Post Types Order
Plugin Health & Stats
Manual post ordering with a mature WordPress workflow
Post Types Order is built for sites that need to control the sequence of posts and custom post types without changing publish dates. It adds drag-and-drop ordering and can apply the stored order automatically to WordPress queries, which makes it useful for portfolios, products, directories, testimonials, team members, resources, and other collections that need a deliberate editorial sequence.
The plugin has been around for many years and remains actively maintained. Its approach is familiar: configure how ordering should behave, then use either the normal WordPress list screen or the dedicated Re-Order interface to arrange content.
How Post Types Order works
The plugin stores a custom order that can be used through WordPress’s menu_order behavior. With AutoSort enabled, the plugin applies the selected order without requiring custom query code in common cases. Developers who want explicit control can instead order their own queries by menu_order.
For non-hierarchical post types, the dedicated Re-Order screen provides a focused sorting interface. The plugin can also expose custom ordering in the default WordPress post list, so editors do not always need to move into a separate settings screen just to make a small ordering change.
Where it makes sense
Post Types Order is especially useful when a site contains structured content that is not naturally chronological. Product collections, case studies, services, courses, staff profiles, reusable content libraries, and directory entries are common examples. A site owner can decide the sequence once and then adjust it visually as priorities change.
It also suits sites where a developer has already built custom post types and wants a simple editorial control instead of adding another custom field solely for ordering.
Important behavior to understand
The biggest decision is whether AutoSort should control queries automatically. That is convenient for most editorial sites, but complex sites may have queries that intentionally use date, title, price, popularity, or another ordering rule. Developers should verify those templates rather than assuming every query should inherit the manual sequence.
Hierarchical content also behaves differently from a flat list, and previous/next navigation can depend on the order used by the theme. The current plugin includes controls and fixes around navigation behavior, but the final front-end result still depends on how the theme or custom query requests posts.
Current maintenance
Version 2.5.6 is current as of September 2026. Recent releases include compatibility work for WordPress 7.1, fixes to query limits and ordering behavior, and improvements to previous/next navigation. The WordPress.org listing reports broad adoption, which is useful for a utility plugin that interacts with core query ordering.
The plugin currently supports PHP 5.6 or later, although running a modern supported PHP release is the better choice for the WordPress site as a whole.
Post Types Order vs simpler alternatives
The main alternatives are another dedicated ordering plugin, custom menu_order handling in theme/plugin code, or a more advanced filtering/query builder. A dedicated plugin is easier for non-developers. Custom code is leaner when the ordering rule is fixed and unlikely to change. A query builder makes more sense when the sequence should be calculated from multiple conditions instead of dragged manually.
Who should use it?
Post Types Order is a good fit for editors who want a mature drag-and-drop ordering system and for developers who appreciate the option to let the plugin apply ordering automatically or handle menu_order explicitly in custom queries.
PluginSuggest verdict
This is a focused administrative tool with a long track record. It is most useful when manual ordering is a real editorial requirement, not when the site is trying to simulate a dynamic ranking system. Used in the right context, it removes a surprising amount of repetitive WordPress admin work.