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Show-Hide / Collapse-Expand

4.6 (20 reviews)
· 10K+ active installs · By buntegiraffe
Active Installs
10K+
Rating
4.6 / 5
Version
v1.3.0
Last Updated
Mar 2023
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Plugin Review

AI-Researched

What is Show-Hide / Collapse-Expand?

Show-Hide / Collapse-Expand is a lightweight WordPress plugin that lets you manage visible content on your pages and posts. Developed by buntegiraffe, this tool has been available for 9 years. It currently shows 10K+ active installs and holds a 4.6/5 rating from 20 reviews. The rating breakdown shows 85% 10% one-star feedback.

The plugin uses shortcodes to hide and show content on click, making it useful for decluttering layouts. You can collapse content wordpress pages using jQuery effects like slide or fold. The developer provides a live demo at showhide.bunte-giraffe.de with credentials (User: demo, password: demo) for testing before installation.

Key Features of Show-Hide / Collapse-Expand

  • jQuery Animation Effects – Choose from blind, fold, highlight, or slide effects for expanding content.
  • Custom Animation Speed – Set your own timing in milliseconds, or disable effects entirely via the settings panel.
  • Nested Shortcodes – Stack up to 3 levels of collapsible content using dedicated shortcodes like [bg_collapse_level2] and [bg_collapse_level3].
  • Styling Control – Use hyperlinks or pure-CSS buttons, with individual styling options for each element.
  • Sticky Button Option – Make the toggle button stay at the end of expanded content for better UX.
  • Widget Support – Insert the same shortcode into sidebar widgets to collapse widgets and reduce clutter.
  • TinyMCE Button – Insert shortcodes directly from the Visual editor without manual coding.
  • FAQ Builder – Group questions and hidden answers under expandable headings for FAQ sections.

Who Should Use Show-Hide / Collapse-Expand?

This plugin suits beginners and intermediate WordPress users who want to hide content in wordpress post sections without touching code. The TinyMCE button makes insertion straightforward for non-developers. Site owners running content-heavy pages can use it to show hide text wordpress blocks, reducing visual clutter.

With 10K+ installs, the plugin serves a niche audience. It works well for FAQ pages, quiz answers, long lists, and sidebar organization. Users looking for the best collapse expand plugin wordpress option with simple shortcode-based functionality will find this tool adequate for basic needs. The 4.6 rating suggests most users achieve their goals, though the 10% one-star ratings indicate some encounter limitations.

Installation & Setup

Upload the plugin files to /wp-content/plugins/show-hidecollapse-expand or install directly from the WordPress plugins screen. Activate it, then go to Tools → ShowHide/CollapseExpand to customize global settings. The TinyMCE button appears in the Visual editor after activation, making shortcode insertion beginner-friendly.

Support & Community

The plugin’s support forum shows 0 open threads and 0 resolved threads over the last 2 months, giving a 0% resolution rate. This lack of activity may concern users needing timely help. The developer states “great support” in the description, but the current data suggests limited recent engagement.

The rating distribution reveals a split experience. 85% of the 20 reviews are five-star, praising the plugin’s simplicity and effect options. The 10% one-star ratings likely reflect issues with specific content types or the plugin’s last update date of Mar 19, 2023. The plugin was tested up to WordPress 6.1.10, which may cause compatibility questions for newer WordPress versions. Users should test on a staging site before deploying widely.

Pros & Cons

What's Good
  • With over 10K+ active installs and a 4.6 rating from 20 reviews, 85% of which are 5-star, this plugin is widely trusted for its core collapse/expand functionality.
  • It offers six distinct jQuery animation effects (blind, fold, highlight, slide) and custom animation speeds, giving you fine-grained control over the visual transition.
  • You can nest collapsible content up to three levels deep, making it suitable for organizing complex FAQs or multi-tiered lists without needing additional plugins.
  • The plugin includes a TinyMCE button for inserting shortcodes and supports per-link styling with custom CSS, icons, and pure-CSS buttons, all configurable without touching code.
  • It allows you to attach custom JavaScript functions to onclick events, enabling advanced interactivity like triggering analytics or form submissions when content expands.
Drawbacks
  • The plugin has zero resolved support threads out of zero total, meaning there is no public record of any user issues being addressed, which raises concerns about ongoing maintenance.
  • Despite being updated regularly, it has only 20 total ratings, suggesting a small user base that may not provide enough community feedback or bug reports for rapid improvements.
  • The demo site requires a password to access, which adds friction for potential users trying to evaluate the plugin’s behavior before installation.

Technical Details

Requires WordPress
4.2+
Tested up to WP
6.1.10
First Released
2017 (9+ years)
Support (last 2 months)
0 threads

Feature Tags

collapse expand faq hide-content show-content

Frequently Asked Questions