Donorbox 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: Donorbox at #9 and Donations via PayPal at #5. Donations via PayPal leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Donorbox
Donorbox – Free Recurring Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform
Donorbox is a powerful and secure donation management plugin for WordPress. We are the only donation plugin for WordPress that offers a fast feature-f …
Donations via PayPal
Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode.
Who leads on what
Donations via PayPal leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Donations via PayPal ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Donation Plugins.
Donations via PayPal has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 8,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Donorbox has 34, Donations via PayPal has 27. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Donorbox has more reviews behind its score: 34 against 27.
Donations via PayPal was updated more recently, on August 17, 2026; Donorbox on June 30, 2025.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Donorbox
Pick Donorbox if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Donations via PayPal
Pick Donations via PayPal if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Donorbox vs Donations via PayPal side by side
| Donorbox | Donations via PayPal | |
|---|---|---|
| Donation Plugins ranking | #9 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 34 | 27 |
| Active installs | 8,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 151,918 | 988,933 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 30, 2025 | Aug 17, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 10, 2015 | May 8, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.8.8 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Donorbox 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 Donorbox nor Donations via PayPal can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Donation Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Donorbox vs Donations via PayPal: common questions
Is Donorbox better than Donations via PayPal?
Donations via PayPal leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Donations via PayPal ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Donation Plugins.
Which has more users, Donorbox or Donations via PayPal?
Donations via PayPal ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Donation Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Donorbox or Donations via PayPal?
Donations via PayPal has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 8,000+.
Are Donorbox and Donations via PayPal free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Donorbox may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Donations via PayPal may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Donorbox and Donations via PayPal
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.