Download Monitor vs Download Plugin (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 Monitor at #2 and Download Plugin at #3. Download Monitor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Download Monitor
Powerful Download Manager Plugin for WordPress
Download Plugin
Download any plugin from your WordPress admin panel's Plugins page by just one click! Now, download themes, users, blog posts, pages, custom post …
Who leads on what
Download Monitor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Monitor has 524, Download Plugin has 25. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Monitor has more reviews behind its score: 524 against 25.
Download Monitor was updated more recently, on September 2, 2026; Download Plugin on July 27, 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 Monitor
Pick Download Monitor 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.
Download Plugin
Download Plugin 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 Monitor vs Download Plugin side by side
| Download Monitor | Download Plugin | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #2 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 524 | 25 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,160,061 | 1,129,455 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 12, 2008 | Mar 1, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Monitor ratings
Download Plugin 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 Monitor nor Download Plugin can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Monitor vs Download Plugin: common questions
Is Download Monitor better than Download Plugin?
Download Monitor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Monitor or Download Plugin?
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Monitor or Download Plugin?
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are Download Monitor and Download Plugin free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Monitor is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Download Plugin may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Monitor and Download Plugin
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Download Manager
100,000+ installs · 4.1 from 1,007 reviews
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Lana Downloads Manager
3,000+ installs · 5.0 from 16 reviews
-
Download Manager Addons for Elementor
6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 reviews
-
Simple Download Counter
2,000+ installs · 4.9 from 19 reviews
-
Shared Files
4,000+ installs · 4.4 from 34 reviews
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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.