Instant Back/Forward vs Page Optimize
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
Page Optimize leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #216, ahead of Instant Back/Forward at #1,681. Over the last 7 days Page Optimize climbed 4 places and Instant Back/Forward climbed 2 places. Page Optimize has the largest install base, roughly 20× the next: 200K+ active installs against 10K+ for Instant Back/Forward. Downloads this week: Instant Back/Forward 6,986 and Page Optimize 386. Ratings: Instant Back/Forward 5★ from 1 and Page Optimize 3★ from 5 reviews.
| Metric | Instant Back/Forward | Page Optimize |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,681 ▲ 2 | #216 ▲ 4 |
| Active installs | 10K+ | 200K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 6,986 | 386 |
| Rating | 5★ (1) | 3★ (5) |
| Last updated | Aug 7, 2026 | May 21, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.3.3 | 0.6.3 |
| Best rank on record | #1,681 | #216 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2025 | Feb 2020 |
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
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Instant Back/Forward or Page Optimize?
By active installs, Page Optimize: 200K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Instant Back/Forward, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Instant Back/Forward or Page Optimize?
Page Optimize, at #216 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Instant Back/Forward at #1,681. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Instant Back/Forward or Page Optimize 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.