Extend Link vs WP External Links
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
WP External Links leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #495, ahead of Extend Link at #6,643. Over the last 7 days WP External Links slipped 1 place and Extend Link climbed 18 places. WP External Links has the largest install base, roughly 90× the next: 90K+ active installs against 1K+ for Extend Link. Downloads this week: WP External Links 1,648 and Extend Link 77. Ratings: Extend Link 3★ from 2 and WP External Links 4.3★ from 247 reviews.
| Metric | Extend Link | WP External Links |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #6,643 ▲ 18 | #495 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 1K+ | 90K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 77 | 1,648 |
| Rating | 3★ (2) | 4.3★ (247) |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.0.2 | 2.66 |
| Best rank on record | #6,634 | #487 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2016 | Feb 2011 |
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
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Extend Link or WP External Links?
By active installs, WP External Links: 90K+ sites run it against 1K+ for Extend Link, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 17, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Extend Link or WP External Links?
WP External Links, at #495 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Extend Link at #6,643. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Extend Link or WP External Links 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.