Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 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
Simple Download Monitor leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,154, ahead of Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files at #1,860. Over the last 7 days Simple Download Monitor climbed 1 place and Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files climbed 3 places. Simple Download Monitor has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 20K+ active installs against 10K+ for Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files. Ratings: Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 4.7★ from 295 and Simple Download Monitor 4.7★ from 156 reviews.
| Metric | Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files | Simple Download Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,860 ▲ 3 | #1,154 ▲ 1 |
| Active installs | 10K+ | 20K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | — | 2,680 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (295) | 4.7★ (156) |
| Last updated | Aug 27, 2026 | Sep 11, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.8.9.1 | 4.1.1 |
| Best rank on record | #1,858 | #1,154 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2015 | 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, Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files or Simple Download Monitor?
By active installs, Simple Download Monitor: 20K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files or Simple Download Monitor?
Simple Download Monitor, at #1,154 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files at #1,860. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Prevent Direct Access – Protect WordPress Files 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.