Advanced Import vs Import / Export Customizer Settings (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Import Plugins top 10: Advanced Import at #2 and Import / Export Customizer Settings at #5. Advanced Import leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Advanced Import
Easily import demo data including posts, pages, media, widgets, customizer settings, and Gutenberg Blocks.
Import / Export Customizer Settings
Astra theme customizer offers several settings for header/footer layout, sidebar and blog designs, colors, backgrounds, typography and much more.
Who leads on what
Advanced Import leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Import Plugins.
Advanced Import has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Advanced Import has 7, Import / Export Customizer Settings has 6. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Advanced Import has more reviews behind its score: 7 against 6.
Import / Export Customizer Settings was updated more recently, on August 24, 2026; Advanced Import on June 9, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Advanced Import
Pick Advanced Import if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Import / Export Customizer Settings
Pick Import / Export Customizer Settings if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Advanced Import vs Import / Export Customizer Settings side by side
| Advanced Import | Import / Export Customizer Settings | |
|---|---|---|
| Import Plugins ranking | #2 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 7 | 6 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,843,353 | 1,029,190 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 9, 2026 | Aug 24, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 26, 2019 | Mar 25, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Advanced Import ratings
Import / Export Customizer Settings ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Advanced Import nor Import / Export Customizer Settings can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Import Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Advanced Import vs Import / Export Customizer Settings: common questions
Is Advanced Import better than Import / Export Customizer Settings?
Advanced Import leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Import Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced Import or Import / Export Customizer Settings?
Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Import Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced Import or Import / Export Customizer Settings?
Advanced Import has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Advanced Import and Import / Export Customizer Settings free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced Import may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Import / Export Customizer Settings may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced Import and Import / Export Customizer Settings
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Customizer Export/Import
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 115 reviews
-
One Click Demo Import
1 million+ installs · 4.3 from 79 reviews
-
WP Import Export Lite
40,000+ installs · 4.0 from 113 reviews
-
Widget Importer & Exporter
200,000+ installs · 4.7 from 117 reviews
-
WP All Import
20,000+ installs · 4.7 from 273 reviews
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