UpdraftPlus 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: UpdraftPlus at #1 and WP STAGING at #10. UpdraftPlus leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin
Backup, restore or migrate your WordPress website to another host or domain. Schedule backups or run manually. Migrate in minutes.
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
UpdraftPlus leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
UpdraftPlus has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (8,637 and 2,464 reviews).
UpdraftPlus has more reviews behind its score: 8,637 against 2,464.
WP STAGING was updated more recently, on September 6, 2026; UpdraftPlus on August 21, 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.
UpdraftPlus
Pick UpdraftPlus if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
WP STAGING
Pick WP STAGING if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
UpdraftPlus vs WP STAGING side by side
| UpdraftPlus | WP STAGING | |
|---|---|---|
| Backup Plugins ranking | #1 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 8,637 | 2,464 |
| Active installs | 3 million+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 164,491,267 | 6,009,913 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 |
| First published | May 22, 2012 | Aug 5, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
UpdraftPlus 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 UpdraftPlus nor WP STAGING can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Backup Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
UpdraftPlus vs WP STAGING: common questions
Is UpdraftPlus better than WP STAGING?
UpdraftPlus leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
Which has more users, UpdraftPlus or WP STAGING?
UpdraftPlus ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Backup Plugins.
Which is rated higher, UpdraftPlus or WP STAGING?
UpdraftPlus has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are UpdraftPlus and WP STAGING free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. UpdraftPlus may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP STAGING is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to UpdraftPlus 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
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