Import / Export Customizer Settings 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: Import / Export Customizer Settings at #5 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.
Import / Export Customizer Settings
Astra theme customizer offers several settings for header/footer layout, sidebar and blog designs, colors, backgrounds, typography and much more.
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.
Import / Export Customizer Settings ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Widget Importer & Exporter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Import / Export Customizer Settings has 6, Widget Importer & Exporter has 117. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Widget Importer & Exporter has more reviews behind its score: 117 against 6.
Import / Export Customizer Settings was updated more recently, on August 24, 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.
Import / Export Customizer Settings
Pick Import / Export Customizer Settings 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.
Import / Export Customizer Settings vs Widget Importer & Exporter side by side
| Import / Export Customizer Settings | Widget Importer & Exporter | |
|---|---|---|
| Import Plugins ranking | #5 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 6 | 117 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,029,190 | 5,332,353 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | May 23, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 25, 2019 | Jul 15, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.4 | 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.
Import / Export Customizer Settings 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 Import / Export Customizer Settings nor Widget Importer & Exporter can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Import Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Import / Export Customizer Settings vs Widget Importer & Exporter: common questions
Is Import / Export Customizer Settings 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. Import / Export Customizer Settings ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Which has more users, Import / Export Customizer Settings or Widget Importer & Exporter?
Import / Export Customizer Settings ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Import Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Import / Export Customizer Settings or Widget Importer & Exporter?
Widget Importer & Exporter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Import / Export Customizer Settings and Widget Importer & Exporter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Import / Export Customizer Settings may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Widget Importer & Exporter may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Import / Export Customizer Settings and Widget Importer & Exporter
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
One Click Demo Import
1 million+ installs · 4.3 from 79 reviews
-
WP Import Export Lite
40,000+ installs · 4.0 from 113 reviews
-
Customizer Export/Import
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 115 reviews
-
WordPress Importer
2 million+ installs · 3.1 from 327 reviews
-
WP All Import
50,000+ installs · 5.0 from 6 reviews
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