# Dark Reader – Beautiful Dark Mode for any Website

> Dark Reader has 200+ active installs, a 5/5 rating from 5 reviews and 662 downloads in the last 30 days. Health score 70/100, keyword rankings, version adoption and the best alternatives.

**Verdict: Solid choice.** Dark Reader is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 hours ago, and scores 70/100 on our health check.

**Complete WordPress dark mode with brightness control, contrast adjustment, toggle styles, and auto detection.**

## Key facts

- **Overall rank:** —
- **Active installs:** 200+
- **Total downloads:** 8,392
- **Downloads (30 days):** 662 (-24.4% vs previous 30 days)
- **Rating:** 5/5 from 5 reviews
- **Health score:** 70/100 (Good)
- **Version:** 1.1.13
- **Last updated:** Sep 29, 2026
- **Tested up to:** WordPress 7.1.2
- **Requires:** WordPress 6.0+, PHP 7.4+
- **Support resolved:** 0 of 1 threads (last 2 months)
- **Developer:** bdthemes (https://pageforge.pro/directory/authors/bdthemes/)
- **WordPress.org:** https://wordpress.org/plugins/dark-reader/

## Category rankings

| Category | Rank | Plugins |
|---|---|---|
| [dark](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark/) | #7 | 26 |
| [dark mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark-mode/) | #13 | 78 |
| [dark theme](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/dark-theme/) | #7 | 25 |
| [Night Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/night-mode/) | #8 | 29 |
| [wp dark](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/tag/wp-dark/) | #1 | 1 |

## WordPress.org search positions

| Keyword | Position | Results |
|---|---|---|
| dark | #7 | 2,514 |
| dark mode | #7 | 1,610 |
| dark theme | #8 | 1,987 |
| Night Mode | #9 | 188 |
| wp dark | #12 | 2,134 |

## Version adoption

- 1.1: 100%

## Alternatives

| # | Name | Active installs | Rating | Updated | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Dark Mode – Improve Accessibility with AI Powered Dark Theme](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-dark-mode/) | 20K+ | 4.5/5 (390) | Sep 29, 2026 | 92/100 |
| 2 | [Dark Mode Toggle](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/dark-mode-toggle/) | 2K+ | 4.6/5 (19) | Sep 23, 2026 | 81/100 |
| 3 | [DarkMySite – Advanced Dark Mode Plugin for WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darkmysite/) | 1K+ | 4.7/5 (14) | Oct 11, 2025 | 42/100 |
| 4 | [Darkify – Dark Mode & Night Mode for Website & Admin (Dark Theme Included)](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darkify/) | 900+ | 4.7/5 (25) | Sep 14, 2026 | 90/100 |
| 5 | [DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/darklooks-dark-mode-switcher/) | 800+ | 4.8/5 (16) | May 22, 2026 | 66/100 |
| 6 | [WP Night Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-night-mode/) | 700+ | 4.5/5 (23) | Nov 9, 2020 | 42/100 |
| 8 | [Night Eye – Dark Mode Plugin](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/night-eye/) | 50+ | 5/5 (8) | Apr 14, 2022 | 37/100 |
| 9 | [Catch Dark Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/catch-dark-mode/) | 30+ | — | May 18, 2026 | 52/100 |
| 10 | [WP Dark Mode Block](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/wp-dark-mode-block/) | 30+ | — | Aug 21, 2020 | 24/100 |
| 11 | [Admin Dark Mode](https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/admin-dark-mode/) | 20+ | 4/5 (1) | Sep 1, 2018 | 28/100 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark Reader free?
Yes. Dark Reader is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.

### Is Dark Reader safe to use in 2026?
Dark Reader is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 200+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 11 hours ago, and scores 70/100 on our health check.

### How many websites use Dark Reader?
Dark Reader is active on 200+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 8,392 times since it launched in May 2025. It was downloaded 662 times in the last 30 days.

### Does Dark Reader work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Dark Reader up to WordPress 7.1.2, the latest release. It requires WordPress 6.0 or newer.

### What PHP version does Dark Reader need?
Dark Reader requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.

### When was Dark Reader last updated?
The latest version, 1.1.13, was released on September 29, 2026 (11 hours ago).

### Who makes Dark Reader?
Dark Reader is developed and maintained by bdthemes.

### What are the best alternatives to Dark Reader?
The most popular alternatives to Dark Reader are Dark Mode (20K+ installs), Dark Mode Toggle (2K+ installs) and DarkMySite (1K+ installs).


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/plugins/dark-reader/ · Generated 2026-09-29 22:14 UTC by PageForge