Download Plugin vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard (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 Plugin at #3 and Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard at #4. Download Plugin leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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 …
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
Download installed plugins and themes in ZIP files directly from your WordPress admin dashboard, download any or all without FTP or cPanel access.
Who leads on what
Download Plugin leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Plugin ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Plugin has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Plugin has 25, Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has 27. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has more reviews behind its score: 27 against 25.
Download Plugin was updated more recently, on July 27, 2026; Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard on July 24, 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 Plugin
Pick Download Plugin if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
Pick Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Download Plugin vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard side by side
| Download Plugin | Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #3 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 25 | 27 |
| Active installs | 60,000+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,129,455 | 869,049 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 27, 2026 | Jul 24, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 1, 2016 | Oct 1, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 5.0.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Download Plugin ratings
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 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 Plugin nor Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Download Plugin vs Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard: common questions
Is Download Plugin better than Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard?
Download Plugin leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Plugin ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Plugin or Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard?
Download Plugin ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Plugin or Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard?
Download Plugin has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Download Plugin and Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Plugin may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Download Plugin and Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Easy Media Download
9,000+ installs · 4.0 from 28 reviews
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Lana Downloads Manager
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Download Manager
100,000+ installs · 4.1 from 1,007 reviews
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Download Monitor
80,000+ installs · 4.5 from 524 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.