Custom Permalinks vs Permalink Manager Lite
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
Permalink Manager Lite leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #396, ahead of Custom Permalinks at #409. Over the last 7 days Permalink Manager Lite slipped 1 place and Custom Permalinks slipped 19 places. Custom Permalinks has the largest install base: 100K+ active installs against 100K+ for Permalink Manager Lite. Downloads this week: Permalink Manager Lite 15,038 and Custom Permalinks 11,690. Ratings: Custom Permalinks 4.1★ from 116 and Permalink Manager Lite 4.8★ from 176 reviews.
| Metric | Custom Permalinks | Permalink Manager Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #409 ▼ 19 | #396 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 100K+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 11,690 | 15,038 |
| Rating | 4.1★ (116) | 4.8★ (176) |
| Last updated | Oct 13, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Current version | 3.3.3 | 2.6.1 |
| Best rank on record | #370 | #394 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2008 | Jan 2016 |
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
- Custom Permalinks vs Remove CPT base
- Custom Permalinks vs Remove Category URL
- Custom Permalinks vs FV Top Level Categories
- Custom Permalinks vs Redirect 404 to Homepage
- Custom Permalinks vs All in One SEO
- Permalink Manager Lite vs FV Top Level Categories
- Permalink Manager Lite vs AutoConvert Greeklish Permalinks
- Permalink Manager Lite vs Nginx Helper
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Custom Permalinks or Permalink Manager Lite?
By active installs, Custom Permalinks: 100K+ sites run it against 100K+ for Permalink Manager Lite, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 30, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Custom Permalinks or Permalink Manager Lite?
Permalink Manager Lite, at #396 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Custom Permalinks at #409. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Custom Permalinks or Permalink Manager Lite 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.