How to Display Total Registered Users in WordPress: 2 Proven Methods

As experienced WordPress developers, we've helped countless sites leverage social proof by showcasing their user base. Displaying the total number of registered users builds trust and encourages sign-ups. Here's our step-by-step guide to implementing this effectively.

Method 1: Use the Simple Blog Stats Plugin

Start by installing and activating the Simple Blog Stats plugin. For detailed instructions, see our guide to installing WordPress plugins.

Once activated, head to Settings » Simple Blog Stats to configure it.

This plugin provides various site stats. Click the Shortcodes tab, then find the Number of users row.

Copy the shortcode [sbs_users]. The fields around it let you add custom HTML before and after the count. By default, it outputs plain numbers like:

856

Save your settings, then paste the shortcode into any post, page, or sidebar widget. If widgets don't process shortcodes, check our guide on using shortcodes in sidebars.

Method 2: Add Custom Code for User Count

This approach uses PHP—no plugins needed. If you're new to code, review our beginner's guide to adding code snippets in WordPress.

Add this to your theme's functions.php file or a site-specific plugin:

function wpb_user_count() {
    $usercount = count_users();
    $result = $usercount['total_users'];
    return $result;
}
add_shortcode('user_count', 'wpb_user_count');

This creates the [user_count] shortcode. Use it anywhere to show the raw count. Wrap it in HTML for styling, like:

<p>Join <strong>[user_count]</strong> other users sharing your interests:</p>

Here's how it appears on our test site:

Note: We paired it with a free sign-up button linking to a custom user registration page.

That's all! These methods have reliably worked across our client projects. For more, see our guide on moderating new user registrations.

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