Pdf Embed 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 Embed has a higher user rating (5/5 from 6 reviews) and leads in active installations (10K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Pdf Embed has accumulated 245K+ total downloads while PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg has 73K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Pdf Embed | PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5/5 | ◄ | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 6 | ► | 9 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | 10K+ | |
| Total Downloads | 245K+ | ◄ | 73K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 6 months ago | ► | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2022 | 2019 | |
| Age | 4 years | 7 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.6.0+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 0.5.8 | 1.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Pdf Embed
PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Pdf Embed averaged approximately 58 daily downloads while PDF Viewer Block for Gutenberg averaged 53.
Recent Reviews
Pdf Embed Reviews
Easy to operate and show PDFs as part of your site
It is easy to use, and I like that the inline settings make the PDF look like the content of the site.
This plugin is epic
A genuine lifesaver. Much better than the adobe embed APi code they supply on their offical website.
Error
Unfortunately the plugin doesn’t seem to function. Getting an error message within Gutenberg This topic was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by WillOfTheWeb. This topic was modified 2 ye
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.