Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard at #4 and Simple Download Counter at #10. Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has 27, Simple Download Counter has 19. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has more reviews behind its score: 27 against 19.
Simple Download Counter was updated more recently, on August 9, 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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard
Pick Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Download Counter
Pick Simple Download Counter if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard vs Simple Download Counter side by side
| Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard | Simple Download Counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #4 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 27 | 19 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 869,049 | 34,244 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 24, 2026 | Aug 9, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 1, 2016 | Sep 19, 2022 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.0.0 | 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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 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 Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard vs Simple Download Counter: common questions
Is Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard better than Simple Download Counter?
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard or Simple Download Counter?
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard or Simple Download Counter?
Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard and Simple Download Counter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Download Counter may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
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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.