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Shortcodes Ultimate is a popular shortcode plugin that comes with over 50 ready-made codes. It also has a user-friendly editor, so you can create your own custom shortcodes.
Have you used "Shortcodes Ultimate" before? Add Your Review to help the community.

Pros:

  • Over 50 ready-made shortcodes
  • Easily create lightboxes, accordions, pricing tables, and more
  • Integrates seamlessly with the WordPress block editor
  • Add shortcodes with 1-click
  • Create your own shortcodes
  • Supports all modern WordPress themes

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Shortcodes Ultimate Review: Is It the Right Shortcodes Plugin for You?

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Are you looking for a Shortcodes Ultimate review to see if it’s the right shortcode plugin for you?

This popular plugin adds over 50 shortcodes to WordPress, including lightboxes, carousels, and accordions. You can even design your own shortcodes using the built-in editor.

In this Shortcodes Ultimate review, we’ll see whether it really is the right shortcodes library for your WordPress website.

Shortcodes Ultimate review: Is it the right shortcode plugin for you?

Shortcodes Ultimate Review: Why use it in WordPress?

Shortcodes Ultimate adds over 50 shortcodes to your WordPress website. This allows you to create all kinds of content with ease, including pricing tables, RSS feeds, exit popups, galleries, and QR codes.

An example of a QR code, created using Shortcodes Ultimate

This plugin is designed to work seamlessly with any WordPress theme, and even integrates with the full-site editor. With that said, you can add these extra shortcodes to any page, post, or widget-ready area.

If you’re just getting started or have a limited budget, then you can download Shortcodes Ultimate lite from WordPress.org.

The free WP Shortcodes WordPress plugin

However, the free plugin doesn’t include the full shortcode library. That said, you’ll need to upgrade if you want to create more advanced content such as pricing tables, progress bars, popups, and testimonials.

The premium plugin also comes with a built-in editor, so you can create your own custom shortcodes with ease.

Shortcodes Ultimate Review: Is It the Right Shortcodes Plugin for You?

Many WordPress plugins and themes come with their own shortcodes. However, they’re usually tied to that specific theme or plugin’s features.

By contrast, a good shortcode plugin will add a ton of generic codes to your WordPress website. This gives you the flexibility to create all kinds of content, without being restricted to a specific theme or plugin. With that said, let’s see if Shortcodes Ultimate is the right choice for your WordPress blog or website.

1. 50+ Ready-Made Shortcuts

Shortcodes Ultimate comes with over 50 ready-made shortcodes that you can add to your website. You can use these shortcodes to create a wide range of content, including accordions, text with icons, splash screens, restricted content, and more.

A collection of custom WordPress shortcodes

With a huge library of shortcodes to choose from, this plugin could potentially replace multiple plugins on your WordPress website.

2. Use Shortcodes Anywhere

You can use this plugin’s shortcodes on any page, post, or widget-ready area. In fact, it comes with a Shortcodes Ultimate block that you can add to areas such as the WordPress sidebar.

Adding a custom shortcode to a widget-ready area in WordPress

These shortcodes also integrate with block-enabled themes, so you can use them in areas you can’t edit using the standard block editor.

For example, you can add shortcodes to your site’s 404 page template, or search results page.

Adding a shortcut to a block-enabled WordPress theme

3. Integrates With the WordPress Editor

You can access the Shortcodes Ultimate library directly in the WordPress block editor. Simply insert the shortcode block as normal and then click the new double brackets ‘[ ]’ icon.

Adding custom shortcodes to any page, post, or widget-ready area

With that done, you’ll see a popup with all the new shortcodes you can add to your website, blog, or online store.

This popup is divided into tabs and features a search bar, so you should have no problems finding what you’re looking for.

Adding advanced shortcodes to any WordPress page or post

When you find a shortcode you want to use, simply go ahead and give it a click. Shortcodes Ultimate will then show some extra settings that you can configure.

These options will vary depending on your shortcode. For example, if you selected ‘QR Code,’ then you’ll see sections where you can enter a URL, coupon code, a title, and other important information you want to store in the QR code.

Adding a QR code to your site using a custom shortcode

When you’re happy with these settings, just click the ‘Insert shortcode’ button. In this way, you can add an unlimited number of shortcodes to any page or post, directly in the WordPress content editor.

4. Fully Customizable Shortcodes

Shortcodes Ultimate has a detailed popup where you can configure every part of a shortcode, before adding it to your site.

Continuing with our QR code example, you can change its size, alter the alignment and margins, add custom CSS classes, and more.

An example of a QR code, created using Shortcodes Ultimate

You can also give your QR code a title, which acts as alt text.

By default, the QR code’s primary colors are black and white, but you can choose any color scheme you want. When making these changes, you can see a live preview at any point.

Previewing the output of a shortcode in WordPress

In this way, you can try lots of different settings to see what looks the best on your website.

5. Customizable Shortcode Presets

Sometimes you may want to re-use the same styling and content, every time you use a particular shortcode. With that in mind, Shortcodes Ultimate lets you save your settings as presets. For example, you might create a ‘Call to Action’ preset for the plugin’s ‘Button’ shortcode.

Creating a reusable shortcode style

With that done, you can use this preset every time you create a call to action button.

This can save you time, while helping you create a consistent design across your entire website, blog, or online marketplace.

Applying a shortcode preset style in WordPress

6. Custom CSS Editor

Shortcodes Ultimate comes with a custom code editor, so you can easily change the appearance of a shortcode or its elements.

Creating a custom shortcode using CSS

The Shortcodes Ultimate editor also supports a few variables so you can use URLs in your code, such as a link to your WordPress homepage.

7. Create Your Own Shortcodes

This plugin comes with over 50 ready-made shortcodes that you can use, However, you can also create your own using the Shortcode Creator.

A user-friendly Shortcode Creator

These custom shortcodes can be static or dynamic.

After creating a shortcode, you can add it to any page, post, or widget-ready area in exactly the same way you use the built-in shortcodes.

Creating a custom dynamic shortcode for your WordPress blog, website, or online store

8. Community and Professional Support

Since it integrates with the block editor, Shortcodes Ultimate is a user-friendly plugin. However, if you need help then you’ll find a complete user guide over at the Shortcodes Ultimate website.

Do you prefer one-on-one support? If you’re using the free plugin, then you can post your questions to the community forum on WordPress.org.

For more information on this topic, please see our guide on how to properly ask for WordPress support and get it.

A WordPress support forum

If you have a premium plan, then you’ll also get access to professional support. Simply submit a ticket and a member of the Shortcodes Ultimate team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Shortcodes Ultimate Review: Pricing and Plans

If you’re just getting started or have a limited budget, then you can download the lite Shortcodes Ultimate plugin from WordPress.org. However, you’ll need a premium license, in order to get access to the full shortcode library.

The Shortcodes Ultimate pricing plans

Each premium plan includes the full shortcode library, plus the user-friendly Shortcode Creator.

With that said, the major difference is the number of websites where you can use the Shortcodes Ultimate plugin:

  • Basic. For $39 per year, you can use the plugin on a single website.
  • Expert. For $59 annually, you can use Shortcodes Ultimate on up to 10 websites. With that said, the Expert plan is a good option if you run several sites, such as multiple blogs in an affiliate marketing network.
  • Studio. For $199 per year, you can use Shortcodes Ultimate on up to 100 websites. That said, we recommend this plan for WordPress development agencies, freelance developers, or anyone who manages multiple sites.

Shortcodes Ultimate Review: Is It the Right Shortcodes Plugin for You?

After looking at the features, support, pricing, and more, we’re confident that Shortcodes Ultimate is a great shortcodes library plugin.

It adds over 50 shortcodes to your site, so you can embed YouTube videos, image carousels, animations, and many other types of content. Even better, you can access these shortcodes directly in the WordPress block editor, and add them to your site with just a few clicks.

This plugin also comes with a user-friendly editor so you can create custom shortcodes using HTML or PHP.

When choosing a plan, you’ll need to consider the number of sites where you want to use Shortcodes Ultimate. The Basic plan is a good option if you run a single website, while Expert allows you to install Shortcodes Ultimate on up to 10 sites.

Finally, if you’re a WordPress developer or run a development agency, then Studio raises this limit to 100 websites.

We hope this Shortcodes Ultimate review helped you decide whether it’s the right shortcode plugin for you. You can also check out our guide on how to increase your blog traffic, or see our expert pick of the best drag and drop page builders.

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