Head-to-head · October 2026
Run External Crons vs WP Crontrol
WP Crontrol comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Run External Crons.
WP Crontrol
Take control of the cron events on your WordPress website or WooCommerce store with WP Crontrol. From the…
| Metric | Run External Crons | WP Crontrol |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50+ | 300K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 67 | 374.9K |
| Download trend | +63.4% | +34.6% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Reviews | 2 | 166 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 85/100 |
| Last updated | 14 years ago | 6 days ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.4.2 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | 40% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | Aug 2012 | Jan 2008 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Run External CronsWP Crontrol
Choose Run External Crons if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.4 (latest is 7.1)
Choose WP Crontrol if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 300K+ active sites
- Actively developed — last update 6 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 34.6% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: cron
FAQ
Run External Crons vs WP Crontrol: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 21, 2026
Which is better, Run External Crons or WP Crontrol?
WP Crontrol comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Run External Crons. Choose Run External Crons if you care most about download trend. Choose WP Crontrol if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Run External Crons more popular than WP Crontrol?
WP Crontrol is the more popular of the two with 300K+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Run External Crons.
Can I use Run External Crons and WP Crontrol together?
Both plugins cover cron, 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 Run External Crons and WP Crontrol 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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