PluginSift

Debug Bar vs Mail Debug (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
Mail Debug

Mail Debug

0(0)

10 active installs

Free

Updated 15 years ago
View Mail Debug

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Debug Bar has a higher user rating (4.1/5 from 69 reviews) and leads in active installations (20K+ vs 10). Both are free WordPress plugins. Debug Bar has accumulated 2.1M+ total downloads while Mail Debug has 4.3K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.1/5Debug Bar
◄
Mail DebugN/A
Total Reviews
69Debug Bar
◄
Mail Debug0
Active Installs
20K+Debug Bar
◄
Mail Debug10
Total Downloads
2.1M+Debug Bar
◄
Mail Debug4.3K+
Support Resolution
N/ADebug Bar
Mail DebugN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoDebug Bar
◄
Mail Debug15 years ago
First Released
2010Debug Bar
Mail Debug2009
Age
16 yearsDebug Bar
Mail Debug17 years
WP Requires
3.4+Debug Bar
Mail Debug2.7+
PHP Requires
false+Debug Bar
Mail Debugfalse+
Business Model
FreeDebug Bar
Mail DebugFree
Latest Version
1.1.8Debug Bar
Mail Debug1.4

Rating Breakdown

Debug Bar

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

Mail Debug

0/5(0 reviews)
5
0%
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

Mail Debug Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Debug Bar or Mail Debug more popular?
Debug Bar has 20K+ active installations while Mail Debug has 10. Debug Bar is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Debug Bar or Mail Debug?
Debug Bar has a 4.1/5 rating from 69 reviews, while Mail Debug has a 0/5 rating from 0 reviews.
Are Debug Bar and Mail Debug free?
Debug Bar is free and Mail Debug is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Debug Bar or Mail Debug?
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 Mail Debug was last updated 15 years ago.

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