PHP Compatibility Checker
by WP Engine · Uncategorized
Also makes 14 other plugins · 3.5M+ installs across the portfolio →
Make sure your plugins and themes are compatible with newer PHP versions.
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 76/100
no flags
Active installs
200K+
≈250K estimated
Momentum
+26%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “version” and “php” for “php compatibility” and “compatibility”. “version” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “php compatibility” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “php” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “compatibility” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
76 health vs 58 average across 25,751 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →6.5%
of downloads still active
At least 200K of 3.1M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,772 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.
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 104 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 6.4.14; the current branch is 6.8
2.7★ over 131 reviews, smoothed to 3.09★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Lift the average: resolve the issues driving the low reviews.
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.
34
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
6%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| compat your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| php 8 your tag | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| compatibility checker | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| php compatibility | #4 | #7 | down 2 |
| compatibility | #5 | #12 | down 1 |
| php 7 your tag | #9 | #11 | down 1 |
| tides | #5 | #2 | down 1 |
| php your tag | #11 | #14 | up 1 |
| checker | #14 | #14 | 0 |
| php version | #10 | #14 | 0 |
| php info | #10 | #10 | 0 |
| php errors | #17 | #22 | down 1 |
| link checker | #19 | #18 | down 2 |
| website checker | #13 | #14 | 0 |
| add php | #18 | #15 | down 2 |
| plugin checker | #22 | #20 | 0 |
| version your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
37 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 16 listed. 21 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 “version” and “php” for “php compatibility” and “compatibility”. “version” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “php compatibility” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “php” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #11. “compatibility” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- One page off on “php”. #11 puts you just past the first ten results, where almost all the clicks stop. The gap to close is small.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 149.5K · 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
2.9y ago
latest release · v1.6.3 · 14 Dec 2023
28
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 85% 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 “200K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 4.3 years ago; the previous band took 21 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Dec 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ manare9mo ago
Ell plugin no muestra versiones ni escanea
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ cweb1.1y ago
Over the years, I have tried to be careful to not install programs that are not kept up to date. Yet, WordPress suggest that we install this outdated app that has not been updated for over 2 years. Many have reported errors. All just to test for the push that WP has for us to upgrade the version of PHP we are using. This doesn’t make sense!I had tried to put a link to where WP suggest this, but strangely the forums won’t even let me put a link to their own website.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ aodigitalau1.7y ago
Either update the plugin or take it down.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Okoth13.0y ago
It hangs like many others say. No replies on the forum. You’re giving people false hope.Just get it offline and focus on your other plugins (which are working very well, btw); you’ll do yourself and many others a favor.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ theozsnowman3.5y ago
ran the plugin on quite a few sites and most timeout after a couple of plugins are tested. Lots of false positives and errors. surely there is a better plugin out there?
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ elffuts3.5y ago
Useless! Gives a 404 error on plugins that ARE PHP 8 compatible. and then hangs. I’ve been waiting 30 minutes for it to unhang, and I finally gave up. It sure would be nice if this thing worked as advertised. Here’s what I got: MaxButtons Pro 9.5.5 Response status: 404 Message: The audit requested does not exist. Am I supposed to know what that means? How do I fix it? Right now it’s completely useless, and it hangs the software — never goes any farther to get to the rest of my plugins. Not a bit of help as is. This topic was modified 3 years, 2 months ago by elffuts. Reason: add more info about the error message
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Dave3.5y ago
Rates several themes and plugins as compatible, which definitely are not and have crashed under newer PHP versions (Random Text 0.3.0, WP Bakery 6.0.5, Slideshow 2.3.1 (dereg’d since Apr ’22)) — and has rated several themes and plugins as incompatible which seem to work fine under PHP 7.4 previous versions (Duplicator 1.5.3.1, LayerSlider WP 6.8.2, UpdraftPlus – Backup/Restore 1.23.3, WP Mail SMTP 3.7.0). So to have false evals of plugins and themes, both directions, makes this a useless tool and a waste of time. It’s a great idea of course, but with the errors I’ve seen it means it can’t even be relied upon to give some clues in a PHP problem hunt. If I’m missing something will happily change my tune — because like ChatGPT, it sure gives some attractive, confident-looking answers! And linting ought not be so buggy as all this. Truly quite surprised.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Bob02213.5y ago
Obviously the website’s current php is working or the website wouldn’t render. But you have no way to check future php versions and website compatibility. I wanted to see if my website would be compatible to PHP 8.0. This plugin redirects you to LocalWP …. whatever that is.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.6.3 Fix issue where Buffer was not available to the scans. 1.6.3
- — Version 1.6.2 Update packages. 1.6.2
- — Version 1.6.1 Fix issue on update where old files were included. 1.6.1
- — Version 1.6.0 Changed from running PHP Compatibility scans on your WordPress server to using scan data from Tide . Removed phpcompat WP-CLI command. Update dependencies. 1.6.0
- — Version 1.5.2 Removed PHP 5.2 checks Fixed PHP 8 issue where plugin cannot cannot be uninstalled. 1.5.2
- — Version 1.5.1 Added Smart Plugin Manager to whitelisted plugins. 1.5.1
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.6.3). 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 6.4.2
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 35 languages, 17 at 90% or more
Plus 11 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
6 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 "Make sure your plugins and themes are compatible with newer PHP versions."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("use this"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ✓ Headings and lists 2 headings and 1 list.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,589 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
- 2022-07-01 300K+ → 200K+ down after 638 days in tier
- 2020-10-01 200K+ → 300K+ up after 301 days in tier
- 2019-12-05 100K+ → 200K+ up after 248 days in tier
- 2019-04-01 90K+ → 100K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2019-03-01 80K+ → 90K+ up after 59 days in tier
- 2019-01-01 70K+ → 80K+ up after 31 days in tier
- 2018-12-01 60K+ → 70K+ up after 91 days in tier
- 2018-09-01 50K+ → 60K+ up after 92 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).
-
Show Apache and PHP version 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags -
PHP Version Display 10+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D - Y YLD Server Information 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
-
Roosium Info 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags - G Get Php Version 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 Compatibility Checker into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/php-compatibility-checker" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="PHP Compatibility Checker — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> PHP Compatibility Checker: 200K+ active installs, 2.7★ (131 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/php-compatibility-checker
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