Head-to-head · October 2026
Black Bar vs Debug Bar Widgets
Black Bar comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Debug Bar Widgets.
Black Bar
Black Bar is an unobtrusive Debug Bar for WordPress developers. It collects and displays errors, executed SQL…
Debug Bar Widgets
Debug Bar Widgets adds a new panel to the Debug Bar that displays all registered widgets.
| Metric | Black Bar | Debug Bar Widgets |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 500+ | 10+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 666 | 41 |
| Download trend | +21.5% | +28.1% |
| Rating | 5/5 | — |
| Reviews | 9 | 0 |
| Health score | 67/100 | 23/100 |
| Last updated | 5 months ago | 2 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.0.7 | WP 6.6.10 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | 8.1.2+ | Any |
| First released | Feb 2018 | Mar 2016 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Black BarDebug Bar Widgets
Choose Black Bar if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Momentum — downloads up 21.5% vs the previous 30 days
- Small user base (500+ active installs)
- Needs PHP 8.1.2 or newer
Choose Debug Bar Widgets if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 2 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.6 (latest is 7.1)
FAQ
Black Bar vs Debug Bar Widgets: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 15, 2026
Which is better, Black Bar or Debug Bar Widgets?
Black Bar comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Debug Bar Widgets. Choose Black Bar if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Debug Bar Widgets if you care most about download trend.
Is Black Bar more popular than Debug Bar Widgets?
Black Bar is the more popular of the two with 500+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Debug Bar Widgets.
Can I use Black Bar and Debug Bar Widgets together?
Both plugins cover debug bar and debugging, 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 Black Bar and Debug Bar Widgets 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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