Download Monitor 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 Monitor at #2 and Simple Download Counter at #10. 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
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 Monitor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Monitor has 524, Simple Download Counter has 19. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Monitor has more reviews behind its score: 524 against 19.
Download Monitor was updated more recently, on September 2, 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 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.
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 Monitor vs Simple Download Counter side by side
| Download Monitor | Simple Download Counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #2 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 524 | 19 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,160,061 | 34,244 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Aug 9, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 12, 2008 | Sep 19, 2022 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 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 Monitor 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 Monitor 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 Monitor vs Simple Download Counter: common questions
Is Download Monitor better than Simple Download Counter?
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 #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Monitor or Simple Download Counter?
Download Monitor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Monitor or Simple Download Counter?
Download Monitor has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Download Monitor and Simple Download Counter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Monitor 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 Monitor and Simple Download Counter
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
-
Lana Downloads Manager
3,000+ installs · 5.0 from 16 reviews
-
Shared Files
4,000+ installs · 4.4 from 34 reviews
-
Download Manager Addons for Elementor
6,000+ installs · 2.2 from 5 reviews
-
FileOrganizer
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 48 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.