Audio Player Block vs Sonaar (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Audio Player Plugins top 10: Audio Player Block at #6 and Sonaar at #1. Sonaar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Audio Player Block
Audio Player Block – Play Audio Beautifully on Any Page
Embed a beautiful audio player in WordPress with playlists, cover images, custom styles, and shortcode support – a free Gutenberg audio block
Sonaar
MP3 Audio Player – Music Player, Podcast Player & Radio by Sonaar
The most advanced Audio Player for Music & Podcast. For Elementor, Gutenberg, WooCommerce and more. Add unlimited players to any pages!
Who leads on what
Sonaar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Sonaar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Audio Player Plugins.
Sonaar has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Audio Player Block has 10, Sonaar has 302. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Sonaar has more reviews behind its score: 302 against 10.
Sonaar was updated more recently, on August 26, 2026; Audio Player Block on August 16, 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.
Audio Player Block
Audio Player Block does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Sonaar
Pick Sonaar 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 shipping releases most recently.
Audio Player Block vs Sonaar side by side
| Audio Player Block | Sonaar | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Player Plugins ranking | #6 | #1 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 10 | 302 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 66,844 | 917,229 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 16, 2026 | Aug 26, 2026 |
| First published | Dec 28, 2021 | Apr 27, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.1 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Audio Player Block ratings
Sonaar 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 Audio Player Block nor Sonaar can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Audio Player Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Audio Player Block vs Sonaar: common questions
Is Audio Player Block better than Sonaar?
Sonaar leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Sonaar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Audio Player Plugins.
Which has more users, Audio Player Block or Sonaar?
Sonaar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Audio Player Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Audio Player Block or Sonaar?
Sonaar has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Audio Player Block and Sonaar free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Audio Player Block may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Sonaar may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Audio Player Block and Sonaar
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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- AudioIgniter vs Sonaar
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- Compact WP Audio Player vs Sonaar
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