Customizable HTML5 Audio controller with waveform preview (mixed or split channels), using WordPress native audio and playlist shortcode.
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 81/100
no flags
Active installs
400+
≈450 estimated
Momentum
+20%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: “audio”, “media” and “player” 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.
81 health vs 62 average across 3,280 Media plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.7%
of downloads still active
At least 400 of 23.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Media plugin keeps 0.8%, across 2,319 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Media 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 1 release 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.
Room to improve
Most to gain: WP compatibility
Updated 270 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 5.4.25; the current branch is 6.8
5.0★ over 11 reviews, smoothed to 4.26★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Set "Tested up to" to WordPress 6.8; lagging the current branch costs search weight.
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.
35
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.8
Velocity
places per keyword, 14d
17%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 14d
-0.7
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| wavesurfer | #3 | #3 | down 1 |
| waveform your tag | #18 | #11 | down 2 |
| audio your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| media your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| player your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| visualization your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
7 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 2 listed. 5 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “audio”, “media” and “player” 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.
- Already on top for “wavesurfer”. #3 without listing it. A tag would change little there; your slots are better spent on a search you don't yet win.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 2.3K · 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
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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
9mo ago
latest release · v2.8.4 · 4 Feb 2026
30
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 97% 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 “400+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 11 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 9 Jun 2016
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ zesvoetvier9.5y ago
Basic set-up is great, premium set-up even better (cached waveforms!) At first combining it with Ajax Load More plugin was a bit difficult, but quick adjustments by the developer really made my day.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ andreeaforce9.7y ago
Great work! It works really good! Thank you! This topic was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by andreeaforce.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ blaze199910.0y ago
I purchased this plugin This plug-in is very powerful For my site to save a lot of traffic I gave the author some feedback, the author helped me to solve thank you very much my site: http://100audio.com/en/
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Benoti10.5y ago
Works fine. Thank you
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mikblog10.6y ago
Thanks for making this plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ agenciesFirst10.6y ago
Works really good and simple, good job, thank you 🙂 The Waveform doesn’t work in Multisite environment.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ newguy110.8y ago
This plugin is a dream come true! For almost a year now I have been searching and waiting for someone to develop an easy and SMART waveform player. Every designer I spoke to about custom work would insist how “it can’t be done for cheap” … Amazing!!!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ 0037010.8y ago
Exelent work !
Read on wp.org ↗
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (2.8.4). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 WaveSurfer-WP <= 2.8.3 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via 'src' Shortcode Attribute ↗2026-02-05 CVE-2026-1909 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.8.3 Patched in 2.8.4
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 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 3 languages, 0 at 90% or more · development strings
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
5 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 1 question in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 1 of 1 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("The buttons appear but not the Waveform").
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("if you want", "use this").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Gutenberg, Multisite.
- ✓ Headings and lists 3 headings and 7 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 5,062 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "media", "visualization" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-11-25 500+ → 400+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-24 400+ → 500+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2025-11-22 500+ → 400+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-21 400+ → 500+ up after 14 days in tier
- 2025-11-07 500+ → 400+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-11-06 400+ → 500+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2025-11-04 500+ → 400+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2025-11-02 400+ → 500+ 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).
-
Compact WP Audio Player 20K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags A -
HTML5 Audio Player – The Ultimate No-Code Podcast, MP3 & Audio Player 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags B -
rtMedia for WordPress, BuddyPress and bbPress 7K+ installs · 3.7★ · 2 shared tags B -
Meks Audio Player 1K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags C -
Podbean Shortcode 900+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D -
GamiPress – Multimedia Content 400+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WaveSurfer-WP into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wavesurfer-wp" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WaveSurfer-WP — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WaveSurfer-WP: 400+ active installs, 5.0★ (11 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wavesurfer-wp
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