Default featured image vs Media Search Enhanced
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
Default featured image leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #698, ahead of Media Search Enhanced at #3,051. Over the last 7 days Default featured image slipped 4 places and Media Search Enhanced slipped 1 place. Default featured image has the largest install base, roughly 10× the next: 50K+ active installs against 5K+ for Media Search Enhanced. Downloads this week: Default featured image 1,557 and Media Search Enhanced 285. Ratings: Default featured image 4.8★ from 69 and Media Search Enhanced 4.4★ from 28 reviews.
| Metric | Default featured image | Media Search Enhanced |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #698 ▼ 4 | #3,051 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 50K+ | 5K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,557 | 285 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (69) | 4.4★ (28) |
| Last updated | Jun 17, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.8.2 | 1.0.1 |
| Best rank on record | #656 | #3,045 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Dec 2012 | Mar 2014 |
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, Default featured image or Media Search Enhanced?
By active installs, Default featured image: 50K+ sites run it against 5K+ for Media Search Enhanced, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 26, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Default featured image or Media Search Enhanced?
Default featured image, at #698 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Media Search Enhanced at #3,051. 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 Search Enhanced 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.