Ad Inserter vs Advanced Ads (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Ad Management Plugins top 10: Ad Inserter at #4 and Advanced Ads at #3. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. 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
Advanced Ads
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense
The only complete toolkit for all ad types. Grow your revenue with AdSense, Amazon—or any affiliate network. Get pinpoint targeting and best support!
Who leads on what
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Advanced Ads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Ad Management Plugins.
Ad Inserter has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Both are rated 4.9 out of 5 (2,428 and 1,462 reviews).
Ad Inserter has more reviews behind its score: 2,428 against 1,462.
Advanced Ads was updated more recently, on August 3, 2026; Ad Inserter on July 27, 2026.
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 want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Advanced Ads
Pick Advanced Ads if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Ad Inserter vs Advanced Ads side by side
| Ad Inserter | Advanced Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Management Plugins ranking | #4 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 2,428 | 1,462 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 19,199,827 | 11,552,298 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 27, 2026 | Aug 3, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 14, 2010 | Jun 23, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Ad Inserter ratings
Advanced Ads 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 Advanced Ads can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Ad Management Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Ad Inserter vs Advanced Ads: common questions
Is Ad Inserter better than Advanced Ads?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced Ads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Ad Management Plugins.
Which has more users, Ad Inserter or Advanced Ads?
Advanced Ads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Ad Management Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Ad Inserter or Advanced Ads?
Ad Inserter has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Ad Inserter and Advanced Ads free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Ad Inserter may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Advanced Ads may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Ad Inserter and Advanced Ads
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Ads.txt Manager
100,000+ installs · 4.7 from 15 reviews
-
Quads Ads Manager for Google AdSense
20,000+ installs · 4.9 from 1,087 reviews
-
Ad Invalid Click Protector
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 62 reviews
-
AdRotate
20,000+ installs · 4.3 from 655 reviews
-
Quick Adsense
20,000+ installs · 3.9 from 74 reviews
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