AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild vs S3 Image Optimizer
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
AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,044, ahead of S3 Image Optimizer at #13,060. Over the last 7 days AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild slipped 1 place and S3 Image Optimizer slipped 18 places. AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild has the largest install base, roughly 300× the next: 30K+ active installs against 100+ for S3 Image Optimizer. Downloads this week: AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild 1,189 and S3 Image Optimizer 63. Ratings: AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild 4.8★ from 90 and S3 Image Optimizer 5★ from 1 reviews.
| Metric | AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild | S3 Image Optimizer |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,044 ▼ 1 | #13,060 ▼ 18 |
| Active installs | 30K+ | 100+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,189 | 63 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (90) | 5★ (1) |
| Last updated | Sep 12, 2026 | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.2.1 | 3.0.1 |
| Best rank on record | #1,028 | #12,366 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2009 | Jun 2021 |
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
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild or S3 Image Optimizer?
By active installs, AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild: 30K+ sites run it against 100+ for S3 Image Optimizer, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 21, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild or S3 Image Optimizer?
AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild, at #1,044 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with S3 Image Optimizer at #13,060. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are AJAX Thumbnail Rebuild or S3 Image Optimizer 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.