WP Core Update Cleaner
by Upperdog · Uncategorized
Also makes 2 other plugins · 35.8K+ installs across the portfolio →
This plugin automatically removes some files in the root folder, like wp-config-sample.php, readme and license files, when WordPress is manually or au …
51 health vs 56 average across 16,376 Uncategorized plugins
Removal-risk signals
28/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Not actively maintained. No update in about 2 years.
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
Biggest win: Update recency
To rank higher: Last updated 894 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Daily downloads
Since 2022-10-05 · 1,425 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peaks are release surges
122
now · peak 169
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
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
2.4y ago
latest release · v1.2.0
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 “800+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Modeled within the band wp.org reports; tightens as we track daily.
Install history · since 2015-09-08 · 1,425 observations
Estimated value
What this plugin might earn a year, and what it might sell for. Modeled from public signals; we don't see anyone's books.
Est. annual revenue
Est. acquisition value
No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A small install base leaves thin data to model from.
Details
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ SypaCC6.3y ago
It makes life much easier by doing it’s job perfectly.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Curtis10.2y ago
Thank you for your plugin development. This plugin does what it says. Was using a read.me plugin remover on my sites. This is even better. Second the thought of a future update to add removal install.php.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Julie11.3y ago
Glad I found this! It’s so annoying to have to remember to take these little steps every time WordPress core updates. It’s a real time-saver, so long as automatic updates are disabled. This plugin works perfectly with manual updates. However, with automatic updates, the readme.html file isn’t removed.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous11.3y ago
Clean code which does what it says it does. Needs one improvement for 5 out of 5: removal of wp-admin/install.php An added star if they gave it a UI with a customizable list of files and directories to remove.
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-08-18 900+ → 800+ down after 147 days in tier
- 2026-03-24 1K+ → 900+ down
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).
- E Easy Theme and Plugin Upgrades 60K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Core Rollback 20K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A - S Simple Automatic Updates 2K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
- W Windows Compatibility Fix 1K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Core Files Update Cleanup 30+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags D - S SVN Auto Upgrade 10+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP Core Update Cleaner into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-core-update-cleaner" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP Core Update Cleaner — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP Core Update Cleaner: 800+ active installs, 4.5★ (4 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-30. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-core-update-cleaner