Ultimate Dashboard – Custom WordPress Dashboard
by David Vongries · Admin & Utilities
Also makes 8 other plugins · 96.9K+ installs across the portfolio →
The #1 Plugin to Customize the WordPress Dashboard!
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 89/100
no flags
Active installs
50K+
≈60K estimated
Momentum
+8%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “admin menu editor”, “custom wordpress admin” and “custom login screen” for “client dashboard”, “dashboard notifications” and “dashboard widgets”. “admin menu editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “client dashboard” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom wordpress admin” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “dashboard notifications” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom login screen” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “dashboard widgets” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 56 average across 5,902 Admin & Utilities plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.7%
of downloads still active
At least 50K of 1.4M lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Admin & Utilities plugin keeps 0.6%, across 4,191 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Admin & Utilities 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 7 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.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 23 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.6★ over 114 reviews, smoothed to 4.45★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 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.
42
Momentum
Mixed: one swing, the rest drifting
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
28%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| wordpress dashboard | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| custom dashboard your tag | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| dashboard | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| branda your tag | #3 | #3 | down 1 |
| customize dashboard | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| customer dashboard | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| howdy | #3 | #1 | up 1 |
| client dashboard | #4 | #3 | up 3 |
| dashboard columns | #4 | #2 | up 1 |
| remove howdy | #4 | #1 | 0 |
| change howdy | #4 | #1 | 0 |
| dashboard widgets | #5 | #5 | up 1 |
| dashboard notifications | #5 | #4 | up 2 |
| dashboard widget | #6 | #7 | up 1 |
| frontend dashboard | #6 | #5 | down 2 |
| dashboard menu settings | #4 | #4 | — |
| user dashboard | #7 | #8 | up 1 |
| hide dashboard notifications | #8 | #7 | 0 |
| admin dashboard | #8 | #7 | up 1 |
| dashboard plugin | #5 | #3 | 0 |
| admin menu editor your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
112 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 81 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 “admin menu editor”, “custom wordpress admin” and “custom login screen” for “client dashboard”, “dashboard notifications” and “dashboard widgets”. “admin menu editor” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “client dashboard” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom wordpress admin” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “dashboard notifications” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “custom login screen” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #17. “dashboard widgets” sits at #5 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 · 1,490 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 67.3K · 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.
7
releases in the last 12 months
23d ago
latest release · v3.8.18 · 10 Oct 2026
88
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 86% 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 “50K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 17 days ago and a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, so the real count is still just under 60K.
Install history since 16 Dec 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Navone Juan5mo ago
Uso la version gratuita para crear algunos apartados en la zona de administracion y que los editores tengan información y ayuda útil
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ marcruger6mo ago
Works well and the simplicity makes it the best for me.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ marcochang9237mo ago
goood
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jmanalili7mo ago
It serves my purpose and I’m happy with it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ smtll1208mo ago
很好
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Daniel Finch9mo ago
The support for the pro version is very slow (I’m yet to get a response!). So, my rating will be lower just for that fact… The plugin looks good but needs improvement. Support for more page builders (namely Cornerstone by Theme Co and even Gutenberg) for building out the dashboard. I’m surprised the plugins dev did not decide to start with Gutenberg support, to be honest. This topic was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by Daniel Finch. Reason: Editing rating for slow support
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Marjan11mo ago
Easy to manage, perfekt for me.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ prozvitok1.0y ago
I’ve just installed it, but I think it’s a good plugin… although, as you know, there is no limit to perfection…)
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 3.8.17 Tweak: WordPress 7.0 compatibility Fixed: Minor security issue Fixed: Improved module activation/deactivation 3.8.17
- — Version 3.8.16 Minor tweaks & fixes 3.8.16
- — Version 3.8.15 Fixed: Minor security issue Fixed: Several UI inconsistencies Fixed: HTML rendering issues Fixed: Contact form fields stripped by wp_kses_post 3.8.15
- — Version 3.8.14 Fixed: Possible memory exhaustion on sites with many users Fixed: Default welcome panel content is broken when saving settings Fixed: Broken output in Custom CSS fields as certain characters are converted 3.8.14
- — Version 3.8.13 Minor tweaks 3.8.13
- — Version 3.8.12 Update BFCM deal details 3.8.12
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 9 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (3.8.18). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.8.5 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-03-27 CVE-2025-1524 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.8.5 Patched in 3.8.6
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.8.5 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-03-27 CVE-2025-1525 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.8.5 Patched in 3.8.6
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.8.5 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-03-27 CVE-2025-1523 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.8.5 Patched in 3.8.6
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.7.11 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via settings ↗2023-12-19 CVE-2023-50828 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.7.11 Patched in 3.7.12
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.7.7 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via plugin settings ↗2023-11-13 CVE-2023-4726 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 3.7.7 Patched in 3.7.8
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Ultimate Dashboard <= 3.7.5 - Authenticated(Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via plugin settings ↗2023-05-21 CVE-2023-2812 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 3.7.6 Patched in 3.7.6
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.
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 7 languages, 2 at 90% or more
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
4 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 "The #1 Plugin to Customize the WordPress Dashboard!"
- ! Has a FAQ Only 1 question in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 0 of 1 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("undefined").
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("designed for"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Elementor, Beaver Builder, Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 10 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,741 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 1 of 5 tags appear in the text ("Branda", "custom dashboard", "Custom Login Screen", "custom wordpress admin" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-10-16 60K+ → 50K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-10-15 50K+ → 60K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2026-10-12 60K+ → 50K+ down after 1116 days in tier
- 2023-09-22 50K+ → 60K+ up after 193 days in tier
- 2023-03-13 40K+ → 50K+ up after 129 days in tier
- 2022-11-04 30K+ → 40K+ up after 64 days in tier
- 2022-09-01 20K+ → 30K+ up after 212 days in tier
- 2022-02-01 10K+ → 20K+ up after 344 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).
-
Panelra – Custom Admin Dashboard Builder 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags -
AGCA – Custom Dashboard & Login Page 20K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag C -
Branda – White Label & Branding, Free Login Page Customizer 10K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag A -
White Label – WordPress Custom Admin, Custom Login Page, and Custom Dashboard 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 1 shared tag A -
ACF Frontend Admin by DynamiApps 8K+ installs · 4.4★ · 1 shared tag B -
Adminify – White Label, Admin Menu Editor, Login Customizer 6K+ installs · 4.3★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Ultimate Dashboard – Custom WordPress Dashboard into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/ultimate-dashboard" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Ultimate Dashboard – Custom WordPress Dashboard — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Ultimate Dashboard – Custom WordPress Dashboard: 50K+ active installs, 4.6★ (114 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/ultimate-dashboard
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