Debug Bar vs WP Debugging
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 #1,331, ahead of WP Debugging at #1,735. Over the last 7 days Debug Bar held its place and WP Debugging climbed 6 places. Debug Bar has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 20K+ active installs against 10K+ for WP Debugging. Ratings: Debug Bar 4.1★ from 69 and WP Debugging 5★ from 21 reviews.
| Metric | Debug Bar | WP Debugging |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,331 ▬ | #1,735 ▲ 6 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 15,224 | — |
| Rating | 4.1★ (69) | 5★ (21) |
| Last updated | Mar 1, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.1.8 | 2.12.6 |
| Best rank on record | #1,311 | #1,723 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2010 | Feb 2019 |
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, Debug Bar or WP Debugging?
By active installs, Debug Bar: 20K+ sites run it against 10K+ for WP Debugging, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 14, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Debug Bar or WP Debugging?
Debug Bar, at #1,331 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with WP Debugging at #1,735. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Debug Bar or WP Debugging 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.