Better REST API Featured Images
by Braad · Uncategorized
Also makes 5 other plugins · 2.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Adds a top-level field with featured image data including available sizes and URLs to the post object returned by the REST API.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
D 49/100
Stale · Likely abandoned
Active installs
2K+
≈2.6K estimated
Momentum
+30%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “featured”, “images” and “post” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
49 health vs 58 average across 25,756 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.1%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 64K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,773 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 10+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 4.6.30, well behind 6.8.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Under-optimized
Most to gain: Update recency
Updated 3746 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 4.6.30; the current branch is 6.8
5.0★ over 11 reviews, smoothed to 4.26★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 3746 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
30
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 10d
0%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 10d
-0.7
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| featured your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| images your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| post your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| rest your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| thumbnail your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
3 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 0 listed. 3 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “featured”, “images” and “post” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 782 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
10.3y ago
latest release · v1.2.1 · 30 Jul 2016
7
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 months ago; the previous band took 16 months to cross, which places it about 55% of the way through.
Install history since 2 Jan 2018
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ alexkone9.5y ago
Definitely what I wanted. Essential for get images per posts. Thanks a lot
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wpramones9.7y ago
Makes retrieving post images much faster.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ alexwcoleman9.8y ago
what else to say – it works. Should be core too.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ martinft10.2y ago
The original REST API plugin has problems with featured images. This plugin is the solution. Thank you very much for it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ eatzeni10.2y ago
Does what id says, and it helps me a lot while building the theme in Angular2. Only one GET to have Post and Featured Image details!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gladkoff198910.3y ago
saves time, thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sheriffderek10.6y ago
Gets my featured image info into the rest output.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Sören Wünsch10.8y ago
The Plugin works very well and saves time, thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.2.1 Add fix for bug caused by conflicts with plugins that manipulate image metadata 1.2.1
- — Version 1.2.0 Fix translation files present but not loading Add note to the readme explaining that ?_embed should be tried before using this plugin Fix compat with older betas Add missing PHPDoc statements Tested with v2 beta 12 1.2.0
- — Version 1.1.1 Compatibility with v2 beta 11 of the REST API (now the core field is called featured_media; this plugin’s field is still better_featured_image). Props: filose 1.1.1
- — Version 1.1.0 Add a better_rest_api_featured_image filter for adding custom data to the response. Props: avishayil 1.1.0
- — Version 1.0.2 Change register_api_field to register_rest_field for compatibility with the REST API v2 beta 9. Props: Soean 1.0.2
- — Version 1.0.1 Switch to returning null instead of 0 when no featured image is present 1.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 1 language, 1 at 90% or more
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Adds a top-level field with featured image data including available sizes and URLs to the post object retur..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 4 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 4 of 4 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("use this", "use it").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions REST API.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 4,222 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "images" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-03-30 3K+ → 2K+ down after 485 days in tier
- 2024-11-30 4K+ → 3K+ down after 352 days in tier
- 2023-12-14 5K+ → 4K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-12-13 4K+ → 5K+ up after 42 days in tier
- 2023-11-01 5K+ → 4K+ down after 220 days in tier
- 2023-03-26 6K+ → 5K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-03-25 5K+ → 6K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2023-03-24 6K+ → 5K+ down after 305 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Conditionally display featured image on singular posts and pages 30K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
SEO Friendly Images 10K+ installs · 3.2★ · 2 shared tags D -
Hide Featured Image 10K+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags D -
Get the Image 7K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D - N NS Featured Posts 4K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A
-
WP Hide Show Featured Image 3K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Better REST API Featured Images into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/better-rest-api-featured-images" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Better REST API Featured Images — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Better REST API Featured Images: 2K+ active installs, 5.0★ (11 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/better-rest-api-featured-images
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