PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links

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

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.

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.

1263 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 1105 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).

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 · 27% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Crossed into this band 4 months ago and the previous band took 2.7 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 300K.

1. ★★★★★ wp_ris

   4mo ago

   Every fracking time something works perfectly, somehow they have to make it worst. New 4.x Interface is crap and meta refresh redirect to local 404. Unbelievable. This Fracking plugin is supposed to be used by pro guys, why follow the interface style for npc. You won’t believe how pissed I am.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ moncef88

   4mo ago

   Great plugin and easy to use!

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

   5mo ago

   We use multiple systems to manage various aspects of what we do, e.g. ticketing, fundraising, etc. To be able to unify them all with familiar looking URLs is really helpful in making a disparate set of tools seem like part of a single entity.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ Sarah G

   5mo ago

   Does exactly what it says it will & is very easy to use.

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ snc72394

   6mo ago

   I’m happy that I can create short links using my own domain.

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ markmelch

   6mo ago

   Love being able to track clicks

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ gomes77

   6mo ago

   I love it

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ rebelinc

   6mo ago

   Such a good tool, and so easy to use!

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 4.0.11 Added an “Export CSV” button to the Links list that downloads the links you are currently viewing — any search, category, tag, or status filters (including Broken links) carry over to the export. Large lists download in 4.0.11
2. — Version 4.0.10 Fixed a fatal error (“Class PrettyLinks\Bootstrap not found”) when WordPress is loaded outside the site root — for example MemberPress protected downloads ( lock.php ) or membership PayPal IPN callbacks — by anchoring th 4.0.10
3. — Version 4.0.9 Pro: Fixed link categories and tags appearing blank in the admin after upgrading from 3.x, even though the assignments still existed — an automatic one-time repair restores them (and their link counts) on the next admin 4.0.9
4. — Version 4.0.8 Pro: Fixed licensed Pro installs being silently replaced by the free build during an update when the license couldn’t be verified at that moment (a brief connection hiccup, or right after a major update) — which locked e 4.0.8
5. — Version 4.0.7 Fixed every Pretty Link returning a 404 on WordPress installs located in a subdirectory (for example, a site at example.com/blog) — the redirect engine now correctly accounts for the site’s base path. Fixed Pretty Links 4.0.7
6. — Version 4.0.6 Pro: Fixed geo targeting never matching on hosts without CDN country headers — country resolution now falls back to IP geolocation like v3, so country rules work everywhere. Pro: When the visitor’s country can’t be deter 4.0.6

All 9 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (4.0.18). Sites still on an older version should update.

1. Patched Medium · 4.9 PrettyLinks <= 3.6.20 - Authenticated (Administrator+) SQL Injection via 's' Parameter ↗
   2026-08-04 CVE-2026-5062 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 3.6.20 Patched in 3.6.21
2. Patched Medium · 4.3 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.6.15 - Missing Authorization ↗
   2025-05-19 CVE-2025-48247 Missing Authorization Affects <= 3.6.15 Patched in 3.6.16
3. Patched Medium · 6.1 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.6.2 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via post_status ↗
   2024-03-25 CVE-2024-29770 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.6.2 Patched in 3.6.3
4. Patched Medium · 4.3 Pretty Links – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin <= 3.6.3 - Cross-Site Request Forgery to Plugin Settings Update ↗
   2024-03-22 CVE-2024-2326 Cross-Site Request Forgery Affects <= 3.6.3 Patched in 3.6.4
5. Patched Medium · 4.3 Shortlinks by Pretty Links <= 3.4.0 - Cross-Site Request Forgery via route ↗
   2023-04-13 CVE-2022-47149 Cross-Site Request Forgery Affects <= 3.4.0 Patched in 3.4.1
6. Patched High · 7.2 Pretty Links <= 2.1.9 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via track_link ↗
   2019-06-19 CVE-2019-25147 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 2.1.10 Patched in 2.1.10
7. Patched High · 7.2 Pretty Links – Link Management, Branding, Tracking & Sharing Plugin <= 1.6.7 - SQL Injection ↗
   2015-07-08 CVE-2015-9457 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 1.6.8 Patched in 1.6.8
8. Patched High · 7.2 Pretty Links Lite < 1.6.3 - Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2014-08-01 CVE-2013-1636 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 1.6.3 Patched in 1.6.3
9. Patched Medium · 6.1 Pretty Links – Link Management, Branding, Tracking & Sharing Plugin < 1.5.6 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting ↗
   2011-12-04 CVE-2011-4595 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 1.5.6 Patched in 1.5.6

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1

Translated into 24 languages, 4 at 90% or more

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.

Growth timeline

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

1. 2026-06-28 300K+ → 200K+ down after 988 days in tier
2. 2023-10-14 200K+ → 300K+ up after 1 days in tier
3. 2023-10-13 300K+ → 200K+ down after 1 days in tier
4. 2023-10-12 200K+ → 300K+ up after 2 days in tier
5. 2023-10-10 300K+ → 200K+ down after 981 days in tier
6. 2021-02-01 200K+ → 300K+ up after 1620 days in tier
7. 2016-08-26 100K+ → 200K+ up

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).

Embed this report card

Drop a live Pulse card for PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links: 200K+ active installs, 4.8★ (1,322 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/pretty-link