Charitable vs Donations via PayPal (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Donation Plugins top 10: Charitable at #2 and Donations via PayPal at #5. Charitable leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Charitable
Charitable – Donation & Fundraising Platform (Donation Forms, Recurring Donations & Fundraising Campaigns)
The best WordPress donation plugin. Create fundraising donation forms, accept recurring donations, easy donor management, add crowdfunding, and more.
Donations via PayPal
Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode.
Who leads on what
Charitable leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Charitable ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Donation Plugins.
Donations via PayPal has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Charitable has 217, Donations via PayPal has 27. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Charitable has more reviews behind its score: 217 against 27.
Charitable was updated more recently, on August 28, 2026; Donations via PayPal on August 17, 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.
Charitable
Pick Charitable if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Donations via PayPal
Pick Donations via PayPal if you want the plugin more sites already run.
Charitable vs Donations via PayPal side by side
| Charitable | Donations via PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Donation Plugins ranking | #2 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 217 | 27 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,201,360 | 988,933 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 28, 2026 | Aug 17, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 19, 2015 | May 8, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Charitable ratings
Donations via PayPal 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 Charitable nor Donations via PayPal can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Donation Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Charitable vs Donations via PayPal: common questions
Is Charitable better than Donations via PayPal?
Charitable leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Charitable ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Donation Plugins.
Which has more users, Charitable or Donations via PayPal?
Charitable ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #5 in Donation Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Charitable or Donations via PayPal?
Donations via PayPal has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Charitable and Donations via PayPal free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Charitable may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Donations via PayPal may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Charitable and Donations via PayPal
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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