Embed PDF Viewer vs PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg
10K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 9 reviews) while Embed PDF Viewer leads in active installations (20K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Embed PDF Viewer has accumulated 309K+ total downloads while PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg has 73K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Embed PDF Viewer | PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 19 | ◄ | 9 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 10K+ |
| Total Downloads | 309K+ | ◄ | 73K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2016 | 2019 | |
| Age | 10 years | 7 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.0+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.4.8 | 1.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Embed PDF Viewer
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Embed PDF Viewer averaged approximately 180 daily downloads while PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg averaged 53.
Recent Reviews
Embed PDF Viewer Reviews
Amazing plugin
This plugin save my 2 days coding task. If this plugin is not there i have to code this.
Works Great but no preview on mobile
Works great on web but when I try to access the website via mobile browser, the pdf has no preview available. BTW, I’m using WordPress 6.4.3. Thank you for your effort with this PDF plugin it is a
Perfect!
Love how easy it is to embed a PDF using the Block Editor and this plugin. It’s perfect.
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg Reviews
I’ve tried a few and found this to be the best
The presentation is not in the preview but shows landscape presentations just fine and scales to 100% – unlike any of the other ones I tried.
Highly functional and easy to use
It works without any problems on smartphones. It’s great that it’s highly functional yet simple and easy to use.However, if I may be greedy, I would like to be able to set default values for height,
The best PDF Viewer
Very easy to install and to use. No need to configure anything. And it works out of the box.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Embed PDF Viewer or PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg more popular?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.