Download Manager vs Advanced File Manager (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org File Manager Plugins top 10: Download Manager at #8 and Advanced File Manager at #2. They split the 5 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.
Advanced File Manager
Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution
Use Advanced File Manager to manage WordPress files, create archives, and build document libraries—all directly from your WordPress dashboard!
Who leads on what
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Advanced File Manager is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 438 reviews, against 4.1 from 1,007 reviews.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,007 against 438.
Download Manager was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; Advanced File Manager on August 13, 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 want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Advanced File Manager
Pick Advanced File Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or the review score matters most to you.
Download Manager vs Advanced File Manager side by side
| Download Manager | Advanced File Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #8 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,007 | 438 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,403,797 | 6,195,103 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Aug 13, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Nov 19, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Manager ratings
Advanced File Manager 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 Advanced File Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs Advanced File Manager: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Advanced File Manager?
They split the 5 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. Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Advanced File Manager?
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Advanced File Manager?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Download Manager and Advanced File Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Advanced File Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Advanced File Manager
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More File Manager Plugins comparisons
- Download Manager vs Download Monitor
- Download Manager vs File Manager
- Download Manager vs FileBird
- Download Manager vs FileOrganizer
- Download Manager vs Filester
- Download Manager vs Media Library Organizer
- Download Manager vs Real Media Library
- Download Manager vs File Manager
- Download Manager vs WPIDE
- Download Monitor vs Advanced File Manager
- Advanced File Manager vs FileBird
- Advanced File Manager vs FileOrganizer
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.