The best WordPress timeline plugin overall is Cool Timeline Pro: it handles vertical and horizontal timelines, blog-post timelines, and one-sided or two-sided layouts for $29. The best free option is its sibling, Cool Timeline, and Elementor users should look at Timeline Widget for Elementor. We re-checked every plugin in this list in August 2026 and replaced one that has been closed since our last update.
When choosing a timeline plugin, it’s a good idea to check out the demos to see how any timelines you create will look when they’re published on your website. Many of these WordPress timeline plugins include multiple templates that can transform their appearance in just a few clicks. You will also find at least some customization options in these tools, with some plugins offering more scope for modification than others.
Another important point to consider when choosing this kind of plugin is the type of content that you can add to your timelines. Some simply let you display text on your timeline, while others allow you to insert images, videos, and even custom HTML. You can also present your WordPress posts in a timeline format, with the ability to display post content, such as the title, featured image, excerpt, and other details as part of the timeline. Adding social sharing buttons to your timelines is another interesting feature that could help deliver more traffic to your website.
With free and paid options in this collection of timeline plugins, there are tools to match all budgets and requirements.
| Plugin | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cool Timeline Pro | Feature-rich vertical and horizontal timelines | $29 |
| WP Timeline | Post-driven timelines with lots of templates | $45 |
| Bold Timeline | Pre-built timeline demos you can tweak | $29 |
| Cool Timeline | The best free timeline plugin | Free |
| Timeline Widget for Elementor | Elementor sites | Free, Pro available |
The best WordPress timeline plugins in 2026
1. Cool Timeline Pro
Cool Timeline Pro aims to make it as easy as possible to add unique timelines to your WordPress website.
With this plugin installed, you’ll be able to add vertical and horizontal timelines to your WordPress website to display important dates in your history or the history of your company. You can also use this tool to create a timeline of your blog posts and display your content in an interesting design. Through the settings, it’s easy to adjust how the timeline looks and works. For example, you can change the order the content is displayed in, as well as filter the content based on your own criteria.
Thanks to the good selection of timeline templates, users of this plugin can easily choose whether to create single-sided timelines or double-sided designs. There are also optional animation effects that can help bring your timelines to life and ensure they catch the attention of your visitors. If you’re short on space, the compact timeline layout will come in handy, while those with more room available to them will appreciate the timeline layouts that include text and other types of content.
Adding images to your timelines is straightforward too with this plugin, increasing the type of projects this tool could work well with. For instance, if you wanted to share how the design of your website has evolved over time, then adding a timeline that includes screenshots of the site alongside the dates of any redesigns would be something this plugin could easily handle. If you’d like some help when it comes to adding timelines to your WordPress website, there are online tutorial videos that show you how to use this plugin.
If you’re looking for a feature-rich plugin that can be used to create timelines of all types and styles, then Cool Timeline Pro and its demos are well worth checking out.
2. WP Timeline
WP Timeline gives you the freedom to display whatever information you want on your website timelines.
With support for WordPress posts, pages, and other post type formats, WP Timeline makes it possible to display a wide range of different content using the timeline format. You can also use the taxonomies on your site, such as categories and tags, to define which content should be displayed on your timelines. Furthermore, with the WP Timeline plugin, you can create as many timelines as your project requires, giving you lots of options for how you use this tool.
WP Timeline includes a competitive set of templates for displaying your timelines. You can check all of these options out on the plugin website, however, with templates that include single and multiple-column layouts, horizontal and vertical options, and the ability to add custom text decorations to the timeline descriptions, you can use WP Timeline in a number of different ways. As well as the timeline templates, you can also customize the output of this plugin. There are dark and light modes to choose from, as well as more granular controls that provide greater customization opportunities.
Once you’ve created a timeline through the easy-to-use interface of the plugin, the timeline can be inserted into your website content using the corresponding shortcode. Due to the way WordPress shortcodes work, whenever you update your timeline, every instance of it will also be updated on your site, without any extra work required on your part. As this is a well-coded plugin, WP Timeline will work with any WordPress theme that’s also been built to follow coding standards. Plus, if you choose this plugin, you can be sure that your timelines will also look great on any modern device, thanks to the responsive layouts of WP Timeline.
WP Timeline is another versatile addition to this collection of the best WordPress timeline plugins.
3. Bold Timeline
Bold Timeline has many demo timelines you can add to your site.
The pre-built timelines of this plugin come in a range of styles, designs, and layouts. Due to this, there’s a good chance you’ll find an option that’s ready to go. However, as the demos can all be easily edited, if there’s one that isn’t perfect for your project, you can easily adjust them to create a timeline that’s right for your site.
Creating your own interactive timeline from scratch is straightforward, too, with Bold Timeline. As you get total control over how the timeline looks, such as changing the colors, fonts, and icons, with the ability to insert custom media, you can easily create unique timelines for your site.
Bold Timeline is flexible enough to be used for many purposes.
4. Cool Timeline
Cool Timeline is the free version of our top pick, and the best way to build timelines in WordPress without spending anything.
It covers the fundamentals that most sites need: vertical and horizontal timeline layouts, entries built from your own dates and content, and styling that adapts to your theme. If you outgrow it, your timelines carry over to Cool Timeline Pro, so starting free is a low-risk way to test whether a timeline actually fits your site.
The numbers back it up. As of August 2026, Cool Timeline has more than 20,000 active installations on WordPress.org, a 4.7 out of 5 rating from 327 reviews, and it was updated in July 2026 and tested with the current WordPress release. For a free plugin, that maintenance record matters more than any feature list.
5. Timeline Widget for Elementor
Timeline Widget for Elementor is the pick if your site already runs on Elementor.
The core Elementor builder does not ship a dedicated timeline widget, and this addon fills exactly that gap. It adds vertical and horizontal timeline widgets that you drag into your Elementor layouts and style with the same controls you use everywhere else, so there is no separate settings screen to learn and no shortcode to manage.
It is also the most widely used plugin in this list: more than 70,000 active installations, a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 245 reviews, and an update shipped in July 2026 tested against the current WordPress release. The free version handles most timelines; a Pro upgrade exists when you need more layouts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free timeline plugin for WordPress?
Cool Timeline is the best free timeline plugin for most sites: 20,000+ active installations, a 4.7 rating, and an update as recent as July 2026. If your site runs on Elementor, Timeline Widget for Elementor (70,000+ installations) is the better fit because it works inside the builder you already use.
How do I add a timeline to WordPress without a plugin?
You can fake a simple timeline in the block editor with columns, separators, and headings, but you will be maintaining the layout by hand and it will not adapt well on mobile. A timeline plugin handles responsive layouts, ordering, and animations for you, which is why even free options are usually worth installing.
Does Elementor have a timeline widget?
The core Elementor builder does not include a dedicated timeline widget. That gap is exactly what Timeline Widget for Elementor fills: it adds vertical and horizontal timeline widgets you style with the standard Elementor controls.
Can I show my blog posts as a timeline?
Yes. Cool Timeline Pro and WP Timeline can both build timelines from your existing posts, using categories or tags to pick which content appears. Each entry can show the title, featured image, excerpt, and date, so an archive becomes a story readers can scroll through.
Final thoughts on WordPress timeline plugins
Cool Timeline Pro remains the strongest all-round choice at $29, WP Timeline earns its $45 when your timelines need to pull from posts and custom post types, and Bold Timeline is the shortcut if you want to start from a pre-built demo. On a zero budget, start with Cool Timeline, or Timeline Widget for Elementor if that is your builder.
Timelines are one way to present visual stories; if your content leans on images more broadly, our roundup of the best WordPress gallery plugins covers the grid side. And if you build with Elementor and are weighing the paid tier, here is our take on whether Elementor Pro is worth it.
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6 Comments
Thanks for finding these timeline plugins. Unfortunately for me, none of these scratches my itch. I’ve been looking for years for a timeline that gives a sense of proportion. All these timelines conflate all events in equal distances. So, whether two events are 5 years apart or 50, they appear on the timeline at equal distances. I would like at least a setting that allows for white space between events in order to communicate relative times. Suggestions?
Hi Joe,
if you are still looking for plugin with sense of proportion, you can try this one: https://h5p.org/timeline
I used it for a company history timeline and it has the feature you want.
Thanks for the article. Which timeline plugin works best for Elementor?
I found this (free plugin) with a quick Google. Also Ultimate Addons for Elementor has a timeline widget which you can check here.
Thanks for posting this. Question: which of these has the timeline that is in the blue at the top of this page? I cannot seem to find anything like it.
That’s a graphic our designers came up with.