Download Manager vs Real Media Library (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 Real Media Library at #8. Download Manager leads on 4 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.
Real Media Library
Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager
Organize uploaded media in folders, collections and galleries: A file manager for WordPress. Media management made easy with Real Media Library! (Alte …
Who leads on what
Download Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Real Media Library is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 297 reviews, against 4.1 from 1,006 reviews.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,006 against 297.
Download Manager was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; Real Media Library on September 30, 2026.
Download Manager was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 158,555 times against 66,334.
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 score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Real Media Library
Pick Real Media Library if the review score matters most to you.
Download Manager vs Real Media Library side by side
| Download Manager | Real Media Library | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #6 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,006 | 297 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,607,316 | 4,176,052 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 158,555 | 66,334 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Feb 26, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Download Manager ratings
Real Media Library 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 Real Media Library can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs Real Media Library: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Real Media Library?
Download Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Real Media Library?
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Real Media Library?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Download Manager and Real Media Library free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Real Media Library may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Real Media Library
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.