Download Monitor 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 Monitor at #11 and Real Media Library at #8. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Download Monitor
Powerful Download Manager Plugin for WordPress
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
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Real Media Library ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in File Manager Plugins.
Real Media Library has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Real Media Library is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 297 reviews, against 4.5 from 525 reviews.
Download Monitor has more reviews behind its score: 525 against 297.
Download Monitor was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Real Media Library on September 30, 2026.
Download Monitor was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 227,418 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 Monitor
Pick Download Monitor if 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 you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or the review score matters most to you.
Download Monitor vs Real Media Library side by side
| Download Monitor | Real Media Library | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #11 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 525 | 297 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,434,160 | 4,176,052 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 227,418 | 66,334 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 12, 2008 | Feb 26, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Download Monitor 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 Monitor 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 Monitor vs Real Media Library: common questions
Is Download Monitor better than Real Media Library?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Real Media Library ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Monitor or Real Media Library?
Real Media Library ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Monitor or Real Media Library?
Real Media Library has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are Download Monitor and Real Media Library free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Monitor 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 Monitor and Real Media Library
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Lana Downloads Manager
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6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 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.