Sometimes page copy can become a little longer than we expect. When the information is valuable and necessary, it’s tough to cut it down. Fortunately, there’s a way to save vertical real estate on your WordPress site and also reduce information overload for users.
Accordions and tabs are great ways to communicate text-heavy information in an elegant and condensed way. Accordions contain vertically or horizontally stacked panels with just their captions visible. When these panels are clicked, they expand and reveal more information associated with the caption.
Tabs perform a similar function to accordions but in a different way. They are modelled after traditional card tabs inserted in files or card indexes. Like card tabs, tab plugins and widgets are labelled and give clues to the information they conceal. By clicking a tab, a user can reveal more information about the subject of the tab and can use them to navigate through a site or a page.
Whether you’re looking for a tab or accordion widget or plugin (or even a free WordPress theme), you can find what you’re looking for on CodeCanyon. To save you some time, here’s a selection of the 11 best tab and accordion widgets and plugins available on CodeCanyon to get you started.
1. Accordion Slider—Responsive WordPress Plugin
The Accordion Slider plugin combines two great functions in one handy plugin. First it functions as an accordion, and secondly it functions as a slider.
Best features:
- add as many panels as you want without worrying about screen space
- touch-enabled to work well with mobile screens
- loads images and content from posts, galleries, and Flickr
- accordions are automatically cached to improve the load time
- can be placed anywhere: in posts/pages, template PHP code, or widgets
Accordion Slider—Responsive WordPress Plugin is a great two-in-one plugin that will appeal to those looking for a great way to present images or text.
2. Grid Accordion—Responsive WordPress Plugin
One of the best-looking accordions out there, Grid Accordion adds a fresh feel to your site by offering a feature not found in other plugins: an accordion that works in two directions. While most plugins let you open and close tabs or similar UI elements either horizontally or vertically, with this plugin, you can do both. Not only does it handle text content well within its accordion grid, but you can even fill your content areas with images and other media for a more stunning effect.
Make sure to check out the demo for Grid Accordion here.
This plugin also comes with a host of other features, such as:
- a fully responsive and touch-enabled design
- support for dynamic content from posts and galleries
- available hooks for actions and filters
- JavaScript API endpoints for maximum customisation
3. WP Responsive FAQ with Category
The WP Responsive FAQ with Category plugin is specifically designed for users who have or want to add a Frequently Asked Questions area to their site and don’t want their visitors to have to scroll through an endless stream of text to get to the questions and answers that are relevant to them.
Best features:
- FAQs can be arranged by category
- 15 customisable different designs to choose from
- compatible with Visual Composer page builder and WooCommerce
- two types of FAQ toggle icons: arrow or plus sign
There’s no question that WP Responsive FAQ with Category is the answer to all your FAQ needs.
4. WooCommerce Category Accordion
The WooCommerce Category Accordion is designed specifically for WooCommerce users. It can be used as a widget or shortcode to list product categories and subcategories.
Best features:
- supports unlimited categories and subcategories
- 14 Font Awesome Icons included
- ability to highlight current category option
- sort by ascending or descending order
WooCommerce Category Accordion is ideal for users who want to organize their products or services into categories and subcategories to make it easier for customers to navigate their site.
5. Responsive Searchable 3 Level Accordion
Responsive Searchable 3 Level Accordion is a simple plugin that can be used anywhere on your WordPress site. It will appeal to users who are looking to arrange content in accordion style within a post, sidebar, footer, etc.
Best features:
- can be used as a widget or shortcode
- three nesting levels available
- five readymade styling options
- allows users to type in searched phrase
Responsive Searchable 3 Level Accordion For WordPress is a low-fuss plugin, and its standout features like three-level support and searchable content really set it apart.
6. Accordion FAQ WordPress Plugin
FAQ pages are an important part of almost any website, and with this plugin, you can fit a mountain of text behind a sleek and easily digestible display. This accordion plugin focuses on doing one thing, creating FAQ-style content easily, and it does it well.
Here’s what you can expect to get with this plugin:
- ability to quickly add multiple FAQ accordions throughout your site
- easy drag-and-drop interface for reordering
- colour, icon, and font customisation
- built-in generator for creating short codes
If you’re looking to add a FAQ section to your existing design, then the Accordion FAQ WordPress Plugin has you covered.
7. WordPress Tabs and Accordions DZS
WordPress Tabs and Accordions DZS is another plugin that gives users access to both tab and accordion functions.
Best features:
- full skins to fit every brand
- WYSIWYG editor
- unlimited colour options for customisation
- iPhone, iPad and Android optimized
- and more
So if StackTabs doesn’t appeal, WordPress Tabs and Accordions DZS is another great two-for-one option.
8. Side Tabs—Layered Popups Add-on
A little different than most of the plugins on this list, Side Tabs delivers the features you’d expect from a tab plugin, but instead of existing within your site’s content, they live at the edge of your screen. This unique presentation creates a number of unusual uses.
One of the most interesting ways you can use Side Tabs is to present a constant access point to content throughout an entire page (or several pages). Besides that, it also makes a great tool for offering Calls to Action and similar content without being too intrusive.
With a ton of customisation and animation options available out of the box, this plugin works brilliantly for anyone looking to add a fresh way of presenting information to their site.
9. WooCommerce Tabs Pro: Extra Tabs for Product Page
If you have a WooCommerce site, the WooCommerce Tab Pro plugin will allow you to create and manage 11 different types of tabs to display your products.
Best features:
- ability to add unlimited tabs to a single product page
- WYSIWYG editor for editing custom content
- ability to enable or disable tabs
- ability to create a global tab that can be used with all products
When you have an eCommerce site, making improvements to your layout can really boost sales. With WooCommerce Tabs Pro: Extra Tabs for Product Page, the tills will soon be ringing.
10. Elegant Tabs for Visual Composer
Elegant Tabs for Visual Composer is an add-on for the WPBakery WordPress plugin (formerly Visual Composer). It lets you add any shortcode to multiple tabs and offers loads of customisation like different colours, icons and backgrounds for different sections or tabs.
Best features:
- vertical tabs
- drag and drop any WPBakery elements inside the tab content
- supports deep linking
- ten different styles of tabs and unlimited variations
- and more
Elegant Tabs is also available for Fusion Builder, WooCommerce, Cornerstone, and Beaver Builder.
11. PullOut Widgets for WordPress
Like the Social Network Tabs for WordPress, the PullOut Widgets is a different take on tabs. It is specifically designed to turn any widget on your site into a pullout tab.
Best features:
- 289 icons for pullout tabs
- 32 sliding animation effects
- unlimited pullout widget positioning on top, right, bottom or left side
- unlimited widget colours
The most successful websites are interactive, and PullOut Widgets for WordPress gives your visitors plenty of chances to engage with your content.
What Do You Think?
Tell us what you think! Are there any more accordion or tab plugins out there that you like? What projects do you use these plugins for? Let us know in the comments or shoot us an email with your ideas.
These 11 best tab and accordion WordPress widgets and plugins are just a few of the products available at Envato Market. If you haven’t found what you’re looking for here, we have plenty of other great options to fit your needs. So check out the selection of tab and accordion widgets and plugins. And if you want to improve your WordPress skills, check out our ever so useful free WordPress tutorials.
