WP User Avatars
by John James Jacoby · Media
Also makes 28 other plugins · 331.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
Allow registered users to upload and select their own avatars.
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 87/100
no flags
Active installs
20K+
≈25K estimated
Momentum
+638%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “local” for “select”. “local” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “select” sits at #23 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
87 health vs 62 average across 3,278 Media plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →5.6%
of downloads still active
At least 20K of 357.4K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Media plugin keeps 0.8%, across 2,317 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 5 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 16 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.5★ over 29 reviews, smoothed to 4.25★
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.
33
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.8
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
10%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| avatars | #3 | #4 | up 16 |
| avatar your tag | #5 | #5 | down 1 |
| registered users | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| avatars plugin | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| new avatars | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| user avatar | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| wp avatar | #4 | #7 | up 1 |
| local avatar | #4 | #5 | 0 |
| wp user | #13 | #21 | 0 |
| registered | #12 | #16 | 0 |
| avatar upload | #5 | #6 | 0 |
| user your tag | #21 | #23 | up 1 |
| select | #23 | #20 | down 5 |
| custom avatar | #10 | #14 | down 1 |
| user profile image | #11 | #15 | down 1 |
| user profile restriction | #13 | #19 | 0 |
| user upload restriction | #15 | #20 | up 1 |
| wp users | #18 | #22 | up 1 |
| user id | #19 | #22 | down 2 |
| user profile | #19 | #19 | down 3 |
| local your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| media your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| profile your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
98 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 74 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 3 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “local” for “select”. “local” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “select” sits at #23 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 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 33.8K · 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.
5
releases in the last 12 months
16d ago
latest release · v2.2.0 · 15 Oct 2026
5
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. 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 “20K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 18 months ago; the previous band took 13 months to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Oct 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Dennis Bareis2.9y ago
Very simplistic (which to some people is good) but not only do I want one that supplements Gravatar but has user support, this one is abandoned.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ctmartin20204.5y ago
A lot of people seem to think this replaces the former WP User Avatar… it does not. First, it appears that support is seriously lacking here… look at the numerous support questions left unanswered. A couple that particularly interested me had to do with whether it was possible to allow users to upload their avatar from the frontend. I do not give users access to the WordPress Admin User page. The old WP User Avatar had a nice simple shortcode which I could use on the frontend. I find there is ZERO documentation here for this plugin and even looking through the code I can find NO shortcode for use on the frontend… so even though those support questions went unanswered, I can see why: there is NO support for user avatar uploads on the frontend. So the bottom line is, if you’re looking for something that provides an interface for users on the frontend (like the old WP User Avatar), this plugin will NOT do what you need. One User Avatar does. This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by ctmartin2020.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mikejcandy5.2y ago
Nice and simple plugin. Great replacement for the corrupt ProfilePress (previously WP User Avatar).
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sxn315.4y ago
As other reviewers are commenting, I’m here after being tricked by the authors of a different avatar plugin. This is doing the job nicely.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Lars5.4y ago
I was using rival plugin WP User Avatar (no “s”) that just suddenly transformed into this ‘ProfilePress’ membership plugin adding a bunch of stuff I didn’t need, want or asked for. WP User Avatars (this plugin, with an “s”) is light weight, functional and does what it says it will do. Please keep it this way… This topic was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by Lars.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Le Isaac5.4y ago
Glad I found this lightweight replacement for WP User Avatar (no “s”). That plugin was recently changed extensively and rebranded as ProfilePress. I didn’t want or need all the stuff they added and am so happy that I found WP User Avatars (with an “s”). It’s such a good replacement and it does just what I need, which is to allow me to create custom avatars for my users and authors. Great work!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ boogieboa5.5y ago
@johnjamesjacoby, I really hope you will continue to maintain and update “WP User Avatars” now that its main rival has turned into the unwanted and bloated “ProfilePress” – 40,000 new users need you.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ laymonk5.6y ago
I use UM, and users know how to upload their pix to their profile, but then their articles they author is unable to show their profile pix (in author boxes) because WP and plugins that offer author boxes only look in gravatar for image sources. Another similarly named plugin (with 400k downloads) is unable to do what this plugin does so straight-forwardly. I am loving JJJ plugins, and learning from them. Reminder to self, ensure you make a donation to this awesome contributor
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2021-05-29 Version 1.4.1 Update author info Add sponsor link 1.4.1
- — Version 1.4.0 Improved support for long file names 1.4.0
- — Version 1.3.0 Fix local avatars in comments 1.3.0
- — Version 1.2.0 BuddyPress profile styling support 1.2.0
- — Version 1.1.1 Rename functions.php to common.php 1.1.1
- — Version 1.1.0 Compatibility with future versions of WP User Profiles 1.1.0
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.4.8 · WP 5.7.2
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 53 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Plus 29 more locales with partial translations.
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 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Allow registered users to upload and select their own avatars."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 8 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 8 of 8 read like questions a user would type.
- ! 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 1 heading and 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ! Enough to quote 392 characters of description; under 1,000 there is little to quote.
- ✓ Tags match the text 4 of 5 tags appear in the text; "local" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-05-17 30K+ → 20K+ down after 381 days in tier
- 2024-05-01 40K+ → 30K+ down after 820 days in tier
- 2022-02-01 30K+ → 40K+ up after 172 days in tier
- 2021-08-13 20K+ → 30K+ up after 246 days in tier
- 2020-12-10 10K+ → 20K+ up after 173 days in tier
- 2020-06-20 20K+ → 10K+ down after 703 days in tier
- 2018-07-18 10K+ → 20K+ up after 475 days in tier
- 2017-03-30 8K+ → 10K+ up after 97 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).
-
Meks Smart Author Widget 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 3 shared tags C -
WP Avatar 300+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags D -
Simple Local Avatars 100K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Gravatar Enhanced – Avatars, Profiles, and Privacy 100K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags A -
One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Basic User Avatars 20K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for WP User Avatars into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/wp-user-avatars" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="WP User Avatars — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> WP User Avatars: 20K+ active installs, 4.5★ (29 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/wp-user-avatars
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