Multiple Category Selection Widget
Filter posts by selecting multiple categories using dropdown menus. Available as a widget, block, or shortcode.
The facts
- Rating
- 2.9★ from 14
- Active installs
- 100+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 23 Feb 2026
- Added
- Aug 2008
- Requires WP
- 6.0
- Tested up to
- WP 6.9.7
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- Downloads
- 78,199
Our analysis
AI-assistedThe Multiple Category Selection Widget is a WordPress plugin that enables users to filter posts by selecting categories and sub-categories through dropdown menus. It supports both Gutenberg and Classic Widget formats, as well as a shortcode for use on any page or post.
This plugin is designed for sites with complex category structures, such as real estate listings, allowing users to refine their searches based on multiple criteria. It features AJAX functionality for dynamic loading of sub-categories and offers various filtering options.
Best for: This plugin suits websites with extensive category structures looking to enhance post filtering capabilities.
What it does well
- ✓Supports both Gutenberg and Classic Widget formats
- ✓Allows AND/OR category filtering
- ✓Dynamic loading of sub-categories with AJAX
- ✓Lightweight with no jQuery or external dependencies
- ✓Pagination support available
Where it falls short
- •Rating of 2.9 out of 5 indicates mixed user feedback
- •Active installs are relatively low at 100
- •Limited information on user experience or support
Verdict
The Multiple Category Selection Widget provides useful filtering options for category-based content, but its mixed rating suggests potential user concerns that should be considered.
From the developer
zackdesign's own description of Multiple Category Selection Widget, lightly tidied.
Turn your WordPress post categories into a search powerhouse! This plugin gives you a set of dropdown menus based on parent categories and their sub-categories. Users select one sub-category per parent, and the plugin filters posts matching the selected combination.
Available as:
- Gutenberg Block — “Multi-Category Filter” in the block inserter (new in v4)
- Classic Widget — “Multi-Category Selection” in Appearance > Widgets
- Shortcode —
[mcsw]on any page or post
Features:
- AND / OR category filtering — find posts matching ALL or ANY selected categories
- AJAX chained drilldown — selecting a parent dynamically loads its children
- Pretty permalink URLs (
/categories/3,5/search_type/and/order/title/) - Ordering by title or default
- Configurable blank search behavior
- Exclude specific categories
- Lightweight — no jQuery, no external dependencies
- Pagination support
- Display form above results on category pages (optional)
Sample use case:
Real estate — set up parent categories like “Bedrooms”, “Bathrooms”, “Price Range” with sub-categories beneath them. Users filter listings by selecting from each dropdown.
Upgrading from v3.x:
- PHP sessions have been removed entirely — the URL now carries all state, which means better compatibility with caching plugins, load balancers, and modern hosting
- jQuery has been replaced with vanilla JavaScript
- CSS classes have changed from
wpmcsw/wpmmto BEM-stylemcsw-*classes — update any custom CSS - The old
select-chain.jsin the plugin root has been replaced byjs/select-chain.js