Debug Bar vs WP Mail Debugger (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Debug Bar

Debug Bar

4.1(69)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Debug Bar
VS
WP Mail Debugger

WP Mail Debugger

5(2)

300 active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View WP Mail Debugger

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, WP Mail Debugger has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while Debug Bar leads in active installations (20K+ vs 300). Both are free WordPress plugins. Debug Bar has accumulated 2.1M+ total downloads while WP Mail Debugger has 9.1K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.1/5Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger5/5
Total Reviews
69Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger2
Active Installs
20K+Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger300
Total Downloads
2.1M+Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger9.1K+
Support Resolution
N/ADebug Bar
WP Mail DebuggerN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoDebug Bar
WP Mail Debugger1 year ago
First Released
2010Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger2020
Age
16 yearsDebug Bar
WP Mail Debugger6 years
WP Requires
3.4+Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger6.3.0+
PHP Requires
false+Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger7.2.0+
Business Model
FreeDebug Bar
WP Mail DebuggerFree
Latest Version
1.1.8Debug Bar
WP Mail Debugger1.1

Rating Breakdown

Debug Bar

4.1/5(69 reviews)
5
74%
4
4%
3
1%
2
1%
1
19%

WP Mail Debugger

5/5(2 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Debug Bar Reviews

by Lene

Simple and easy

It works…

by Michael Galli

Works perfectly

Finding bugs is very easy and efficient with that plugin. I can highly recommend it.

by James Hunt

Seemingly abandoned

Debug Bar is still listed in WordPress’s own developer documentation as a go-to debugging tool, yet it hasn’t been updated in over a year and throws PHP errors. It’s a clear example of Automattic prom

WP Mail Debugger Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Debug Bar or WP Mail Debugger more popular?
Debug Bar has 20K+ active installations while WP Mail Debugger has 300. Debug Bar is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Debug Bar or WP Mail Debugger?
Debug Bar has a 4.1/5 rating from 69 reviews, while WP Mail Debugger has a 5/5 rating from 2 reviews.
Are Debug Bar and WP Mail Debugger free?
Debug Bar is free and WP Mail Debugger is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Debug Bar or WP Mail Debugger?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Debug Bar was last updated 1 month ago and WP Mail Debugger was last updated 1 year ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.