WooCommerce vs WooCommerce PayPal Payments (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Ecommerce Plugins top 10: WooCommerce at #1 and WooCommerce PayPal Payments at #3. WooCommerce leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
WooCommerce
Everything you need to launch an online store in days and keep it growing for years. From your first sale to millions in revenue, Woo is with you.
WooCommerce PayPal Payments
PayPal's latest payment processing solution. Accept PayPal, Pay Later, credit/debit cards, alternative digital wallets and bank accounts.
Who leads on what
WooCommerce leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
WooCommerce ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Ecommerce Plugins.
WooCommerce has more users: 7 million+ active installs against 800,000+.
WooCommerce is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 4,826 reviews, against 2.9 from 582 reviews.
WooCommerce has more reviews behind its score: 4,826 against 582.
WooCommerce PayPal Payments was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; WooCommerce on October 9, 2026.
WooCommerce was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 6,529,786 times against 198,761.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
WooCommerce
Pick WooCommerce 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 or you want the one being installed faster right now.
WooCommerce PayPal Payments
Pick WooCommerce PayPal Payments if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WooCommerce vs WooCommerce PayPal Payments side by side
| WooCommerce | WooCommerce PayPal Payments | |
|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 2.9 |
| Reviews | 4,826 | 582 |
| Active installs | 7 million+ | 800,000+ |
| Total downloads | 470,252,997 | 27,909,077 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 6,529,786 | 198,761 |
| Last updated | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 27, 2011 | Oct 15, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
WooCommerce ratings
WooCommerce PayPal Payments 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 WooCommerce nor WooCommerce PayPal Payments can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Ecommerce Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
WooCommerce vs WooCommerce PayPal Payments: common questions
Is WooCommerce better than WooCommerce PayPal Payments?
WooCommerce leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WooCommerce ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Ecommerce Plugins.
Which has more users, WooCommerce or WooCommerce PayPal Payments?
WooCommerce ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Ecommerce Plugins.
Which is rated higher, WooCommerce or WooCommerce PayPal Payments?
WooCommerce has more users: 7 million+ active installs against 800,000+.
Are WooCommerce and WooCommerce PayPal Payments free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. WooCommerce is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. WooCommerce PayPal Payments may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to WooCommerce and WooCommerce PayPal Payments
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Easy Digital Downloads
40,000+ installs · 4.7 from 591 reviews
-
SureCart
80,000+ installs · 4.8 from 288 reviews
-
Mailchimp for WooCommerce
200,000+ installs · 4.0 from 726 reviews
-
ProfilePress
100,000+ installs · 3.1 from 938 reviews
-
Ecwid by Lightspeed Ecommerce Shopping Cart
20,000+ installs · 4.5 from 228 reviews
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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.