Head Meta Data vs Virtual Robots.txt
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
Virtual Robots.txt leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #852, ahead of Head Meta Data at #1,708. Over the last 7 days Virtual Robots.txt slipped 2 places and Head Meta Data slipped 8 places. Virtual Robots.txt has the largest install base, roughly 4× the next: 40K+ active installs against 10K+ for Head Meta Data. Downloads this week: Head Meta Data 1,216 and Virtual Robots.txt 397. Ratings: Head Meta Data 4.8★ from 19 and Virtual Robots.txt 4.3★ from 10 reviews.
| Metric | Head Meta Data | Virtual Robots.txt |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,708 ▼ 8 | #852 ▼ 2 |
| Active installs | 10K+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,216 | 397 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (19) | 4.3★ (10) |
| Last updated | Aug 10, 2026 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| Current version | 20260810 | 1.10 |
| Best rank on record | #1,687 | #819 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2012 | Jun 2009 |
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, Head Meta Data or Virtual Robots.txt?
By active installs, Virtual Robots.txt: 40K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Head Meta Data, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 11, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Head Meta Data or Virtual Robots.txt?
Virtual Robots.txt, at #852 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Head Meta Data at #1,708. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Head Meta Data or Virtual Robots.txt 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.