Ad Inserter vs Ads.txt Manager (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Ad Management Plugins top 10: Ad Inserter at #3 and Ads.txt Manager at #5. Ad Inserter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Ad Inserter
Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads
Manage Google AdSense ads, banners, ad rotation, sticky widgets, AMP ads, ads.txt, tracking, header and footer code, PHP code, global custom fields
Ads.txt Manager
Create, manage, and validate your ads.txt and app-ads.txt from within WordPress, like any other content asset.
Who leads on what
Ad Inserter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
Ad Inserter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Ad Management Plugins.
Ad Inserter has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Ad Inserter has 2,431, Ads.txt Manager has 15. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Ad Inserter has more reviews behind its score: 2,431 against 15.
Ad Inserter was updated more recently, on September 23, 2026; Ads.txt Manager on September 14, 2026.
Ad Inserter was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 150,827 times against 17,271.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Ad Inserter
Pick Ad Inserter if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Ads.txt Manager
Ads.txt Manager does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Ad Inserter vs Ads.txt Manager side by side
| Ad Inserter | Ads.txt Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Management Plugins ranking | #3 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 2,431 | 15 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 19,370,213 | 2,046,693 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 150,827 | 17,271 |
| Last updated | Sep 23, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 14, 2010 | Dec 18, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Ad Inserter ratings
Ads.txt Manager ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Ad Inserter nor Ads.txt Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Ad Management Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Ad Inserter vs Ads.txt Manager: common questions
Is Ad Inserter better than Ads.txt Manager?
Ad Inserter leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Ad Inserter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Ad Management Plugins.
Which has more users, Ad Inserter or Ads.txt Manager?
Ad Inserter ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Ad Management Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Ad Inserter or Ads.txt Manager?
Ad Inserter has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Ad Inserter and Ads.txt Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Ad Inserter may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Ads.txt Manager is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Ad Inserter and Ads.txt Manager
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.