PHP Browser Detection
by Mindshare Labs, Inc. · Uncategorized
Also makes 4 other plugins · 660+ installs across the portfolio →
PHP Browser Detection is a WordPress plugin used to detect a user's browser. Please report any bugs on the support forums.
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 45/100
Stale · Likely abandoned
Active installs
500+
≈590 estimated
Momentum
+62%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “browser” and “browser detection” for “ipod” and “ie6”. “browser” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ipod” sits at #20 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “browser detection” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ie6” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
45 health vs 58 average across 25,735 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.1%
of downloads still active
At least 500 of 47.2K 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.
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 11+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 4.3.34, 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 4071 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 4.3.34; the current branch is 6.8
4.1★ over 16 reviews, smoothed to 4.10★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 4071 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.
33
Momentum
Mixed: one swing, the rest drifting
0.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 9d
0%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 9d
0.0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ipod | #20 | #11 | 0 |
| ie6 | #24 | #17 | 0 |
| browser your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| browser detection your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| internet explorer your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| iphone your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| php your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
3 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 2 listed. 1 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
- Swap “browser” and “browser detection” for “ipod” and “ie6”. “browser” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ipod” sits at #20 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “browser detection” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “ie6” sits at #24 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 · 1,487 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 171 · 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
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
11.2y ago
latest release · v3.1.8 · 8 Sep 2015
19
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 “500+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 54 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 600.
Install history since 1 Apr 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ PUShAUNE8.8y ago
This plugin is outdated. It works fin to detect FireFox, Opera and Chrome ; but fails to detect IE, Edge, or even mobiles.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ DPGrant10.5y ago
Of course this can be used to provide different CSS for firefox, chrome, and ie/Edge browsers. But I’m also using it to distinguish between emulations of different generations of ie browsers. A super-useful plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ THRIVE - Web Design Gold Coast11.0y ago
This worked great for us. It deservers a better rating. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mtadams411.0y ago
Awesome plugin giving users a lot of flexibility!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Smat Placid11.2y ago
I love this plugin! Thanks guys. Would be nice to have shortcodes as well – to be able to write some content for desired browsers/ platform. Anyway – head up and keep rockin’
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ riebe11.3y ago
Plugin was simple to use, and did exactly what is said. Unfortunately my hosting was running other plugins that interfered with it, but support was prompt and helpful trying to fix the issues. Highly recommended.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Abaddon66611.5y ago
After searching a long time this was the first plugin providing me with a working browser check implementation without extra baggage like popup notifications and such. It simply Works. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ station812.1y ago
Works as it should.
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
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
2 of 8 pass · checked 30 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 Only 2 questions in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 1 of 2 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("PHP Browser Detection is reporting the version of Chrome (or any pother browser) as “0.0”").
- ! 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 2,351 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-09-07 600+ → 500+ down after 206 days in tier
- 2026-02-13 700+ → 600+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-02-12 600+ → 700+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-02-11 700+ → 600+ down after 178 days in tier
- 2025-08-17 800+ → 700+ down after 60 days in tier
- 2025-06-18 700+ → 800+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2025-06-15 800+ → 700+ down after 198 days in tier
- 2024-11-29 900+ → 800+ down after 98 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).
- B Browser Blocker 50+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
- W WPDevDesign – Oxygen – Browser Detect 50+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
- B Browser Update Ribbon 30+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
-
PHP Console Log 10+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D - N No IE Welcome 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
-
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ installs · 4.9★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for PHP Browser Detection into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/php-browser-detection" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="PHP Browser Detection — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> PHP Browser Detection: 500+ active installs, 4.1★ (16 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/php-browser-detection
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.