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PHP Compatibility Checker

By WP Engine

Developer Tools & Customization / Code Snippets & Custom Code

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

PHP Compatibility Checker Review - In-Depth Analysis

Check compatibility of your WordPress themes and plugins with newer PHP versions.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.46/10

User Rating

2.7/5 (based on 131+ reviews)

Active Installations

200,000+

Update Frequency

Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

The WP Engine PHP Compatibility Checker can be used by any WordPress website on any web host to check PHP version compatibility.

This plugin will lint theme and plugin code installed on your WordPress site and give you back a report of compatibility issues as reported by Tide for you to fix. Compatibility issues are categorized into errors and warnings and will list the file and line number of the offending code, as well as the info about why that line of code is incompatible with the chosen version of PHP. The plugin will also suggest updates to themes and plugins, as a new version may offer compatible code.

This plugin does not execute your theme and plugin code, as such this plugin cannot detect runtime compatibility issues.

Please note that linting code is not perfect. This plugin cannot detect unused code-paths that might be used for backwards compatibility, and thus might show false positives. We maintain a whitelist of plugins that can cause false positives. We are continuously working to ensure the checker provides the most accurate results possible.

This plugin relies on Tide that constantly scans updated versions of plugins and themes in the background. Your scan results should be near real-time, but if not that just means Tide has not yet scanned your specific plugin or theme version. Please be patient as this may take up to 10 minutes for results to be returned from Tide. Please see the FAQ for more information.

While this plugin is written to detect as many problems as accurately as possible, 100% reliable detection is very difficult to ensure. It is best practice to run comprehensive tests before you migrate to a new PHP version.

The plugin was created by WP Engine to help the WordPress community increase adoption of modern PHP versions. We welcome contributors to this plugin, and are excited to see how developers and other WordPress hosts use this plugin.

Comparing to Alternatives

PHP Compatibility Checker occupies a niche that several more actively maintained tools also address, either directly through compatibility scanning or indirectly through debugging and environment reporting. Given the volume of complaints about reliability, it's worth weighing these alternatives carefully.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Addresses a genuinely useful need: checking PHP compatibility before upgrading
Free to use with no premium upsell
Simple concept that appeals to non-technical site owners
Recommended in some official WordPress upgrade messaging, giving it visibility

Weaknesses

Frequently hangs or times out mid-scan according to numerous users
Produces false positives and false negatives on plugin/theme compatibility
Appears to lack recent updates and active maintenance
Has an unresolved CSRF vulnerability history

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 2.7/5 average from 131 ratings, sentiment is sharply polarized: 35.1% give five stars, but a majority — 58.8% — leave 1 or 2 stars. This split suggests the plugin works for some site configurations but fails outright or produces misleading results for many others.

Positive highlights

cweb acknowledges the tool addresses a real need, even while questioning why WordPress recommends it despite its issues
Some 5-star reviewers appear satisfied with basic version reporting when the scan completes successfully
The core idea of pre-upgrade PHP compatibility checking is seen as valuable by users who rate it highly

Common complaints

Scans hang or time out partway through, especially on sites with many plugins
False positives: incompatible plugins/themes are marked as PHP-compatible
False negatives: compatible plugins/themes are incorrectly flagged as incompatible
Errors like '404 - audit requested does not exist' with no clear resolution
Lack of response or support on the plugin's forum
The plugin itself is reported as not fully compatible with the latest PHP versions

Weaknesses

A documented medium-severity CSRF vulnerability existed prior to version 1.6.0
Widespread reliability issues undermine trust in the accuracy of its core function
Apparent lack of ongoing maintenance despite the plugin's stated purpose being time-sensitive (PHP version tracking)

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Site owners on simpler WordPress setups with a small number of plugins and themes, who want a quick, no-cost first-pass check before a PHP upgrade, and who are prepared to independently verify any results it produces.

Not ideal for

Users managing complex sites with many plugins, anyone needing dependable compatibility results before a critical PHP migration, or site owners concerned about unresolved CSRF history and inconsistent maintenance. Given the high rate of hangs and inaccurate results, most users would be better served by alternatives with more active development.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The plugin is entirely free and scans installed plugins and themes for PHP version compatibility, aiming to flag issues before a server-side PHP upgrade. However, its practical value is undermined by frequent scan failures and inaccurate results reported by many users.

Final Verdict

PHP Compatibility Checker tackles a genuinely valuable problem, but execution falls short for a majority of users. With nearly 59% of ratings at 1-2 stars, and consistent reports of hangs, false compatibility readings, and unresponsive support, the tool's reliability is in serious question. The presence of a past CSRF vulnerability, combined with signs of stalled maintenance, adds further caution for anyone considering it for production sites.

Given the well-established alternatives available — from lightweight version-display tools to comprehensive debugging panels like Query Monitor — most users will find a more dependable path elsewhere. This plugin may still appeal to those with simple setups looking for a free, quick check, but it should not be relied upon as the sole basis for PHP upgrade decisions.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free PHP Compatibility Checker plugin.

PHP compatibility

WordPress PHP checker

PHP version compatibility

Screenshots

FAQ

Yes, this plugin can be used any ANY WordPress website on ANY host.

If your plugin or theme is not available on WordPress.org, then Tide will not be able to scan or return results of that plugin or theme.

If your plugin or theme is available on WordPress.org, but Tide is not immediately returning results than it likely means Tide has not yet audited that plugin or theme and within a few minutes results should be available once Tide completes its audit.

Yes! WP Engine has a public GitHub repo where you can contribute back to this plugin. Please open an issue on the Plugin GitHub. We actively develop this plugin, and are always happy to receive pull requests.

The plugin was created by WP Engine to help the WordPress community increase adoption of modern PHP versions. We welcome contributors to this plugin, and are excited to see how developers and other WordPress hosts use this plugin.  To disclose security issues for this plugin please email [email protected].