Customize External Links and add Icon

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

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

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 96% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.

No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A small install base leaves thin data to model from.

1. ★★★★★ Victoria

   2.1y ago

   Make the update more carefully and test it, and don’t just post it publicly, I’m deleting your plugin, I don’t need the search bot to constantly index links to other sites or not

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ Jimmy Lee

   4.3y ago

   Good External Link Marker, Thank you!

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ ireneuszjulkowski

   4.7y ago

   The plugin works well in conjunction with Extra Elegantthemes and the DIVI builder. Unfortunately despite checked “Noreferrer” option the tag does not appear in the page code.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ Gilbert Cattoire

   5.3y ago

   Nice. Does all you need for SEO, getting rid of the default “no referrer” attribute. I also like the fact that you do not have to rely on an external resource like Font Awesome for the icon : less bloat, faster site. == EDIT== Taking off 2 stars for now because, as mentioned by another user, it shows the external link icon with anchor links. Too bad. Please correct this. This topic was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Gilbert Cattoire.

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ mauri01

   5.5y ago

   Nothing fancy, but exactly how it should be for SEO. Thank YOU!

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ yeoric

   5.9y ago

   Very satisfied, works very well. Minus 1 star for the fact that page-internal links (#-Links, for example to jump to other post sections) are also marked as “external”. Otherwise fiull 5 stars, no problems after a few days of use.

   Read on wp.org ↗

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.7.1

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2026-07-10 300+ → 200+ down after 19 days in tier
2. 2026-06-21 200+ → 300+ up after 3 days in tier
3. 2026-06-18 300+ → 200+ down after 2 days in tier
4. 2026-06-16 200+ → 300+ up after 2 days in tier
5. 2026-06-14 300+ → 200+ down after 1 days in tier
6. 2026-06-13 200+ → 300+ up after 1 days in tier
7. 2026-06-12 300+ → 200+ down after 15 days in tier
8. 2026-05-28 200+ → 300+ up after 4 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).

• External Links – nofollow, noopener & new window 90K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
• E External Links 8K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags D
• B Better WordPress External Links 400+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D
• Leaving Notice Popup For External Links – nofollow, noopener & New Tab 300+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A
• N NoFollowr 200+ installs · 3.7★ · 2 shared tags D
• E External & Affiliate Links Processor 100+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags D

Embed this report card

Drop a live Pulse card for Customize External Links and add Icon into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

Customize External Links and add Icon: 200+ active installs, 3.7★ (6 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/customize-external-links-and-add-icon