Download Manager vs Simple Download Counter (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 Simple Download Counter at #10. 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.
Simple Download Counter
Simply counts the number of times your files are downloaded. Display download links and counts using shortcodes.
Who leads on what
Download Manager leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Manager has 1,007, Simple Download Counter has 19. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Manager has more reviews behind its score: 1,007 against 19.
Download Manager was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; Simple Download Counter on August 9, 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.
Simple Download Counter
Simple Download Counter 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 Simple Download Counter side by side
| Download Manager | Simple Download Counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #1 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 1,007 | 19 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 11,403,797 | 34,244 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Aug 9, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 10, 2010 | Sep 19, 2022 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Manager ratings
Simple Download Counter 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 Simple Download Counter can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Manager vs Simple Download Counter: common questions
Is Download Manager better than Simple Download Counter?
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 #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Manager or Simple Download Counter?
Download Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Manager or Simple Download Counter?
Download Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Download Manager and Simple Download Counter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Download Counter may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Manager and Simple Download Counter
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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
-
Advanced File Manager
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 438 reviews
-
Download Manager Addons for Elementor
6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 reviews
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- Download Monitor vs Simple Download Counter
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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.