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Head-to-head · October 2026

Back To The Theme vs WP Debugging

WP Debugging comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Back To The Theme.

Back To The Theme

Back To The Theme

A tool to observe how a page loads in different themes simultaneously. Useful for debugging plugins or…

1wins
23
VS
Our pick WP Debugging

WP Debugging

This plugin sets the following debug constants in wp-config.php on plugin activation and removes them on…

6wins
75
MetricBack To The ThemeWP Debugging
Active installs 10+ 10K+
Downloads (30 days) 46 4.7K
Download trend -4.2% -39.9%
Rating — 5/5
Reviews 0 21
Health score 23/100 75/100
Last updated 8 years ago 2 months ago
Tested up to WP 5.1.27 WP 7.1.3
Support resolved — 0%
Requires PHP 5.6.0+ 5.6+
First released Feb 2019 Feb 2019

Daily downloads, last 90 days

Back To The ThemeWP Debugging

2.1K4.2K6.2KJul 22Sep 4Oct 19

Choose Back To The Theme if…

You care most about download trend.

  • Small user base (10+ active installs)
  • Very few reviews so far
  • No update in 7 years
  • Only tested up to WordPress 5.1 (latest is 7.1)
Full Back To The Theme report →

Choose WP Debugging if…

You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.

  • Proven at scale on 10K+ active sites
  • Loved by users — 5/5 from 21 reviews
  • Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Full WP Debugging report →

Both compete in: debug

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FAQ

Back To The Theme vs WP Debugging: quick answers

Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.

Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 20, 2026

Which is better, Back To The Theme or WP Debugging?

WP Debugging comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Back To The Theme. Choose Back To The Theme if you care most about download trend. Choose WP Debugging if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.

Is Back To The Theme more popular than WP Debugging?

WP Debugging is the more popular of the two with 10K+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Back To The Theme.

Can I use Back To The Theme and WP Debugging together?

Both plugins cover debug, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.

Are Back To The Theme and WP Debugging free?

Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.

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