Download Manager vs Download Monitor (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Download Manager Plugins top 10: Download Manager at #1 and Download Monitor at #2. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Download Manager
This File Management & Digital Store plugin will help you to control file downloads & sell digital products from your WP site.
Download Monitor
Powerful Download Manager Plugin for WordPress
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Download Monitor is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 525 reviews, against 4.1 from 1,006 reviews.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,006 against 525.
Download Monitor was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Download Manager on October 15, 2026.
Download Monitor was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 227,418 times against 158,555.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Download Manager
Pick Download Manager 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.
Download Monitor
Pick Download Monitor if the review score matters most to you, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Download Manager vs Download Monitor side by side
| Download Manager | Download Monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #1 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 1,006 | 525 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 80,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,607,316 | 7,434,160 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 158,555 | 227,418 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Mar 12, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Download Manager ratings
Download Monitor 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 Download Manager nor Download Monitor can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs Download Monitor: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Download Monitor?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Download Monitor?
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Download Monitor?
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are Download Manager and Download Monitor free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Download Monitor is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Download Monitor
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Shared Files
4,000+ installs · 4.4 from 34 reviews
-
Lana Downloads Manager
3,000+ installs · 5.0 from 16 reviews
-
Simple Download Counter
2,000+ installs · 4.9 from 19 reviews
-
FileOrganizer
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 49 reviews
-
Download Manager Addons for Elementor
6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 reviews
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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.