Import / Export Customizer Settings vs WordPress Importer (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 WordPress Importer at #9. WordPress Importer leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. 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.
WordPress Importer
Import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags and more from a WordPress export file.
Who leads on what
WordPress Importer leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Import / Export Customizer Settings ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Import Plugins.
WordPress Importer has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 50,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Import / Export Customizer Settings has 6, WordPress Importer has 327. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
WordPress Importer has more reviews behind its score: 327 against 6.
WordPress Importer was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; Import / Export Customizer Settings on August 24, 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.
WordPress Importer
Pick WordPress Importer if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Import / Export Customizer Settings vs WordPress Importer side by side
| Import / Export Customizer Settings | WordPress Importer | |
|---|---|---|
| Import Plugins ranking | #5 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 3.1 |
| Reviews | 6 | 327 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 2 million+ |
| Total downloads | 1,029,190 | 70,992,584 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Aug 27, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 25, 2019 | May 20, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | 5.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Import / Export Customizer Settings ratings
WordPress Importer 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 WordPress Importer 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 WordPress Importer: common questions
Is Import / Export Customizer Settings better than WordPress Importer?
WordPress Importer leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. 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 #9 in Import Plugins.
Which has more users, Import / Export Customizer Settings or WordPress Importer?
Import / Export Customizer Settings ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Import Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Import / Export Customizer Settings or WordPress Importer?
WordPress Importer has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Import / Export Customizer Settings and WordPress Importer free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Import / Export Customizer Settings may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WordPress Importer is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Import / Export Customizer Settings and WordPress Importer
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Widget Importer & Exporter
200,000+ installs · 4.7 from 117 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
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Customizer Export/Import
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 115 reviews
-
WP All Import
50,000+ installs · 5.0 from 6 reviews
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