Featured Background vs XO Featured Image Tools
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
XO Featured Image Tools leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,085, ahead of Featured Background at #25,404. Over the last 7 days XO Featured Image Tools climbed 3 places and Featured Background slipped 124 places. XO Featured Image Tools has the largest install base, roughly 1000× the next: 20K+ active installs against 20+ for Featured Background. Downloads this week: XO Featured Image Tools 1,521 and Featured Background 18. Ratings: Featured Background 4★ from 4 and XO Featured Image Tools 4.7★ from 21 reviews.
| Metric | Featured Background | XO Featured Image Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #25,404 ▼ 124 | #1,085 ▲ 3 |
| Active installs | 20+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 18 | 1,521 |
| Rating | 4★ (4) | 4.7★ (21) |
| Last updated | Sep 4, 2025 | Nov 24, 2025 |
| Current version | 1.0 | 1.15.3 |
| Best rank on record | #23,966 | #1,084 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2014 | Nov 2017 |
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
- Featured Background vs Multiple Post Thumbnails
- Featured Background vs Advanced WordPress Backgrounds
- Featured Background vs Auto Featured Image - Auto Post Thumbnail
- Featured Background vs Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages
- XO Featured Image Tools vs Auto Featured Image - Auto Post Thumbnail
- XO Featured Image Tools vs Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages
- XO Featured Image Tools vs Multiple Post Thumbnails
- XO Featured Image Tools vs Force Regenerate Thumbnails
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Featured Background or XO Featured Image Tools?
By active installs, XO Featured Image Tools: 20K+ sites run it against 20+ for Featured Background, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Featured Background or XO Featured Image Tools?
XO Featured Image Tools, at #1,085 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Featured Background at #25,404. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Featured Background or XO Featured Image Tools 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.