Download Plugin vs Simple Download Monitor
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Download Plugin leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #657, ahead of Simple Download Monitor at #1,150. Download Plugin has the largest install base, roughly 3× the next: 60K+ active installs against 20K+ for Simple Download Monitor. Downloads this week: Simple Download Monitor 21,299 and Download Plugin 4,023. Ratings: Download Plugin 4.5★ from 26 and Simple Download Monitor 4.7★ from 158 reviews.
| Metric | Download Plugin | Simple Download Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #657 ▬ | #1,150 ▬ |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 4,023 | 21,299 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (26) | 4.7★ (158) |
| Last updated | Oct 26, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.4.6 | 4.1.3 |
| Best rank on record | #656 | #1,149 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2016 | Oct 2009 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Download Plugin or Simple Download Monitor?
By active installs, Download Plugin: 60K+ sites run it against 20K+ for Simple Download Monitor, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Download Plugin or Simple Download Monitor?
Download Plugin, at #657 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Simple Download Monitor at #1,150. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Download Plugin or Simple Download Monitor alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.