Debug Bar vs Output Buffer Tester
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
Debug Bar leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,350, ahead of Output Buffer Tester at #36,950. Over the last 7 days Debug Bar slipped 5 places and Output Buffer Tester climbed 5,180 places. Debug Bar has the largest install base, roughly 2000× the next: 20K+ active installs against 10+ for Output Buffer Tester. Downloads this week: Debug Bar 20,771 and Output Buffer Tester 15.
| Metric | Debug Bar | Output Buffer Tester |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,350 ▼ 5 | #36,950 ▲ 5180 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 10+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 20,771 | 15 |
| Rating | 4.1★ (69) | no ratings |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 28, 2018 |
| Current version | 1.2.0 | 1.0.1 |
| Best rank on record | #1,311 | #34,028 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2010 | Feb 2018 |
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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- Output Buffer Tester vs Debug Log Manager – Conveniently Monitor and Inspect Errors
- Output Buffer Tester vs WP Debugging
- Output Buffer Tester vs Query Monitor
- Output Buffer Tester vs WP Crontrol
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Debug Bar or Output Buffer Tester?
By active installs, Debug Bar: 20K+ sites run it against 10+ for Output Buffer Tester, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 20, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Debug Bar or Output Buffer Tester?
Debug Bar, at #1,350 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Output Buffer Tester at #36,950. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Debug Bar or Output Buffer Tester 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.