Shared Files vs Simple Download Counter (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Download Manager Plugins top 10: Shared Files at #6 and Simple Download Counter at #10. Shared Files leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Shared Files
Shared Files – File Upload & Download Manager
File management plugin featuring file upload, download manager, statistics and download log.
Simple Download Counter
Simply counts the number of times your files are downloaded. Display download links and counts using shortcodes.
Who leads on what
Shared Files leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Shared Files ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Shared Files has more users: 4,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Shared Files has 34, Simple Download Counter has 19. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Shared Files has more reviews behind its score: 34 against 19.
Shared Files was updated more recently, on August 20, 2026; Simple Download Counter on August 9, 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.
Shared Files
Pick Shared Files 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.
Simple Download Counter
Simple Download Counter does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Shared Files vs Simple Download Counter side by side
| Shared Files | Simple Download Counter | |
|---|---|---|
| Download Manager Plugins ranking | #6 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 34 | 19 |
| Active installs | 4,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 277,951 | 34,244 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 9, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 13, 2018 | Sep 19, 2022 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Shared Files ratings
Simple Download Counter 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 Shared Files nor Simple Download Counter can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Download Manager Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Shared Files vs Simple Download Counter: common questions
Is Shared Files better than Simple Download Counter?
Shared Files leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Shared Files ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which has more users, Shared Files or Simple Download Counter?
Shared Files ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #10 in Download Manager Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Shared Files or Simple Download Counter?
Shared Files has more users: 4,000+ active installs against 2,000+.
Are Shared Files and Simple Download Counter free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Shared Files may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Download Counter may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Shared Files and Simple Download Counter
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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