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WordPress offers a full feature set that is out of the box. This includes top-notch managers for posts and pages, media assets, and even menus. However, the latter can’t do everything you’d want it to. Some features will be part of your chosen theme. On the other hand, a WordPress menu plugin can help you implement complex functionality regardless of your theme.
For example, you can add a so-called ‘mega menu’ to your site, sliding off-canvas designs, full-screen ‘hero’ menus, and more. A dedicated plugin will also offer more focus and functionality for your chosen application.
In this post, we’ll examine how to choose the right WordPress menu plugin for you. First, let’s discuss why you should install a plugin.
WordPress’ Own Menu Management Options
We can’t offer any negatives for WordPress’ menu functionality. It provides a robust set of features that covers almost all the necessary aspects you’d want to achieve with your menus.
For example, you can create as many new menus as needed, set specific options for each, choose where they display, and more. The drag-and-drop menu editor is also lovely and lets you easily set submenus.
In addition, there are also extra hidden screen options (accessible at the top of the screen), that let you implement additional functionality to your menus:
Even so, the menu screens can’t cater to every possible need. This is where plugins come to the rescue.
Why You’d Want to Use a Dedicated WordPress Menu Plugin Over the Native Functionality
The ethos of the WordPress core functionality is that it should cover most of the necessary bases to get a site up and running. If you need more than what’s on offer, install a plugin. While the scope for building menus in WordPress is solid, you can’t do everything.
However, WordPress is nothing if not flexible and customizable. As such, you can code up extra functionality if you have the HTML, CSS, and PHP skills. There are drawbacks to this:
- There’s a time issue: you’ll need some to work on the implementation. Also, remember that you need to factor in testing and revisions, too, as no solution will come out perfect the first time.
- You may not have the skills to get the job done or introduce issues to your site.
- You’re hard-wiring functionality into your site, which would better serve as a plugin.
If you’re contemplating the latter for personal rather than business reasons, other developers have trod the path before you. In other words, you’ll want to install a dedicated WordPress menu plugin. However, before you do that, you must know how to choose the right one.
How to Choose the Right WordPress Menu Plugin For You
The first decision you must make is what the WordPress menu plugin will help you achieve. This should be straightforward in most cases, as lots focus on a specific functionality. For example, there are many mega menu plugins; you can also find mobile-first and responsive ones.
Once you have a solid idea of what the plugin should do, you must ascertain how it will help you reach your goals. It would be best to look for how you build menus, the available customization options, and any advanced functionality to help your menu stand out.
Of course, there are lots of other general considerations, too, that apply to almost any plugin you want to install:
- Check whether the plugin has a recent update available. If there has been no activity here for six months or more, shift your attention to another plugin.
- See if there are many active installs. While this doesn’t indicate quality, a large user base often gravitates toward good WordPress solutions.
- Speaking of users, check out the ratings and reviews for your chosen plugin. In particular, look at the worst reviews, as this will give you more insight into how a plugin operates in the real world.
Once you know what to look for, you have the most significant step to tackle: Making your choice.
Rounding Up Some of the Leading WordPress Menu Plugins
To choose the right WordPress menu plugin, you need some options. The good news is that there are lots on the market, both free and premium. When it comes to mega menus, the niche is well represented. While there are lots of free and premium options, such as WP Mega Menu Pro, Groovy Mega Menu, and more, Max Mega Menu is free and great to use:
There are also a few choices to make your menus responsive. Superfly is an excellent premium option, although Responsive Menu and ShiftNav are both full-featured and free:
We like some of the more niche plugins on the market, such as the little-known My Header Footer.
This gives you an excellent drag-and-drop builder to create your menus and deserves more attention based on its functionality.
For a different application, consider Admin Menu Editor.
This lets you customize the WordPress admin sidebar to your liking. While you might not think there is much use for this at first, it’s perfect for creating a custom dashboard for specific user roles to improve usability and the overall experience.
In Closing
You get a lot of functionality without installing any plugins in WordPress. One solid area of attention is with menus. You can go far with the native tools and create complex structures with minimal effort.
A WordPress menu plugin can help you improve your navigation. Many plugins, such as Max Mega Menu, help you create mega menus. You can also find solutions for more specific needs, such as the menus on the WordPress admin screen. You have a wide range of plugins, making it easy to tailor your menus to your requirements.
Do you have a custom setup using a specific WordPress menu plugin? Let us know in the comments section below!