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Export Themes

By Sergio Milardovich

Site Administration & Utilities / Site Migration & Cloning

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

Export Themes Review - In-Depth Analysis

Easily export your WordPress themes as .zip files for installation on other servers. Streamline theme management across multiple sites.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.82/10

User Rating

4.9/5 (based on 13+ reviews)

Active Installations

2,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin allows you to export your themes in a .zip file format. You can then use this .zip file to install the same theme on other servers by utilizing the upload feature of WordPress.

After installing the plugin, navigate to the 'Export' subsection in the 'Appearance' menu. Select the theme you wish to export and click the 'Export' button. A .zip file will be generated for you to download. Once you have the .zip file on your computer, you can install the theme by going to Appearance/Themes/Install Themes/Upload in your WordPress administration panel, selecting your .zip file, and clicking 'Install now'.

Comparing to Alternatives

Export Themes stands alone in its category with no close direct alternatives available, making it a unique choice for users needing theme export functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

High user satisfaction with a 4.9 average rating
Simple and fast operation praised by users
No known security vulnerabilities
Lightweight plugin with minimal impact when deactivated
Recommended for inclusion in WordPress core by some users

Weaknesses

Deprecation warning on PHP 7.4 reported
Requires manual deactivation after use to avoid performance issues
Limited to theme export without additional features
No pro version or extended support options

User Sentiment Analysis

User reviews are overwhelmingly positive with 92.3% giving 5 stars and no negative reviews recorded, indicating strong satisfaction and reliability.

Positive highlights

"Works Great!!" – Stefano Monteiro
"Excellent, super fast and simple. Should be on the core!" – Jan444
"Musthave plugin" – tajmohamed30
"Perfect Works Really Awesome 🙂" – dritpark
"The plug-in works with WP 5.7 but make sure you deactivate after you use it otherwise you will have issues with curl and a couple of other things that will impact the performance of your site." – paulmsummitt

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Deprecation error on PHP 7.4 causing warnings
Needs to be deactivated after use to prevent site performance issues
Limited functionality focused solely on theme export

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who need a straightforward, fast, and reliable plugin to export WordPress themes without extra features or complexity.

Not ideal for

Users looking for a plugin with extended support, additional features, or those who prefer plugins that handle deactivation automatically to avoid manual steps.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers full theme export functionality with no restrictions, providing excellent value for users.

Final Verdict

Export Themes is a highly rated and well-regarded plugin that excels in simplicity and effectiveness for exporting WordPress themes. Its lack of known security issues and strong user endorsements make it a trustworthy choice for users needing this specific functionality.

However, users should be aware of the deprecation warnings on newer PHP versions and the need to deactivate the plugin after use to maintain site performance. Despite these minor drawbacks, its unique position without direct alternatives and free availability make it a valuable tool for theme management.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Export Themes plugin.

export themes

clone templates

copy themes

Screenshots

FAQ

Users who can install themes (administrators on a single site, super admins on multisite).
An export contains the theme’s full PHP source, so the plugin no longer settles for the
weaker manage_options check it used up to 2.12. You can change this with the
wpct_capability filter.