Performance Lab
by WordPress Performance Team · Performance
Also makes 9 other plugins · 550K+ installs across the portfolio →
Performance plugin from the WordPress Performance Team, which is a collection of standalone performance features.
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 88/100
no flags
Active installs
100K+
≈160K estimated
Momentum
+1%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “optimization” for “health”. “optimization” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “health” sits at #18 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 69 average across 1,806 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.7%
of downloads still active
At least 100K of 3.7M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,099 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance 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 4 releases 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
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 66 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.3★ over 51 reviews, smoothed to 4.20★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 2 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
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.
51
Momentum
Holding steady
+1.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
48%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.5
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| performance your tag | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| performance optimization | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| web performance optimization | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| plugin performance | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| measurement your tag | #2 | #1 | up 1 |
| standalone | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| web performance | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| diagnostics your tag | #3 | #4 | up 2 |
| page performance | #2 | #4 | up 1 |
| site health your tag | #7 | #8 | up 1 |
| collection | #19 | #17 | up 1 |
| which | #23 | #23 | up 1 |
| health | #18 | #16 | up 1 |
| wordpress health | #13 | #17 | up 1 |
| my team | #24 | #22 | down 2 |
| optimization your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
78 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 15 listed. 63 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “optimization” for “health”. “optimization” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “health” sits at #18 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 212.2K · 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
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
4
releases in the last 12 months
4mo ago
latest release · v4.2.0 · 1 Jul 2026
43
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 40% 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 “100K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 5 months ago; the previous band took 14 months to cross, which places it about 63% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Apr 2022
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ dev2webtheoria4mo ago
This plugin is a must have on the live website. The performance improvement is very much noticeable.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Eduard Doloc8mo ago
been using a few of the plugins and metrics for testing and scaling, been using some of the plugins noted there on some production sites, but I do advise on never installing the plugins that require optimization detective. let’s hope they make it to core fast!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hunain89mo ago
I have tested this plugin on a few sites and it provides some useful performance features that are helpful for optimization and experimentation. The modular approach is nice and makes it easy to enable or disable specific options. However, the interface and documentation could be improved for better clarity, especially for non-technical users. Overall, it’s a solid plugin with potential, but still needs refinement for a smoother production workflow.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Afshari10mo ago
Performance Lab is the gateway to the future of WordPress. These tools are crucial for anyone serious about site speed, Core Web Vitals, and modern image formats. I have personally translated and reviewed 100% of the strings for the entire Performance Lab ecosystem, including all standalone plugins (WebP Uploads, Speculation Rules, View Transitions, etc.) and their respective Readme files. As the PTE (Translation Editor), I’ve ensured that complex technical terms are translated accurately to help the Persian WordPress community implement these performance enhancements with ease. Kudos to the performance team for these high-quality tools! Best regards, @saeidafshari دوستان و توسعهدهندگان گرامی، مجموعه افزونههای رسمی تیم کارایی وردپرس، شامل ۱۲ ابزار تخصصی برای افزایش سرعت و بهینهسازی سایت، به صورت ۱۰۰٪ فارسیسازی و بازبینی شد. تمام مفاهیم مدرن مثل قوانین پیشبینی مرورگر و بهینهسازی تصاویر به دقت معادلسازی شدهاند تا بتوانید بدون ابهام فنی، از آخرین تکنولوژیهای جهانی در سایتهای ایرانی استفاده کنید. با احترام، سعید افشاری
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sharuznau10mo ago
great app thx
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ akehsanz12mo ago
Where’s lthe dev team🫵🏼 Plugin UI could have been improved..
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ surviving4041.2y ago
I would love to use this plugin on production site(s)
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ JustCasey761.4y ago
I am hosting on Pressable and using WP Rocket and a Divi child theme. This took my PageSpeed Insights from a 65 to a 91!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 4.2.0 Enhancements Add declare( strict_types = 1 ) to all PHP files. ( 2424 ) Bump minimum PHP requirement from 7.2 to 7.4. ( 2469 ) Enqueued Assets audit: treat zero-size and no-store responses as errors. ( 2481 ) Server Timi 4.2.0
- — Version 4.1.0 Bug Fixes Fix invalid Server-Timing logic for database query timing when $wpdb->queries is null due to no query having been done yet. ( 2346 ) Documentation Remove Web Worker Offloading from being featured by Performance 4.1.0
- — Version 4.0.1 Bug Fixes Add notices and improved type checking for $wpdb->queries when attempting to compute server-timing for database queries. ( 2159 ) Skip stylesheets with empty href attributes in Site Health audit. ( 2281 , 2328 4.0.1
- — Version 4.0.0 Enhancements Add Instant Back/Forward to list of performance feature plugins. ( 2119 ) Add admin pointers to promote new Performance Lab features. ( 2122 ) Implement opt-in PERFLAB_PLACE_OBJECT_CACHE_DROPIN for Server-Ti 4.0.0
- — Version 3.9.0 Enhancements Remove experimental flags from Embed Optimizer and Image Prioritizer. ( 1846 ) 3.9.0
- — Version 3.8.0 Enhancements Add Site Health test for Cache-Control: no-store page response header which disables bfcache. ( 1807 ) Add Site Health test to verify that static assets are served with far-future expires. ( 1727 ) Enqueue s 3.8.0
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (4.2.0). 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 45 languages, 15 at 90% or more
Plus 21 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.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Performance Lab when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 25 Oct 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Performance
Readme readiness
3 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 Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ✓ Has a FAQ 5 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 5 of 5 read like questions a user would type.
- ! 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 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,062 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("diagnostics", "measurement", "site health" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-05-27 200K+ → 100K+ down after 426 days in tier
- 2025-03-27 100K+ → 200K+ up after 603 days in tier
- 2023-08-02 90K+ → 100K+ up after 32 days in tier
- 2023-07-01 80K+ → 90K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2023-05-31 70K+ → 80K+ up after 28 days in tier
- 2023-05-03 60K+ → 70K+ up after 29 days in tier
- 2023-04-04 50K+ → 60K+ up after 29 days in tier
- 2023-03-06 40K+ → 50K+ up after 50 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).
-
AMP 300K+ installs · 3.8★ · 2 shared tags C -
Optimization Detective 60K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
Image Prioritizer 40K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon 20K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Flying Pages: Preload Pages for Faster Navigation & Improved User Experience 20K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Delete Duplicate Posts 10K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Performance Lab into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/performance-lab" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Performance Lab — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Performance Lab: 100K+ active installs, 4.3★ (51 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/performance-lab
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