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Plugin Performance Score

Adds a Performance column to your Plugins page showing real benchmark scores, memory usage, and query counts for ~5,000 popular plugins — from bundled makewpfast.com data, fully local.

What It Does

Plugin Performance Score shows which of your installed plugins are heavy — at a glance, on the Plugins page itself. It adds a Performance column to the standard Plugins list page, showing each plugin's benchmark score (0–100), PHP memory footprint, and database query count — measured on clean Docker-based installs by makewpfast.com. The data ships as a static file inside WP Multitool (4,930 plugins at the current export), so the lookup is fully local: no API calls, no phoning home. Clicking a score badge opens the plugin's full benchmark report on makewpfast.com. There is no separate admin page — the module lives entirely on the Plugins screen.

Features

  • Performance column on the Plugins list page with a color-coded score badge: green (80+), yellow (50–79), red (below 50)
  • Score, PHP memory usage, and database query count for each benchmarked plugin
  • Bundled dataset of 4,930 plugins from makewpfast.com Docker-based benchmarks — the lookup is a local file read, no external requests
  • Log-scale scoring formula against a WordPress core baseline (4 MB memory, 4 queries), so memory and query overhead both penalize the score
  • Score badge links to the plugin's full benchmark report on makewpfast.com (opens in a new tab)
  • Plugins without benchmark data show a dash
  • Styles load only on the Plugins page — zero overhead anywhere else in the admin

How to Use

  1. Open the Plugins page

    Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins. A new "Performance" column appears with a score badge for each benchmarked plugin.

  2. Scan for red badges

    Red badges (score below 50) mark plugins with heavy memory or query overhead. Yellow (50–79) is moderate. Green (80+) means minimal measured impact.

  3. Check the details

    Next to each badge you see the plugin's measured memory footprint and query count. Hover the badge for the full breakdown, or click it to open the complete benchmark report on makewpfast.com.

  4. Act on the heaviest plugins

    Consider lighter alternatives for red-badge plugins you can replace, and use Find Slow Callbacks to measure their actual impact on your specific pages before deciding.

FAQ

Where does the benchmark data come from?

From makewpfast.com, which benchmarks WordPress.org plugins on clean Docker installs and measures real memory usage and database queries against a bare WordPress baseline. The dataset is exported to a static PHP file that ships inside WP Multitool.

Does this module make any external requests?

No. The score lookup reads a bundled local file — nothing is sent or fetched at runtime. The only external interaction is if you click a badge, which opens the plugin's report page on makewpfast.com in your browser.

Why do some plugins show a dash instead of a score?

The dataset covers ~5,000 of the most popular WordPress.org plugins. Premium plugins, very new plugins, and niche plugins outside that set have no benchmark data, so the column shows a dash rather than an invented number.

Does the score reflect the plugin's impact on my specific site?

Not exactly. Benchmarks are measured on a clean install with the plugin freshly activated — your real-world impact varies with configuration, content, and plugin interactions. Treat the score as a screening signal, then use Find Slow Callbacks to measure actual impact on your pages.

How does the data get updated?

The dataset ships inside the plugin and only changes when a WP Multitool release bundles a newer export. The bundled file notes its export date; scores do not change between releases.

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