CYAN Backup
by Greg Ross · Backup
Also makes 37 other plugins · 6.4K+ installs across the portfolio →
Backup your entire WordPress site and its database into a zip file on a schedule. Remote storage options include FTP, SFTP and FTPS.
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
B 72/100
no flags
Active installs
300+
≈350 estimated
Momentum
+32%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “backup”, “ftp” and “schedule” 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.
72 health vs 75 average across 555 Backup plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →0.8%
of downloads still active
At least 300 of 37.6K lifetime downloads are still running, below its category: the median Backup plugin keeps 1.6%, across 284 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Backup 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.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Rating quality
Updated 361 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.8.12, the current branch or newer
4.1★ over 11 reviews, smoothed to 4.10★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Too few reviews to rank on quality — nudge happy users to leave one.
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.
36
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 19d
10%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 19d
+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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| scp your tag | #3 | #7 | 0 |
| db backup | #19 | #21 | 0 |
| ftp backup | #23 | #22 | 0 |
| remote backup | #24 | #22 | 0 |
| backup your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| ftp your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| schedule your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| sftp your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
12 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 4 listed. 8 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
- “backup”, “ftp” and “schedule” 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 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 501 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank
Ranked about #10,100 to #11,100, alongside the other plugins at 300+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 21 Oct 2026.
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
12mo ago
latest release · v2.5.5 · 4 Nov 2025
34
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 57% 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 “300+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 12 months 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 7 May 2016
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ mistermsk6.0y ago
Full backup of SQL and files with a way of excluding directories. Able to schedule out and send to another servers or run the backup manually and download directly. Also, able to change from zip to tar.gz, etc… No fluff. Does what it says. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hectorluis6.1y ago
I just installed, tried and doesn’t work
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Toxic9.5y ago
This plugin has some excellent options (SFTP protocol, schedule, backup in single archive file, etc.) but one doesn’t have restore option also.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ deetmo10.9y ago
Very nice plugin with great support! Simple and powerful. Only one free backup plugin with SFTP support.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ShanePoad11.5y ago
Installed without a hitch, ran the backup fast, sent the email notification and log. Seemed to be just what I was looking for, simple to use, setup, has scheduling and off site abilities. But after I ran it, I found no way to restore the backup. After having my WP site crashed by an auto-update of WP, I wanted a backup system so I could undo bad things that happen to the site. What is the point of a backup if there is no RESTORE???
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jsnowbusiness11.7y ago
I’ve used almost all the free versions of the major backup plugins, and CYAN Backup is by far my favorite of all of them! The interface/settings are simple and clean, and most importantly every feature stated in the plugin’s description works. I hit a snag during setup (which turned out to be my sftp server’s setup, not the plugin) and the plugin author was very helpful in getting things going. To be honest, I really couldn’t ask for more, especially for free!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gongl11.8y ago
perfect for my remote backup!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ clart12.6y ago
I had problems getting this working which turned out to be my hosting service and not the plugin. My php memory was found to be inadequate to properly run the WordPress site itself, never mind the plugin. It seems you need at least 32Mb for WordPress to work properly, I would advise 64Mb to avoid any issues. The author was always there to help and very quick to respond to every problem reported. I have tried other backups and found that CYAN backup is the most reliable and easiest to use. Now I have the scheduler setup, it automatically and faithfully backs up every day and prunes the files itself. Excellent work !
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 4 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.5.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2025-11-07 CVE-2025-12092 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory Affects <= 2.5.4 Patched in 2.5.5
- 2025-03-03 CVE-2024-9662 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.2 Patched in 2.5.3
- 2025-03-03 CVE-2024-9663 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.5.2 Patched in 2.5.3
- 2024-11-11 CVE-2024-52390 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory Affects <= 2.5.3 Patched in 2.5.4
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 6.8.3
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 126 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Plus 102 more locales with partial translations.
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
8 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Backup your entire WordPress site and its database into a zip file on a schedule. Remote storage options in..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 3 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 3 of 3 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you have", "if you want").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Dropbox.
- ✓ Headings and lists 3 headings and 3 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,727 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "SCP" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-11-12 400+ → 300+ down after 341 days in tier
- 2024-12-06 500+ → 400+ down after 239 days in tier
- 2024-04-11 600+ → 500+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2024-04-10 500+ → 600+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2024-04-08 600+ → 500+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2024-04-06 500+ → 600+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2024-04-05 600+ → 500+ down after 256 days in tier
- 2023-07-24 700+ → 600+ down after 140 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).
- D DBC Backup 2 100+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
- X XM-Backup 40+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
-
atec Backup 40+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B - F FTP to Zip 30+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Bulk Deployer 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
All-in-One WP Migration and Backup 5M+ installs · 4.5★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for CYAN Backup into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/cyan-backup" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="CYAN Backup — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> CYAN Backup: 300+ active installs, 4.1★ (11 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/cyan-backup
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