Embed PDF Viewer vs PDF Viewer Block (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org PDF Plugins top 10: Embed PDF Viewer at #5 and PDF Viewer Block at #10. Embed PDF Viewer leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Embed PDF Viewer
Embed a PDF from the Media Library or elsewhere via oEmbed or as a block into an iframe tag.
PDF Viewer Block
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg
A simple and 100% free Gutenberg Block to display PDF Viewers / Readers on your website.
Who leads on what
Embed PDF Viewer leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Embed PDF Viewer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in PDF Plugins.
Embed PDF Viewer has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Embed PDF Viewer has 19, PDF Viewer Block has 9. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Embed PDF Viewer has more reviews behind its score: 19 against 9.
PDF Viewer Block was updated more recently, on August 28, 2026; Embed PDF Viewer on August 12, 2026.
Embed PDF Viewer was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 3,619 times against 1,580.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Embed PDF Viewer
Pick Embed PDF Viewer 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 being installed faster right now.
PDF Viewer Block
Pick PDF Viewer Block if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Embed PDF Viewer vs PDF Viewer Block side by side
| Embed PDF Viewer | PDF Viewer Block | |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Plugins ranking | #5 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 19 | 9 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 344,022 | 82,766 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 3,619 | 1,580 |
| Last updated | Aug 12, 2026 | Aug 28, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 31, 2016 | Jan 29, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Embed PDF Viewer ratings
PDF Viewer Block 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 Embed PDF Viewer nor PDF Viewer Block can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the PDF Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Embed PDF Viewer vs PDF Viewer Block: common questions
Is Embed PDF Viewer better than PDF Viewer Block?
Embed PDF Viewer leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Embed PDF Viewer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in PDF Plugins.
Which has more users, Embed PDF Viewer or PDF Viewer Block?
Embed PDF Viewer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #10 in PDF Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Embed PDF Viewer or PDF Viewer Block?
Embed PDF Viewer has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Embed PDF Viewer and PDF Viewer Block free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Embed PDF Viewer may also sell a paid version or add-ons. PDF Viewer Block may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Embed PDF Viewer and PDF Viewer Block
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.