Download Manager vs FileBird (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org File Manager Plugins top 10: Download Manager at #6 and FileBird at #5. FileBird leads on 5 of the 6 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.
FileBird
FileBird – WordPress Media Library Folders & File Manager
Organize thousands of WordPress media files in folders / categories with ease.
Who leads on what
FileBird leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
FileBird ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in File Manager Plugins.
FileBird has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
FileBird is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 1,123 reviews, against 4.1 from 1,006 reviews.
FileBird has more reviews behind its score: 1,123 against 1,006.
Download Manager was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; FileBird on October 13, 2026.
FileBird was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 178,318 times against 160,387.
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 one shipping releases most recently.
FileBird
Pick FileBird if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Download Manager vs FileBird side by side
| Download Manager | FileBird | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #6 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 1,006 | 1,123 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,610,571 | 7,340,155 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 160,387 | 178,318 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Jul 2, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 49 days
Download Manager ratings
FileBird 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 FileBird can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs FileBird: common questions
Is Download Manager better than FileBird?
FileBird leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. FileBird ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or FileBird?
FileBird ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #6 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or FileBird?
FileBird has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Download Manager and FileBird free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. FileBird may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Manager and FileBird
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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