Advanced File Manager vs Filester (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org File Manager Plugins top 10: Advanced File Manager at #2 and Filester at #4. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Advanced File Manager
Advanced File Manager – Ultimate File Manager for WordPress And Document Library Solution
Use Advanced File Manager to manage WordPress files, create archives, and build document libraries—all directly from your WordPress dashboard!
Filester
File Manager Pro – Filester
Best WordPress file manager without FTP access. Edit code with built-in editor, upload files, download plugins, download themes, manage wp directory, …
Who leads on what
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in File Manager Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Filester is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 152 reviews, against 4.8 from 438 reviews.
Advanced File Manager has more reviews behind its score: 438 against 152.
Filester was updated more recently, on August 23, 2026; Advanced File Manager on August 13, 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.
Advanced File Manager
Pick Advanced File Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Filester
Pick Filester if the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Advanced File Manager vs Filester side by side
| Advanced File Manager | Filester | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #2 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 438 | 152 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,195,103 | 1,653,893 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 19, 2017 | May 15, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Advanced File Manager ratings
Filester 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 Advanced File Manager nor Filester can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Advanced File Manager vs Filester: common questions
Is Advanced File Manager better than Filester?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced File Manager or Filester?
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced File Manager or Filester?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Advanced File Manager and Filester free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced File Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Filester may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced File Manager and Filester
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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