BackWPup vs WP STAGING (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Backup Plugins top 10: BackWPup at #6 and WP STAGING at #10. WP STAGING leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
BackWPup
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin
Back up, restore, and protect your WordPress website with automated backups, cloud storage, one-click recovery, and AI-assisted backup management.
WP STAGING
WP STAGING – WordPress Backups, Restore, Migration & Clone
WordPress backup plugin: backups, restore & migration in minutes. Clone or duplicate your site, test updates on a staging copy. 100% unit-tested.
Who leads on what
WP STAGING leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
BackWPup ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
BackWPup has more users: 400,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
WP STAGING is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 2,464 reviews, against 4.0 from 1,321 reviews.
WP STAGING has more reviews behind its score: 2,464 against 1,321.
WP STAGING was updated more recently, on September 6, 2026; BackWPup on September 3, 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.
BackWPup
Pick BackWPup if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the plugin more sites already run.
WP STAGING
Pick WP STAGING if the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
BackWPup vs WP STAGING side by side
| BackWPup | WP STAGING | |
|---|---|---|
| Backup Plugins ranking | #6 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,321 | 2,464 |
| Active installs | 400,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 24,697,084 | 6,009,913 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 5, 2009 | Aug 5, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
BackWPup ratings
WP STAGING 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 BackWPup nor WP STAGING can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Backup Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
BackWPup vs WP STAGING: common questions
Is BackWPup better than WP STAGING?
WP STAGING leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. BackWPup ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
Which has more users, BackWPup or WP STAGING?
BackWPup ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
Which is rated higher, BackWPup or WP STAGING?
BackWPup has more users: 400,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are BackWPup and WP STAGING free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. BackWPup is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. WP STAGING is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to BackWPup and WP STAGING
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.