Featured Image from URL (FIFU) vs Featured Item Metabox
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
Featured Image from URL (FIFU) leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #623, ahead of Featured Item Metabox at #17,655. Over the last 7 days Featured Image from URL (FIFU) slipped 1 place and Featured Item Metabox climbed 66 places. Featured Image from URL (FIFU) has the largest install base, roughly 750× the next: 60K+ active installs against 80+ for Featured Item Metabox. Downloads this week: Featured Image from URL (FIFU) 3,945 and Featured Item Metabox 38. Ratings: Featured Image from URL (FIFU) 4.6★ from 264 and Featured Item Metabox 3★ from 2 reviews.
| Metric | Featured Image from URL (FIFU) | Featured Item Metabox |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #623 ▼ 1 | #17,655 ▲ 66 |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 80+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 3,945 | 38 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (264) | 3★ (2) |
| Last updated | Oct 7, 2026 | Feb 17, 2020 |
| Current version | 6.1.1 | 1.3.2 |
| Best rank on record | #608 | #17,321 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2015 | Jan 2013 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 1 | 0 |
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 Image from URL (FIFU) vs Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages
- Featured Image from URL (FIFU) vs Hide Featured Image
- Featured Image from URL (FIFU) vs Custom Post Type Permalinks
- Featured Image from URL (FIFU) vs Default featured image
- Featured Image from URL (FIFU) vs Multiple Post Thumbnails
- Featured Item Metabox vs Ocean Extra
- Featured Item Metabox vs Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages
- Featured Item Metabox vs Hide Featured Image
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Featured Image from URL (FIFU) or Featured Item Metabox?
By active installs, Featured Image from URL (FIFU): 60K+ sites run it against 80+ for Featured Item Metabox, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 19, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Featured Image from URL (FIFU) or Featured Item Metabox?
Featured Image from URL (FIFU), at #623 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Featured Item Metabox at #17,655. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Featured Image from URL (FIFU) or Featured Item Metabox 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.