Email Subscribers vs Newsletter (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Newsletter Plugins top 10: Email Subscribers at #6 and Newsletter at #2. Newsletter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Email Subscribers
Email Subscribers & Newsletters – Email Marketing, Post Notifications & Newsletter Plugin for WordPress
Add subscription forms on the website and send newsletters & automatically send post notification about new blog posts once it gets published.
Newsletter
Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress
An email marketing tool for your blog: subscription forms to create your lists with unlimited subscribers and newsletters.
Who leads on what
Newsletter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
Newsletter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Newsletter Plugins.
Newsletter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Both are rated 4.6 out of 5 (1,170 and 1,204 reviews).
Newsletter has more reviews behind its score: 1,204 against 1,170.
Newsletter was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; Email Subscribers on October 15, 2026.
Newsletter was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 690,830 times against 77,860.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Email Subscribers
Email Subscribers does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Newsletter
Pick Newsletter if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Email Subscribers vs Newsletter side by side
| Email Subscribers | Newsletter | |
|---|---|---|
| Newsletter Plugins ranking | #6 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 1,170 | 1,204 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 13,062,324 | 36,266,182 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 77,860 | 690,830 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | May 9, 2014 | May 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Email Subscribers ratings
Newsletter 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 Email Subscribers nor Newsletter can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Newsletter Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Email Subscribers vs Newsletter: common questions
Is Email Subscribers better than Newsletter?
Newsletter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Newsletter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Newsletter Plugins.
Which has more users, Email Subscribers or Newsletter?
Newsletter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Newsletter Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Email Subscribers or Newsletter?
Newsletter has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 50,000+.
Are Email Subscribers and Newsletter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Email Subscribers may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Newsletter is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Email Subscribers and Newsletter
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.