WP Reading Progress
by Joeri van Veen · Uncategorized
Also makes 5 other plugins · 3.2K+ installs across the portfolio →
Light weight fully customizable reading progress bar. Sticks to top, bottom or sticky menu, with fallback for small screens. Includes ert (beta).
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
3K+
≈3.9K estimated
Momentum
+18%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Add “estimated time”, “beta” and “attach” to your wp.org tags. You rank #10, #16 and #17 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 4 listed these are the slots worth spending.
89 health vs 58 average across 25,733 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.6%
of downloads still active
At least 3K of 53.2K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,766 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized 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 2 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.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 77 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 19 reviews, smoothed to 4.35★ and held back under 25 reviews
4 of 5 tags set · short description in place
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.
40
Momentum
Mixed: one swing, the rest drifting
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
22%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| progress your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| reading progress | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| reading progress bar | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| estimated reading time your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| blog reading time | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| reading your tag | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| progressbar your tag | #4 | #4 | down 1 |
| scroll progress | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| reading bar | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| estimated reading | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| reading time | #4 | #4 | 0 |
| post reading time | #4 | #5 | 0 |
| progress bar | #8 | #9 | 0 |
| page progress | #4 | #8 | up 1 |
| reading time wp | #4 | #7 | up 1 |
| wordpress progress bar | #6 | #6 | 0 |
| estimated time | #10 | #7 | up 1 |
| beta | #16 | #14 | up 2 |
| custom progressbar | #6 | #6 | down 1 |
| fallback | #18 | #18 | 0 |
37 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 15 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Add “estimated time”, “beta” and “attach” to your wp.org tags. You rank #10, #16 and #17 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 4 listed these are the slots worth spending.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 4.5K · 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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
5mo ago
latest release · v1.7.0 · 20 May 2026
11
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 65% 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 “3K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.3 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 4 Aug 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ hirngesicht9mo ago
Even when I’ve set it to only load on specific post types it still loads the CSS and JS everywhere. A pity really, because it’s really been helpful for users. This topic was modified 5 months, 1 week ago by hirngesicht.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jimmy Lee1.4y ago
Really nice plugin, clean, fast! Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ uacl3122.4y ago
This plugin is great and does exactly what I need it to do. I’ve tried a few different plugins of this type and this one is by far the most user-friendly. It does what it says on the tin and it does it well. It’s refreshing to see that the developer is as supportive as possible, and the support is second to none. If you’re looking for a progress bar for your blog/website, this is the one for you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ neuralytix2.8y ago
After trying a dozen reading progress bars, WP Reading Progress works very well. It is simple to install, and the support is one of the best I’ve experienced from any developer.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sandswimmer3.0y ago
You install the plugin and that’s basically it. Adjust some minor details in Settings > WP Reading Progress, and you are good to go. A big thank you to the developer!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ delrod3.0y ago
Super easy to use and high quality. Great plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jeremy A3.8y ago
The plugin works perfectly and the author helped me resolving an issue. Thanks again !
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Stefan Georges4.4y ago
Works very good.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.5.7 1.5.7
- — Version 1.5.6 1.5.5: bar top position calculation improved and allowing fractional pixels 1.5.6
- — Version 1.5.4 1.5.4
- — Version 1.5.3 1.5.2: simplify progress calculation accounting for incorrect bounding client rect reporting of body 1.5.3
- — Version 1.5.1 1.5.0: allow multiple menu selectors and pick the first visible one to attach to 1.4.0: compatible with fixed menus that consist of different elements depending on screen size, as long as they have a common selector 1.3. 1.5.1
- — Version 1.3.4 1.3.4
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 8 languages, 1 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
2 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 Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 2 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,453 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 4 tags appear in the text; "progressbar" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-06-28 2K+ → 3K+ up after 5 days in tier
- 2024-06-23 3K+ → 2K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2024-06-22 2K+ → 3K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2024-06-20 3K+ → 2K+ down after 22 days in tier
- 2024-05-29 2K+ → 3K+ up after 731 days in tier
- 2022-05-29 1K+ → 2K+ up after 488 days in tier
- 2021-01-26 900+ → 1K+ up after 57 days in tier
- 2020-11-30 700+ → 900+ up after 37 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).
-
Reading progressbar 6K+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags A -
Worth The Read 3K+ installs · 4.2★ · 3 shared tags A - P Post Reading Progress 10+ installs · 4.0★ · 3 shared tags D
-
WP Post Reading Progress — installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags -
Catch Scroll Progress Bar 1K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags B - B BSPB ProgressBar by pierre gagliardi 10+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP Reading Progress into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-reading-progress" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP Reading Progress — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP Reading Progress: 3K+ active installs, 5.0★ (19 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-reading-progress
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