Download Manager vs Download Plugin (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 Plugin at #3. Download Manager leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. 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 Plugin
Download any plugin from your WordPress admin panel's Plugins page by just one click! Now, download themes, users, blog posts, pages, custom post …
Who leads on what
Download Manager leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Manager has 1,007, Download Plugin has 25. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,007 against 25.
Download Manager was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; Download Plugin on July 27, 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.
Download Manager
Pick Download Manager 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.
Download Plugin
Download Plugin does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Download Manager vs Download Plugin side by side
| Download Manager | Download Plugin | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 1,007 | 25 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,403,797 | 1,129,455 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Mar 1, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Manager ratings
Download Plugin 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 Plugin 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 Plugin: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Download Plugin?
Download Manager leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Download Plugin?
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Download Plugin?
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are Download Manager and Download Plugin free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Download Plugin may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Download Plugin
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Download Monitor
80,000+ installs · 4.5 from 524 reviews
-
Lana Downloads Manager
3,000+ installs · 5.0 from 16 reviews
-
Shared Files
4,000+ installs · 4.4 from 34 reviews
-
Simple Download Counter
2,000+ installs · 4.9 from 19 reviews
-
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
30,000+ installs · 4.9 from 27 reviews
More Download Manager Plugins comparisons
- Download Manager vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
- Download Manager vs Easy Media Download
- Download Manager vs Lana Downloads Manager
- Download Manager vs Shared Files
- Download Manager vs Simple Download Counter
- Download Manager vs Download Manager Addons for Elementor
- Download Manager vs Editor Blocks by Download Manager
- Download Monitor vs Download Plugin
- Download Plugin vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
- Download Plugin vs Easy Media Download
- Download Plugin vs Lana Downloads Manager
- Download Plugin vs Shared Files
Weekly · free
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.