EssentialHeaders
v1.0.2by Alex Hedström · updated 2 months ago
Adds the essential HTTP security headers WordPress leaves out—on every public site response.
- Rank
- #19,962
- Up218 vs yesterday
- Active installs (est.)
- ≈ 60
- 60+ reported · High
- Total downloads
- 471
- 471 all-time
- Rating
- –
- 0 reviews
- Support resolved
- –
- 0 of 0 threads, last 2 months
EssentialHeaders at a glance
EssentialHeaders is a WordPress plugin by Alex Hedström with 60+ active installs, the #19,962 most popular plugin on WordPress.org. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 4 times, 125% more than the month before. It has no reviews yet. Version 1.0.2 came out on Aug 28, 2026 and is tested up to WordPress 7.1.4. Among the 21 plugins tagged “hsts”, it ranks #6. It was first released in 2026.
Chart time range
Applies to every chart below. History from Oct 9, 2026, 31 days.
Downloads over time
Download stats103 downloads · the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | EssentialHeaders |
|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 5 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 26, 2026 | 5 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 6 |
| Oct 24, 2026 | 1 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 8 |
| Oct 22, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 20, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 19, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 10 |
| Oct 17, 2026 | 6 |
| Oct 16, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 10 |
| Oct 14, 2026 | 6 |
| Oct 13, 2026 | 7 |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 7 |
| Oct 9, 2026 | 5 |
Unusual spikes are usually updates, not new installs.
Estimated installs
≈ 60 · +30.4% in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Estimated installs |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | 60 |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 54 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 60 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 52 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 52 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 51 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 50 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 47 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 47 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 46 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 46 |
Rank over time
#19,962 · up 1,554 in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | #19,962 |
| Nov 7, 2026 | #20,180 |
| Nov 6, 2026 | #20,089 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | #20,019 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | #20,453 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | #20,422 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | #20,397 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | #21,424 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | #21,408 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | #21,625 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | #21,516 |
Growth %
Average +2.44% a day in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Growth |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | +11.11% |
| Nov 7, 2026 | -5.00% |
| Nov 5, 2026 | +15.38% |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Nov 3, 2026 | +1.96% |
| Nov 2, 2026 | +2.00% |
| Nov 1, 2026 | +6.38% |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Oct 30, 2026 | +2.17% |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 0.00% |
Active installs band
60+ on WordPress.org
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | 60+ |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 50+ |
| Nov 6, 2026 | 50+ |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 60+ |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 50+ |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 50+ |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 50+ |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 50+ |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 50+ |
Search rankings
Where it appears in WordPress.org search for the searches you track, checked every day.
See where EssentialHeaders ranks in search
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Change log
From our daily snapshot of WordPress.org- Rank #21516 → #20019Installs 40+ → 60+
- Tested up to 7.1.3 → 7.1.4
Versions in use
Share of active installs on each published version, from WordPress.org.
- v1.0100%
Requirements & info
Version history- Version
- 1.0.2
- Requires WordPress
- 6.3
- Tested up to
- 7.1.4
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- First released
- Aug 14, 2026
- Last updated
- Aug 28, 2026
- Releases, last 12 months
- …
Questions about EssentialHeaders
How many websites use EssentialHeaders?
EssentialHeaders is active on 60+ WordPress sites, as WordPress.org reports it. WordPress.org rounds the number down, so the real count is somewhat higher. That makes it the #19,962 most popular plugin on WordPress.org.
How many times has EssentialHeaders been downloaded?
471 times in total since 2026. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 4 times. See download stats
When was EssentialHeaders last updated?
Version 1.0.2 came out on Aug 28, 2026 (2 months ago).
Is EssentialHeaders compatible with the latest WordPress?
Yes. It’s tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current version.
Is EssentialHeaders still maintained?
Yes. Its last release was 2 months ago. No support threads were opened in the last two months.
What rating does EssentialHeaders have?
No one has reviewed EssentialHeaders on WordPress.org yet.
What are the best alternatives to EssentialHeaders?
The plugins most like EssentialHeaders, by the tags they share, are Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP (90K+), WP Hide & Security Enhancer (50K+) and Wordfence Security (5M+). Compare all alternatives
Compare with competitors
Add up to 1 competitor. No account needed.
| Metric | |
|---|---|
| Estimated installs | ≈ 60 |
| Reported installs | 60+ |
| Rating | – |
| Reviews | 0 |
| Total downloads | 471 |
| Author | Alex Hedström |
| First released | Aug 14, 2026 |
| Version | 1.0.2 |
| Requires WP | 6.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 |
| Last updated | Aug 28, 2026 |
Alternatives to EssentialHeaders
Compare all alternativesPopular plugins with the same tags, the most in common first.
Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP
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Best all-in-one WordPress security plugin, uses HTTP & HSTS response headers to avoid vulnerabilities: XSS, injection, clickjacking. Force HTTP/HTTPS.
- Rank
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- Installs
- 90K+
- 4.9
WP Hide & Security Enhancer
by nsp-code
Protect your website by concealing vulnerable WordPress traces, plugins, themes, login/admin url. 2FA, Captcha, Firewall, Security Headers etc.
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- #756
- Installs
- 50K+
- 4.3
Wordfence Security
by Mark Maunder
Firewall, Malware Scanner, Two Factor Auth, and Comprehensive Security Features, powered by our 24-hour team. Make security a priority with Wordfence.
- Rank
- #11
- Installs
- 5M+
- 4.7
Jetpack
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Connect ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI agent to your site. Plus backup, malware scan, firewall, stats, CDN, and SEO tools in one plugin.
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- Installs
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- 3.7
Really Simple Security
by Really Simple Plugins
Easily improve site security with WordPress Hardening, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), Login Protection, Vulnerability Detection and SSL certificate.
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- Installs
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- 4.9
All-In-One Security (AIOS)
by David Anderson / Team Updraft
Protect your WordPress site with All-In-One Security (AIOS): easy-to-use login security, a powerful firewall, and much more.
- Rank
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- Installs
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- 4.7
Side by side:EssentialHeaders vs Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WPEssentialHeaders vs WP Hide & Security EnhancerEssentialHeaders vs Wordfence Security
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