📊 Data-Driven Comparison · Updated 2026

Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My? How to Choose the Right One

Honest Breakdown

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By PluginMatch Editorial
· ⏱ 3 min read
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WI
WP.org rating 4.9/5
AU
WP.org rating 4.9/5

At a glance

Plugin A

Widgets for Google Reviews

Embed Google reviews fast and easily into your WordPress site. Increase SEO, trust and sales using Google reviews.

Rating
4.9/5
Active Installs 900K+
Author Trustindex
Version v13.3.1
Last Updated Apr 2026
Plugin B

Auto Publish for Google My Business

Auto Publish for Google My Business automatically publishes posts, custom posts and pages to your Google Business page or display Google My Business r …

Rating
4.9/5
Active Installs 10K+
Author Northern Beaches Websites
Version v3.13
Last Updated May 2025

Full Comparison

Technical Specs

Widgets for Google Reviews vs Auto Publish for Google My Business: Key Statistics
MetricWidgets for Google ReviewsAuto Publish for Google My Business
Requires WP6.2+4.0+
Requires PHP7.4+5.2.4+
Tested up to WP7.06.8.5
Plugin age7 yrs8 yrs

Quick Verdict

Widgets for Google Reviews is the clear winner. It has 90x more installs than Auto Publish for Google My Business. Its 95% five-star rating and 87% support resolution rate confirm it's the best google reviews plugin WordPress users can trust. Pick it for displaying reviews. Pick Auto Publish for Google My Business only if you specifically need to auto-publish posts to your Google Business profile.

Feature Comparison: Widgets for Google Reviews vs Auto Publish for Google My Business

Core functional differences between the two plugins
Feature Widgets for Google Reviews Auto Publish for Google My Business
Primary function Embed Google reviews into your WordPress site Auto-publish WordPress posts to Google Business profile
Display Google reviews Yes, with customizable widgets No
Auto-publish to Google Business No Yes, including custom posts and pages
SEO benefit Increases trust and sales via review display Keeps Google Business profile updated with fresh content
Typical use case Show social proof on your website Sync blog posts to Google Business updates

Who Should Use Widgets for Google Reviews

  • Local businesses wanting to show google reviews on wordpress site to build trust with visitors. It is trusted by 900K+ active installs.
  • Site owners who want an easy way to embed google reviews wordpress without manual code. 95% of reviewers gave it a 5-star rating.
  • Teams focused on conversion rate optimization who need a google reviews widget for wordpress that loads fast and updates automatically.

Who Should Use Auto Publish for Google My Business

  • Business owners who run a blog and want to auto publish wordpress posts to google my business without manual copying and pasting.
  • Marketing teams managing multiple Google Business profiles who need a wordpress google my business post scheduler to save time.
  • Users who need to sync custom post types (like events or offers) directly to their Google Business page updates.

Community & Support

Widgets for Google Reviews shows strong community health. In the last two months, support handled 23 threads and resolved 20 of them, an 87% resolution rate. Only 2% of all reviews give it a 1-star rating, while 95% give it 5 stars. This combination of responsive support and high satisfaction makes it a low-risk choice for any site owner.

Verdict: Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My Business for WordPress sites?

Pick Widgets for Google Reviews if you need to show google reviews on wordpress site. It dominates with 900K+ installs and a 95% five-star approval rate. It is the best google reviews plugin WordPress users can install today.

Pick Auto Publish for Google My Business if your main goal is to auto publish wordpress posts to google my business. It serves a narrow but real need for syncing content to your Business profile.

For most users, the choice is clear. Widgets for Google Reviews solves a higher-demand problem with better community proof. Auto Publish for Google My Business fills a specific gap but lacks the scale and support data to compete as a general recommendation.

How this comparison was made

This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How many people use Widgets for Google Reviews compared to Auto Publish for Google My Business?

Widgets for Google Reviews has 900K+ active installs while Auto Publish for Google My Business has 10K+, meaning Widgets for Google Reviews is used on more sites.

Q Which has better user ratings — Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My Business?

Both plugins average 4.9/5 on WordPress.org — Widgets for Google Reviews from 2,596 reviews and Auto Publish for Google My Business from 38 reviews.

Q Which is more actively maintained — Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My Business?

Widgets for Google Reviews was last updated on Apr 14, 2026 and Auto Publish for Google My Business on May 6, 2025, so Widgets for Google Reviews received the more recent update.

Q Are Widgets for Google Reviews and Auto Publish for Google My Business both free?

Yes — both Widgets for Google Reviews and Auto Publish for Google My Business are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.

Q Is Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My Business better for WordPress sites?

For most WordPress sites, Widgets for Google Reviews is the better choice because it directly addresses the most common need: displaying customer reviews on your site. Auto Publish for Google My Business focuses on pushing your posts to Google, which is a different and less requested feature for typical business websites.

Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — Widgets for Google Reviews or Auto Publish for Google My Business?

Widgets for Google Reviews is easier for a beginner because its feature tags center on 'widget' and 'reviews', which typically means a simple shortcode or block to paste on a page. Auto Publish for Google My Business involves connecting your site to push content out, which requires more configuration and understanding of the Google My Business dashboard.

Q What is the biggest feature difference between Widgets for Google Reviews and Auto Publish for Google My Business?

The biggest difference is direction: Widgets for Google Reviews pulls reviews from Google into your WordPress site, while Auto Publish for Google My Business pushes your WordPress content out to your Google My Business profile. One brings social proof in, the other sends your updates out.

Q Can you switch from Widgets for Google Reviews to Auto Publish for Google My Business (or the other way) without losing data?

You can switch between them without losing your WordPress content because they handle different data types. Widgets for Google Reviews stores review display settings, while Auto Publish for Google My Business stores publishing connections, so neither plugin overwrites your posts or pages.

Q Which type of site should choose Widgets for Google Reviews, and which should choose Auto Publish for Google My Business?

Choose Widgets for Google Reviews if you run a local business, restaurant, or service site that needs to show customer testimonials to build trust. Choose Auto Publish for Google My Business if you run a blog or news site that regularly publishes updates and wants those posts automatically shared to your Google Business Profile.