidebars or Content Aware Sidebars.
- Classic theme, one sidebar, different content per page: Widget Options or Widget Context is lighter than a full sidebar manager.
- Need richer widgets: add SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle, or use blocks if your widget screen supports them.
- Old plugin needs the old screen: install Classic Widgets.
Keep the number of plugins small. Each one adds code to every page. If a sidebar becomes a long stack of widgets, ask whether the page needs it at all. Cleaner layouts load faster, and our guide to WordPress website performance explains how to measure the effect.
Moving from widgets to blocks
If you plan to move from a classic theme to a block theme, plan your sidebars first. Write down every widget area and what sits in it. In the Site Editor, recreate each as a template part and place blocks in it. Widgets built by plugins may not have a block version, so check before you switch. Test one template at a time on a staging copy, then switch the live site when each template matches.
For related layout tools, see our guides to page builders and slider and gallery plugins, and to popup plugins if your sidebar is carrying promotions.
Writing sidebar content that earns its space
A sidebar is useful only when it helps the reader do the next thing. Before you fill one, decide what that next thing is for each kind of page.
- Blog posts: related posts, a short author box and a newsletter sign-up usually do more than a long list of archives.
- Shop pages: filters, categories and recently viewed products help buyers narrow choices.
- Documentation: a table of contents or a list of sibling articles helps people find the answer.
- Landing pages: no sidebar at all. Every extra link pulls attention from the single action you want.
On mobile, most themes move the sidebar below the content, so anything important at the top of a desktop sidebar ends up far down the page on a phone. Check this on a real device. If a widget matters, place it inside the content area instead.
Performance and accessibility checks
- Count the requests. Widgets that load social feeds, maps or external scripts slow the page. Replace them with static links where you can.
- Use real headings. Give each widget a clear title and keep heading levels in order, so screen reader users can scan the page.
- Label navigation. If a widget holds a menu, make sure it is marked as navigation and has a readable name.
- Check contrast. Widget text on a coloured background must stay readable in every colour scheme.
- Test the keyboard. Tab through the sidebar and confirm every link and button can be reached and used.
Common mistakes with custom sidebars
The most common mistake is adding a sidebar manager to a block theme. It will not do anything useful there, because block themes have no widget areas to manage. The second is stacking two plugins that control widget visibility, which makes it hard to tell why a widget disappeared. Pick one tool for conditions. The third is forgetting to set a fallback: when you build rules for categories, decide what shows on pages that match none of them. Finally, export your widget setup before a theme switch, since widget placements often do not carry over to a new theme.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a custom sidebar in WordPress?
On a block theme, create a template part in the Site Editor and place it in your templates. On a classic theme, register a widget area in code or use a plugin such as Custom Sidebars or Content Aware Sidebars to create one from the dashboard.
Why is there no Widgets menu on my site?
You are probably using a block theme. Block themes have no widget areas, so the Widgets screen is hidden. Edit your sidebars as template parts in the Site Editor instead.
How do I show different widgets on different pages?
Use a plugin with visibility rules, such as Widget Options, Widget Context or Content Aware Sidebars on a classic theme, or Block Visibility on a block theme. Each lets you set where a widget or block appears.
What does the Classic Widgets plugin do?
It restores the older widgets screen that WordPress used before version 5.8. It helps when an older plugin does not work with the block-based widgets editor. It has no effect on block themes.
Are old sidebar plugins safe to use?
Only if they are still maintained. Check the plugin page for a recent update, support activity and compatibility with your WordPress version. If a plugin has been closed or has not been updated for years, replace it.
Can I use blocks in widget areas?
Yes, since WordPress 5.8 the widgets screen on a classic theme uses blocks. You can place paragraph, image, button and many other blocks in a sidebar without a plugin.
Do widget plugins slow down my site?
Each plugin adds some code, and widgets that load external scripts add more. Keep to the few you need, remove ones you stop using and test page speed after changes.
Next step
Check whether your site uses a block or classic theme, then pick the lightest option for that setup. If you want more layout control beyond sidebars, read our guide to WordPress page builders.