Lean Player vs HTML5 Audio Player (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: Lean Player at #7 and HTML5 Audio Player at #3. HTML5 Audio Player leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Lean Player
Lean Player – Video and Audio Player with Playlist for WordPress, Elementor and Gutenberg
A lightweight WordPress plugin for YouTube, YouTube Shorts, Vimeo, HTML5 video and audio, playlists, and brand-matched colors.
HTML5 Audio Player
HTML5 Audio Player – The Ultimate No-Code Podcast, MP3 & Audio Player
Maximize your WordPress site's potential with our versatile HTML5 Audio Player plugin. Seamlessly play .mp3, .wav, .ogg, and more audio files.
Who leads on what
HTML5 Audio Player leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
HTML5 Audio Player ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Audio Player Plugins.
HTML5 Audio Player has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Lean Player has 5, HTML5 Audio Player has 167. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
HTML5 Audio Player has more reviews behind its score: 167 against 5.
Lean Player was updated more recently, on September 6, 2026; HTML5 Audio Player on September 2, 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.
Lean Player
Pick Lean Player if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
HTML5 Audio Player
Pick HTML5 Audio Player if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Lean Player vs HTML5 Audio Player side by side
| Lean Player | HTML5 Audio Player | |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Player Plugins ranking | #7 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 5 | 167 |
| Active installs | 2,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 58,476 | 564,464 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 6, 2026 | Sep 2, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 9, 2020 | Nov 11, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.1 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Lean Player ratings
HTML5 Audio Player 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 Lean Player nor HTML5 Audio Player can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Audio Player Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Lean Player vs HTML5 Audio Player: common questions
Is Lean Player better than HTML5 Audio Player?
HTML5 Audio Player leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. HTML5 Audio Player ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Audio Player Plugins.
Which has more users, Lean Player or HTML5 Audio Player?
HTML5 Audio Player ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Audio Player Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Lean Player or HTML5 Audio Player?
HTML5 Audio Player has more users: 10,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Lean Player and HTML5 Audio Player free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Lean Player may also sell a paid version or add-ons. HTML5 Audio Player may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Lean Player and HTML5 Audio Player
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.