What does “Active Installs” mean in the WordPress plugin directory?

When you browse plugins on WordPress.org, you’ll see a stat called Active Installs. This number shows how many WordPress sites currently have the plugin installed and activated.

It’s important to know that this number is not exact. WordPress reports active installs in broad ranges (1,000+, 10,000+, 100,000+, etc.). A plugin with “10,000+ active installs” could have 10,001 users or 49,999 — you won’t know the precise count.

Why does it matter? Active installs give a quick trust signal. A plugin with hundreds of thousands of installs has been tested on many sites, which usually means it’s stable and reliable. But popularity isn’t everything. A niche plugin may solve your problem better, even if it only shows 500 active installs.

For product builders, active installs are also a visibility factor. Plugins with higher usage often get more attention in search and are more likely to be recommended or adopted.

Synonyms / Alternate Phrasings

  • Plugin installs
  • Installed sites
  • Number of users
  • Plugin adoption

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