Maps Widget for Google Maps

81 Quality Score

Active Installs

20/30

With 30,000 active installs and a high popularity-to-installs ratio, the plugin has a modest but loyal user base compared to category leaders like WP Go Maps at 300,000 installs.

Update Freshness

25/25

Updated on 2026-05-21 and tested against WordPress 7.0, the plugin is clearly and actively maintained.

User Rating

14/15

A 92/100 rating from 512 reviews indicates strong user satisfaction, well above the WordPress plugin average.

Support Health

8/15

With zero support threads recorded, there is no public data to assess responsiveness, which is a meaningful gap for a paid or business-critical tool.

WP Compatibility

15/15

Requiring only PHP 7.2 and WordPress 4.0, with confirmed testing on WordPress 7.0, the plugin has excellent backward and forward compatibility.

Scores higher than 85% of indexed plugins

About

Are your Google Maps slow? Try Map Widget for Google Maps. You'll have a fast Google Maps widget with a thumbnail & lightbox map in minutes!

Active Installs 30k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.6/5

Last Updated 2026-08-16 1:49pm GMT

Requires WordPress 4.0+

Tested Up To 7.1

Requires PHP 7.2+

Security History

2 known vulnerabilities, all patched

2 Medium

Most recent: April 6, 2023

View details ▸

What It Does

Maps Widget for Google Maps adds a fast-loading Google Maps widget to your WordPress sidebar or widget areas. Instead of embedding a heavy interactive map directly on the page, it shows a static thumbnail that opens a larger map in a lightbox when clicked. This approach dramatically reduces page load times while still letting visitors view your location.

Who It's For

This plugin is ideal for local businesses, restaurants, real estate agents, and any site owner who wants to show a single location on a sidebar without slowing down their page. It works especially well for sites where map interactivity is nice-to-have but not the main feature. Multi-location businesses with simple address displays will also benefit.

Who Should Skip It

If you need multi-marker maps, custom directions, store locators with search functionality, or layered map data, this widget is too limited. Developers building feature-rich map experiences should look at WP Go Maps or Leaflet Map instead.

The Bottom Line

Maps Widget for Google Maps solves a specific problem well: putting a Google Map on your site without paying the performance cost of an embedded interactive map. It earns its 81.35/100 quality score through excellent maintenance and high user ratings, though the lack of visible support activity and limited feature set keep it from scoring higher. If you only need a single-location map widget and care about speed, it is a strong pick.

Related Plugins

WP Go Maps 86/100

Pick this when you need multi-marker maps, custom map styles, or interactive directions rather than just a single thumbnail.

WP Store Locator 83/100

Choose this for multi-location store finders with search radius and category filters, which this widget cannot do.

API KEY for Google Maps 83/100

Use this companion plugin if you already run another map plugin and only need to manage your Google Maps API key securely.

iframe 82/100

Pick this when you want the simplest possible Google Maps embed via iframe without any widget or lightbox features.

Leaflet Map 82/100

Choose this for open-source, Google-free map rendering using OpenStreetMap data and full customization.