Ad Inserter vs Advanced Ads (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 Advanced Ads at #4. Ad Inserter leads on 4 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
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
Ad Inserter leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Ad Inserter 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 (2,431 and 1,463 reviews).
Ad Inserter has more reviews behind its score: 2,431 against 1,463.
Advanced Ads was updated more recently, on October 14, 2026; Ad Inserter on September 23, 2026.
Ad Inserter was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 150,827 times against 53,274.
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 or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Advanced Ads
Pick Advanced Ads if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Ad Inserter vs Advanced Ads side by side
| Ad Inserter | Advanced Ads | |
|---|---|---|
| Ad Management Plugins ranking | #3 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 2,431 | 1,463 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 19,370,213 | 11,613,810 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 150,827 | 53,274 |
| Last updated | Sep 23, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 14, 2010 | Jun 23, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
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?
Ad Inserter leads on 4 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 #4 in Ad Management Plugins.
Which has more users, Ad Inserter or Advanced Ads?
Ad Inserter 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.
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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.