Head-to-head · October 2026
Show Template vs What The File
What The File comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Show Template.
Show Template
Prints an html comment in the footer of every page letting you know which template file of your theme was…
What The File
What The File adds an option to your toolbar showing what file and template parts are used to display the…
| Metric | Show Template | What The File |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 60+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 59 | 3.7K |
| Download trend | +34.1% | -2.4% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.9/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 882 |
| Health score | 32/100 | 63/100 |
| Last updated | 16 years ago | 8 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.1.4 | WP 6.9.10 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.3+ |
| First released | May 2009 | Aug 2012 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Show TemplateWhat The File
Choose Show Template if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (60+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 16 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.1 (latest is 7.1)
Choose What The File if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 40K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 882 reviews
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: development template
FAQ
Show Template vs What The File: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 15, 2026
Which is better, Show Template or What The File?
What The File comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Show Template. Choose Show Template if you care most about download trend. Choose What The File if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Show Template more popular than What The File?
What The File is the more popular of the two with 40K+ active installs, compared with 60+ for Show Template.
Can I use Show Template and What The File together?
Both plugins cover development and template, 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 Show Template and What The File 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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