Prevent Direct Access – Protect… vs Free Downloads WooCommerce (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Prevent Direct Access – Protect…
10K+ active installs
Free
Free Downloads WooCommerce
4.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Prevent Direct Access – Protect… has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 292 reviews) and leads in active installations (10K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Prevent Direct Access – Protect… has accumulated 264K+ total downloads while Free Downloads WooCommerce has 233K+. Free Downloads WooCommerce has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Prevent Direct Access – Protect… | Free Downloads WooCommerce | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.7/5 | |
| Total Reviews | 292 | ◄ | 84 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | ◄ | 4.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 264K+ | ◄ | 233K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2016 | |
| Age | 11 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 4.4+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6.1+ | 7.4.0+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.8.8.6 | 3.6.4 |
Rating Breakdown
Prevent Direct Access – Protect…
Free Downloads WooCommerce
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Prevent Direct Access – Protect… averaged approximately 453 daily downloads while Free Downloads WooCommerce averaged 52.
Recent Reviews
Prevent Direct Access – Protect… Reviews
Great protection
The pro plugin delivers, providing protection and security to files which contain commercial, sensitive or personal information. I have had a pro license for some time and even though the license h
Free Version barely usable
Almost every useful feature is locked away. Uninstalled immediately.
I’m completely impressed…
I’m not one to write reviews, but the WP Folio Team definitely deserves one. I’m completely impressed with their support. They are unparalleled! Whatever you need, you can be sure they will do everyth
Free Downloads WooCommerce Reviews
fantastic, works perfectly!
thank you so much! I’ve been fighting with my woocommerce shop for WEEKS. I didn’t want people to have to supply billing details if the item was FREE. This worked out of the box (seriously within 3 mi
Do NOT Use this Plugin
Simply put, this plugin doesn’t do what it says it will do. It’s supposed to work out of the box. I have tried troubleshooting this for hours to no avail. I reached out to support and they just ignore
Plugin has issues and close to no support for paid customers
The idea of this is what I need for my application however the plugin has issues. It does not appear to work correctly if the files are not stored in the web root directory. I have mine at server
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.