Action Scheduler vs Debug Bar Cron
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Action Scheduler leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,383, ahead of Debug Bar Cron at #9,574. Over the last 7 days Action Scheduler slipped 2 places and Debug Bar Cron climbed 19 places. Action Scheduler has the largest install base, roughly 50× the next: 20K+ active installs against 400+ for Debug Bar Cron. Downloads this week: Action Scheduler 7,146 and Debug Bar Cron 122. Ratings: Action Scheduler 3.5★ from 13 and Debug Bar Cron 5★ from 3 reviews.
| Metric | Action Scheduler | Debug Bar Cron |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,383 ▼ 2 | #9,574 ▲ 19 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 400+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 7,146 | 122 |
| Rating | 3.5★ (13) | 5★ (3) |
| Last updated | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 28, 2013 |
| Current version | 4.2.0 | 0.1.2 |
| Best rank on record | #1,368 | #9,471 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2020 | Mar 2012 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
More comparisons
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- Action Scheduler vs Transients Manager
- Action Scheduler vs Advanced Cron Manager – debug & control
- Debug Bar Cron vs Missed Scheduled Posts Publisher by WPBeginner
- Debug Bar Cron vs Transients Manager
- Debug Bar Cron vs Query Monitor
- Debug Bar Cron vs Advanced Cron Manager – debug & control
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Action Scheduler or Debug Bar Cron?
By active installs, Action Scheduler: 20K+ sites run it against 400+ for Debug Bar Cron, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Action Scheduler or Debug Bar Cron?
Action Scheduler, at #1,383 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Debug Bar Cron at #9,574. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Action Scheduler or Debug Bar Cron alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.