Download Manager vs Filester (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 Filester at #4. Filester leads on 3 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.
Filester
File Manager Pro – Filester
Best WordPress file manager without FTP access. Edit code with built-in editor, upload files, download plugins, download themes, manage wp directory, …
Who leads on what
Filester leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Filester ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Filester is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 152 reviews, against 4.1 from 1,007 reviews.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,007 against 152.
Filester was updated more recently, on August 23, 2026; Download Manager on August 21, 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.
Filester
Pick Filester if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Download Manager vs Filester side by side
| Download Manager | Filester | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #8 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 1,007 | 152 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,403,797 | 1,653,893 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | May 15, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Manager ratings
Filester 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 Filester can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs Filester: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Filester?
Filester leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Filester ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Filester?
Filester ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Filester?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Download Manager and Filester free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Filester may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Filester
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 Advanced File Manager
- Download Manager vs FileBird
- Download Manager vs FileOrganizer
- Download Manager vs Media Library Organizer
- Download Manager vs Real Media Library
- Download Manager vs File Manager
- Download Manager vs WPIDE
- Download Monitor vs Filester
- Advanced File Manager vs Filester
- File Manager vs Filester
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.