Advanced Import vs Widget Importer & Exporter (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 Widget Importer & Exporter at #8. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. 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.
Widget Importer & Exporter
Import and export your widgets.
Who leads on what
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Widget Importer & Exporter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Advanced Import has 7, Widget Importer & Exporter has 117. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Widget Importer & Exporter has more reviews behind its score: 117 against 7.
Advanced Import was updated more recently, on June 9, 2026; Widget Importer & Exporter on May 23, 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Widget Importer & Exporter
Pick Widget Importer & Exporter if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Advanced Import vs Widget Importer & Exporter side by side
| Advanced Import | Widget Importer & Exporter | |
|---|---|---|
| Import Plugins ranking | #2 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 7 | 117 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,843,353 | 5,332,353 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 9, 2026 | May 23, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 26, 2019 | Jul 15, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.2.4 |
| 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
Widget Importer & Exporter 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 Widget Importer & Exporter can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Import Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Advanced Import vs Widget Importer & Exporter: common questions
Is Advanced Import better than Widget Importer & Exporter?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced Import or Widget Importer & Exporter?
Advanced Import ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced Import or Widget Importer & Exporter?
Widget Importer & Exporter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are Advanced Import and Widget Importer & Exporter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced Import may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Widget Importer & Exporter may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced Import and Widget Importer & Exporter
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
-
Import / Export Customizer Settings
50,000+ installs · 4.7 from 6 reviews
-
WP Import Export Lite
40,000+ installs · 4.0 from 113 reviews
-
WordPress Importer
2 million+ installs · 3.1 from 327 reviews
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