Default featured image vs Media Cleaner
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
Media Cleaner leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #483, ahead of Default featured image at #663. Over the last 7 days Media Cleaner climbed 1 place and Default featured image held its place. Media Cleaner has the largest install base, roughly 1.5× the next: 90K+ active installs against 60K+ for Default featured image. Downloads this week: Media Cleaner 38,172 and Default featured image 831. Ratings: Default featured image 4.8★ from 68 and Media Cleaner 4.6★ from 772 reviews.
| Metric | Default featured image | Media Cleaner |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #663 ▬ | #483 ▲ 1 |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 90K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 831 | 38,172 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (68) | 4.6★ (772) |
| Last updated | Jun 17, 2026 | Sep 7, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.8.2 | 7.2.7 |
| Best rank on record | #656 | #480 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Dec 2012 | May 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
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- Media Cleaner vs Clean Image Filenames
- Media Cleaner vs Media Library Categories
- Media Cleaner vs Disable Media Sizes
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Default featured image or Media Cleaner?
By active installs, Media Cleaner: 90K+ sites run it against 60K+ for Default featured image, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Default featured image or Media Cleaner?
Media Cleaner, at #483 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Default featured image at #663. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Default featured image or Media Cleaner 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.