Download Monitor vs Shared Files (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 Shared Files at #6. 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
Shared Files
Shared Files – File Upload & Download Manager
File management plugin featuring file upload, download manager, statistics and download log.
Who leads on what
Download Monitor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 4,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Monitor has 524, Shared Files has 34. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Monitor has more reviews behind its score: 524 against 34.
Download Monitor was updated more recently, on September 2, 2026; Shared Files on August 20, 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.
Shared Files
Shared Files 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 Shared Files side by side
| Download Monitor | Shared Files | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #2 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Reviews | 524 | 34 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 4,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,160,061 | 277,951 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 12, 2008 | Jul 13, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Monitor ratings
Shared Files 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 Shared Files can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Monitor vs Shared Files: common questions
Is Download Monitor better than Shared Files?
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 #6 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Monitor or Shared Files?
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #6 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Monitor or Shared Files?
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 4,000+.
Are Download Monitor and Shared Files free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Monitor is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Shared Files may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Download Monitor and Shared Files
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Download Manager
100,000+ installs · 4.1 from 1,007 reviews
-
Simple Download Counter
2,000+ installs · 4.9 from 19 reviews
-
Lana Downloads Manager
3,000+ installs · 5.0 from 16 reviews
-
Download Manager Addons for Elementor
6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 reviews
-
FileOrganizer
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 48 reviews
More Download Manager Plugins comparisons
- Download Manager vs Shared Files
- Download Monitor vs Download Plugin
- Download Monitor vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
- Download Monitor vs Easy Media Download
- Download Monitor vs Lana Downloads Manager
- Download Monitor vs Simple Download Counter
- Download Monitor vs Download Manager Addons for Elementor
- Download Monitor vs Editor Blocks by Download Manager
- Download Plugin vs Shared Files
- Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard vs Shared Files
- Easy Media Download vs Shared Files
- Lana Downloads Manager vs Shared Files
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.