File Manager vs Advanced File Manager (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org File Manager Plugins top 10: File Manager at #7 and Advanced File Manager at #2. Advanced File Manager leads on all 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
File Manager
Manage WordPress files and folders from your dashboard with a built-in code editor: upload, edit, delete, move, rename, and archive, no FTP needed.
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 …
Who leads on what
Advanced File Manager leads on all 6 measures we track.
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #7 in File Manager Plugins.
Advanced File Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Advanced File Manager is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 440 reviews, against 4.3 from 202 reviews.
Advanced File Manager has more reviews behind its score: 440 against 202.
Advanced File Manager was updated more recently, on October 14, 2026; File Manager on September 2, 2026.
Advanced File Manager was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 119,738 times against 8,317.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
File Manager
File Manager 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
Pick Advanced File Manager if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, 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.
File Manager vs Advanced File Manager side by side
| File Manager | Advanced File Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| File Manager Plugins ranking | #7 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 202 | 440 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,642,544 | 6,412,196 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 8,317 | 119,738 |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 4, 2016 | Nov 19, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 49 days
File Manager ratings
Advanced File Manager 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 File Manager nor Advanced File Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the File Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
File Manager vs Advanced File Manager: common questions
Is File Manager better than Advanced File Manager?
Advanced File Manager leads on all 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 #7 in File Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, File Manager or Advanced File Manager?
Advanced File Manager ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #7 in File Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, File Manager or Advanced File Manager?
Advanced File Manager has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are File Manager and Advanced File Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. File Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Advanced File Manager is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to File Manager and Advanced File Manager
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More File Manager Plugins comparisons
- Download Manager vs File Manager
- Download Manager vs Advanced File Manager
- Download Monitor vs File Manager
- Download Monitor vs Advanced File Manager
- 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 Real Media Library
- Advanced File Manager vs File Manager
- Advanced File Manager vs WPIDE
- File Manager vs FileBird
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.