Advanced File Manager vs Real Media Library (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 Real Media Library at #8. Advanced File Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. 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, monitor storage limits, and build document libraries all directly from your Word …
Real Media Library
Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager
Organize uploaded media in folders, collections and galleries: A file manager for WordPress. Media management made easy with Real Media Library! (Alte …
Who leads on what
Advanced File Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (440 and 297 reviews).
Advanced File Manager has more reviews behind its score: 440 against 297.
Advanced File Manager was updated more recently, on October 14, 2026; Real Media Library on September 30, 2026.
Advanced File Manager was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 117,872 times against 66,334.
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, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Real Media Library
Real Media Library does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Advanced File Manager vs Real Media Library side by side
| Advanced File Manager | Real Media Library | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #2 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 440 | 297 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,407,890 | 4,176,052 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 117,872 | 66,334 |
| Last updated | Oct 14, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 19, 2017 | Feb 26, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.4.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Advanced File Manager ratings
Real Media Library 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 Real Media Library 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 Real Media Library: common questions
Is Advanced File Manager better than Real Media Library?
Advanced File Manager leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced File Manager or Real Media Library?
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced File Manager or Real Media Library?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Advanced File Manager and Real Media Library free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced File Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Real Media Library may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced File Manager and Real Media Library
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More File Manager Plugins comparisons
- Download Manager vs Advanced File Manager
- Download Manager vs Real Media Library
- Download Monitor vs Advanced File Manager
- Download Monitor vs Real Media Library
- Advanced File Manager vs FileBird
- Advanced File Manager vs FileOrganizer
- Advanced File Manager vs Filester
- Advanced File Manager vs Media Library Organizer
- Advanced File Manager vs File Manager
- Advanced File Manager vs WPIDE
- File Manager vs Advanced File Manager
- File Manager vs Real Media Library
Weekly · free
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.