Child Theme Wizard
by Jay Versluis · Uncategorized
Also makes 4 other plugins · 10.4K+ installs across the portfolio →
Creates a child theme from any installed parent theme with just one click.
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
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
10K+
≈15K estimated
Momentum
-15%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “creator”, “generator” and “one click” for “child”, “theme generator” and “installed”. “creator” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “child” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “generator” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “theme generator” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “one click” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “installed” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 58 average across 25,735 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.6%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 179.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,766 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.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
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.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 131 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 36 reviews, smoothed to 4.43★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
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.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
21%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| wizard | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| parent theme | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| child theme your tag | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| parent child | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| child | #4 | #2 | down 1 |
| child theme creator | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| child themes | #4 | #2 | down 1 |
| theme creator | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| theme generator | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| create child theme | #3 | #2 | 0 |
| installed | #10 | #12 | down 2 |
| child theme generator | #4 | #3 | 0 |
| theme | #12 | #14 | down 2 |
| customise | #11 | #10 | 0 |
| parent | #18 | #15 | 0 |
| download theme | #14 | #15 | 0 |
| theme options | #16 | #13 | down 2 |
| themes | #21 | #18 | up 1 |
| wordpress theme | #22 | #19 | up 2 |
| theme plugin | #22 | #22 | 0 |
| creator your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| generator your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| one click your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| starter your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
37 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 17 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “creator”, “generator” and “one click” for “child”, “theme generator” and “installed”. “creator” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “child” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “generator” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “theme generator” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “one click” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “installed” sits at #10 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 9.2K · 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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
4mo ago
latest release · v1.5 · 22 Jun 2026
6
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 42% 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 “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.7 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 19 Aug 2019
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ rjfnz1.0y ago
I can recommend for sure. While WordPress shows this plugin as “untested with your version of WordPress” it works perfectly. Simple and fast. Got my Child Themes set up in just a few minutes in WordPress version 6.8.3 and no complications. I would recommend the developer does an update for the compatibility statement so his plugin gets the use and credit it deserves! This topic was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by rjfnz.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Elizabeth Beeton1.4y ago
I don’t need anything fancy. I don’t need to have bells and whistles to give it 5 stars. It just has to do what I need done, and I’m happy. FYI: I’m not a bot. I’m leaving this same review on every plugin I use daily and that makes my life easier. I guess I can’t say this exactly same thing multiple times.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ globetrekker2.5y ago
Great plugin. Simply gets the jobs done and now I know how to setup a child theme. Thank you.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bob03.2y ago
Two websites with wordpress 6.3 and no problems at all.. Very impressive this child theme is truly a wizard… it is responsive, all my menus were in place links, pictures, sliders and videos.. Thank you
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ dietschi3.8y ago
One-klick child theme generator. It just works great!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ LewisCowles5.3y ago
I actually installed another plugin before this one. I wanted to check theme overrides on a VPS (Dreamhost) install. This worked, the other plugin did not! It was simple to use, although if a link to the page to generate could be placed on the plugin listing page, that’d be fantastic. One other minor comment, is that I feel all themes should be lower-case and it generated an uppercase folder… wp-content/themes/Twenty-Twenty-Child Really every theme should have this built-in, it’s a great utility and saves a lot of boilerplate generation.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sbisolutions6.5y ago
Tells me I already have a directory so does not work…rubbish This topic was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by sbisolutions.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ SoldierOfFortune6.7y ago
I don’t know why but it changes colors of the titles on pages of my site… This topic was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by SoldierOfFortune.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.5 Security: added CSRF nonce protection to the creation form Security: parent theme selection now validated server-side against installed themes Security: all HTML output is now properly escaped Fixed: incorrect admin URL 1.5
- — Version 1.4 Defined the previously undefined variable $parent_style (thanks, Marcin!) Updated links to WordPress Dev Docs 1.4
- — Version 1.3 Tested compatibility with WordPress 5.1 Updated link to Codex Added version query as suggested in Codex as of 2019 1.3
- — Version 1.2 Corrected a spelling mistake (thanks, Cory!) 1.2
- — Version 1.1 The parent theme stylesheet is now enqueued via functions.php 1.1
- — Version 1.0 Initial release 1.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 2 languages, 1 at 90% or more · development strings
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
1 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Creates a child theme from any installed parent theme with just one click."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 628 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("creator", "generator", "starter" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-02-03 20K+ → 10K+ down after 129 days in tier
- 2023-09-27 10K+ → 20K+ up after 2015 days in tier
- 2018-03-22 8K+ → 10K+ up after 484 days in tier
- 2016-11-23 3K+ → 8K+ up
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).
-
PDF Thumbnail Generator 2K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags B -
Simple Child Theme Creator 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
Data Generator 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
ChildForge Child Theme Builder — installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
Child Theme Configurator 300K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag C -
WP Sitemap Page 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Child Theme Wizard into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/child-theme-wizard" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Child Theme Wizard — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Child Theme Wizard: 10K+ active installs, 4.9★ (36 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/child-theme-wizard
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