Download Plugin vs Softaculous
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 #674, ahead of Softaculous at #1,551. Over the last 7 days Download Plugin climbed 2 places and Softaculous slipped 6 places. Download Plugin has the largest install base, roughly 6× the next: 60K+ active installs against 10K+ for Softaculous. Downloads this week: Download Plugin 3,731 and Softaculous 708.
| Metric | Download Plugin | Softaculous |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #674 ▲ 2 | #1,551 ▼ 6 |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 10K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 3,731 | 708 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (25) | no ratings |
| Last updated | Jul 27, 2026 | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.4.6 | 2.4.1 |
| Best rank on record | #674 | #1,535 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2016 | Apr 2024 |
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 Softaculous?
By active installs, Download Plugin: 60K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Softaculous, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 13, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Download Plugin or Softaculous?
Download Plugin, at #674 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Softaculous at #1,551. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Download Plugin or Softaculous 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.