Head-to-head · September 2026
Default Gravatar Sans vs Simple Local Avatars
Simple Local Avatars comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Default Gravatar Sans.
Default Gravatar Sans
Disables default Gravatar.com avatar and redirection to gravatar.com servers, and allows to define a local…
Simple Local Avatars
Adds an avatar upload field to user profiles if the current user has media permissions. Generates requested…
| Metric | Default Gravatar Sans | Simple Local Avatars |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50+ | 100K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 67 | 17.9K |
| Download trend | +42.6% | -1.9% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Reviews | 2 | 89 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 90/100 |
| Last updated | 9 years ago | 1 month ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.8.32 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | Apr 2012 | Jan 2011 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Default Gravatar SansSimple Local Avatars
Choose Default Gravatar Sans if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.8 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Simple Local Avatars if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 100K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.6/5 from 89 reviews
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
FAQ
Default Gravatar Sans vs Simple Local Avatars: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 28, 2026
Which is better, Default Gravatar Sans or Simple Local Avatars?
Simple Local Avatars comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Default Gravatar Sans. Choose Default Gravatar Sans if you care most about download trend. Choose Simple Local Avatars if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Default Gravatar Sans more popular than Simple Local Avatars?
Simple Local Avatars is the more popular of the two with 100K+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Default Gravatar Sans.
Can I use Default Gravatar Sans and Simple Local Avatars together?
Both plugins cover avatar, gravatar and users, 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 Default Gravatar Sans and Simple Local Avatars 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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