Header and Footer Scripts vs Pearl – Header Builder
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
Header and Footer Scripts leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #244, ahead of Pearl – Header Builder at #3,091. Over the last 7 days Header and Footer Scripts slipped 1 place and Pearl – Header Builder slipped 6 places. Header and Footer Scripts has the largest install base, roughly 40× the next: 200K+ active installs against 5K+ for Pearl – Header Builder. Downloads this week: Header and Footer Scripts 2,552 and Pearl – Header Builder 122. Ratings: Header and Footer Scripts 4.6★ from 58 and Pearl – Header Builder 3.3★ from 13 reviews.
| Metric | Header and Footer Scripts | Pearl – Header Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #244 ▼ 1 | #3,091 ▼ 6 |
| Active installs | 200K+ | 5K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 2,552 | 122 |
| Rating | 4.6★ (58) | 3.3★ (13) |
| Last updated | Feb 1, 2026 | Aug 19, 2025 |
| Current version | 2.4.2 | 1.3.13 |
| Best rank on record | #241 | #3,064 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Feb 2014 | Dec 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
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- Header and Footer Scripts vs Header Footer Code Manager
- Header and Footer Scripts vs WP Headers And Footers
- Header and Footer Scripts vs VK Post Author Display
- Pearl – Header Builder vs Head, Footer and Post Injections
- Pearl – Header Builder vs Header Footer Code Manager
- Pearl – Header Builder vs WPCode Lite
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Header and Footer Scripts or Pearl – Header Builder?
By active installs, Header and Footer Scripts: 200K+ sites run it against 5K+ for Pearl – Header Builder, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 20, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Header and Footer Scripts or Pearl – Header Builder?
Header and Footer Scripts, at #244 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Pearl – Header Builder at #3,091. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Header and Footer Scripts or Pearl – Header Builder 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.