Search & Replace vs WP Import Export Lite
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
Search & Replace leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #362, ahead of WP Import Export Lite at #845. Over the last 7 days Search & Replace slipped 1 place and WP Import Export Lite slipped 4 places. Search & Replace has the largest install base, roughly 2.5× the next: 100K+ active installs against 40K+ for WP Import Export Lite. Downloads this week: WP Import Export Lite 23,111 and Search & Replace 933. Ratings: Search & Replace 4.3★ from 283 and WP Import Export Lite 4★ from 113 reviews.
| Metric | Search & Replace | WP Import Export Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #362 ▼ 1 | #845 ▼ 4 |
| Active installs | 100K+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 933 | 23,111 |
| Rating | 4.3★ (283) | 4★ (113) |
| Last updated | Aug 26, 2024 | Sep 12, 2026 |
| Current version | 3.2.3 | 3.9.35 |
| Best rank on record | #360 | #834 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2007 | Jul 2019 |
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
- Search & Replace vs Better Find and Replace
- Search & Replace vs Real-Time Find and Replace
- Search & Replace vs Search Regex
- Search & Replace vs Search & Replace Everything by WPCode – Find and Replace Media, Text, Links, and More
- WP Import Export Lite vs Export All URLs
- WP Import Export Lite vs WP All Export
- WP Import Export Lite vs Customizer Export/Import
- WP Import Export Lite vs Export media with selected content (by DKZR)
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Search & Replace or WP Import Export Lite?
By active installs, Search & Replace: 100K+ sites run it against 40K+ for WP Import Export Lite, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Search & Replace or WP Import Export Lite?
Search & Replace, at #362 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with WP Import Export Lite at #845. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Search & Replace or WP Import Export Lite 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.