Pdf Embed vs PDF Embedder (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org PDF Plugins top 10: Pdf Embed at #8 and PDF Embedder at #2. PDF Embedder leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Pdf Embed
PDF embedder with official Adobe Embed API.
PDF Embedder
PDF Embedder – PDF Viewer & Embed PDF Files for WordPress
Embed PDF files in WordPress posts and pages with a responsive PDF viewer block, live Block Editor preview, and no third-party services.
Who leads on what
PDF Embedder leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
PDF Embedder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in PDF Plugins.
PDF Embedder has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Pdf Embed has 6, PDF Embedder has 519. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
PDF Embedder has more reviews behind its score: 519 against 6.
PDF Embedder was updated more recently, on August 14, 2026; Pdf Embed on May 30, 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.
Pdf Embed
Pdf Embed does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
PDF Embedder
Pick PDF Embedder 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 shipping releases most recently.
Pdf Embed vs PDF Embedder side by side
| Pdf Embed | PDF Embedder | |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Plugins ranking | #8 | #2 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 6 | 519 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 276,731 | 5,624,276 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | May 30, 2026 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 11, 2022 | Jan 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Pdf Embed ratings
PDF Embedder 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 Pdf Embed nor PDF Embedder can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the PDF Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Pdf Embed vs PDF Embedder: common questions
Is Pdf Embed better than PDF Embedder?
PDF Embedder leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. PDF Embedder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in PDF Plugins.
Which has more users, Pdf Embed or PDF Embedder?
PDF Embedder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in PDF Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Pdf Embed or PDF Embedder?
PDF Embedder has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Pdf Embed and PDF Embedder free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Pdf Embed may also sell a paid version or add-ons. PDF Embedder 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.