Virtual Robots.txt vs Robots.txt rewrite
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 #871, ahead of Robots.txt rewrite at #5,826. Over the last 7 days Virtual Robots.txt slipped 2 places and Robots.txt rewrite slipped 7 places. Virtual Robots.txt has the largest install base, roughly 40× the next: 40K+ active installs against 1K+ for Robots.txt rewrite. Downloads this week: Virtual Robots.txt 687 and Robots.txt rewrite 71. Ratings: Virtual Robots.txt 4.3★ from 10 and Robots.txt rewrite 5★ from 2 reviews.
| Metric | Virtual Robots.txt | Robots.txt rewrite |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #871 ▼ 2 | #5,826 ▼ 7 |
| Active installs | 40K+ | 1K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 687 | 71 |
| Rating | 4.3★ (10) | 5★ (2) |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Nov 28, 2017 |
| Current version | 1.10 | 1.6.1 |
| Best rank on record | #819 | #5,734 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jun 2009 | May 2016 |
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, Virtual Robots.txt or Robots.txt rewrite?
By active installs, Virtual Robots.txt: 40K+ sites run it against 1K+ for Robots.txt rewrite, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 28, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Virtual Robots.txt or Robots.txt rewrite?
Virtual Robots.txt, at #871 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Robots.txt rewrite at #5,826. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Virtual Robots.txt or Robots.txt rewrite 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.