User Switcher
by irenem · Login & Users
Also makes 1 other plugin · 110+ installs across the portfolio →
A helper tool to help you switch between user account without logging in and out.
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 46/100
Stale · Likely abandoned · Few reviews
Active installs
100+
≈150 estimated
Momentum
+30%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “capabilities”, “guest” and “roles” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
46 health vs 61 average across 2,206 Login & Users plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.1%
of downloads still active
At least 100 of 8.8K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Login & Users plugin keeps 0.7%, across 1,477 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Login & Users 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 9+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 4.6.30, 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 3621 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 4.6.30; the current branch is 6.8
4.6★ over 7 reviews, smoothed to 4.16★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 3621 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.
Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| capabilities your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| guest your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| roles your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| user your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| users your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
0 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 5 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “capabilities”, “guest” and “roles” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 95 · peaks are release surges
Directory rank
Ranked about #13,300 to #16,400, alongside the other plugins at 100+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 1 Nov 2026.
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
9.9y ago
latest release · v2.0.0 · 3 Dec 2016
3
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 “100+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 16 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 30 Sep 2015
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ alordiel8.1y ago
This is really helpful plugin for testing my user’s issue with my site. When I have only admin account I can easily switch to a random users and reproduce their issue. Thanks for the great solution.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ JustBruno8.9y ago
Edited review and rating: I am editing my review. This only supports users with the administrator role. With that being the case, it is not very useful to me or probably most other users who have many hands working on the web site. I would not reduce my rating except that in addition, there seems to be no support. 5-3= 2 stars. Original Review: We were using user switching plugin and needed t use an add on plugin with that one that put switch commands in the header toolbar because without it you needed to scroll to the very bottom of the page to switch back. Very cluncky! This is far better!!! Thanks!! This topic was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by JustBruno. This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by JustBruno. This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by JustBruno.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ greendragontech9.5y ago
I have another plugin I just had to have and some of the other plugins like this one would conflict. This one is lightweight and works without breaking other plugins. Very happy. One request, make is so non-admins could use this too (be selected role) but cannot switch to an admin account.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ elenkadark9.5y ago
This plugin helps me very much when I need to test custom user roles.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ arogers7779.6y ago
I love this plugin with my Dokan store! It simplifies the process when a Vendor needs help from Admin. Switching back and forth is easy, too!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ DFranzwa11.3y ago
Thanks Irene! I was wearing my fingers out logging in and out, in and out. Nice little script.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ keithcdo201511.7y ago
Great and handy!
Read on wp.org ↗
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 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "A helper tool to help you switch between user account without logging in and out."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("for developers"); 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 1 heading and 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 359 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "roles", "users" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-06-27 200+ → 100+ down after 3 days in tier
- 2025-06-24 100+ → 200+ up after 4 days in tier
- 2025-06-20 200+ → 100+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-06-19 100+ → 200+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2025-06-14 200+ → 100+ down after 18 days in tier
- 2025-05-27 100+ → 200+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2025-05-25 200+ → 100+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-05-24 100+ → 200+ up after 1 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).
-
HM Multiple Roles 1K+ installs · 3.8★ · 3 shared tags B -
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin 300K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
View Admin As 9K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Disable User Login 6K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags B -
Restrict Media Library Access 2K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags D -
Fast User Switching 1K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for User Switcher into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/userswitcher" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="User Switcher — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> User Switcher: 100+ active installs, 4.6★ (7 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/userswitcher
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