PDF Embedder vs PDF Thumbnails (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, PDF Embedder has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 480 reviews) and leads in active installations (300K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. PDF Embedder has accumulated 5.0M+ total downloads while PDF Thumbnails has 34K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | PDF Embedder | PDF Thumbnails | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ◄ | 4.6/5 |
| Total Reviews | 480 | ◄ | 9 |
| Active Installs | 300K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 5.0M+ | ◄ | 34K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 months ago | ◄ | 9 years ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2014 | |
| Age | 11 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.1+ | false+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.9.3 | 2.2.0 |
Rating Breakdown
PDF Embedder
PDF Thumbnails
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, PDF Embedder averaged approximately 1,140 daily downloads while PDF Thumbnails averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
PDF Embedder Reviews
It does the job efficiently
It performs the advertized tasks efficiently
Easy to use
Simple, easy and efficient.
VERY GOOD PLUGIN
VERY GOOD PLUGIN
PDF Thumbnails Reviews
No longer supported
As of June 2019, this plug-in does not seem to be functioning on our site. It has not been updated for 3 years. We are using WordPress 5.2.1.
great!
thank you so much! i just needed to enable imagik and ask my host to speed up the php libraries’ updating process, it already had pdf support. This topic was modified 7 years, 1 month ago by f
Excellent
Works just like it should. Can’t believe this functionality isn’t in the WP core. Thanks!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is PDF Embedder or PDF Thumbnails more popular?
Which has better ratings — PDF Embedder or PDF Thumbnails?
Are PDF Embedder and PDF Thumbnails free?
Which plugin has better support — PDF Embedder or PDF Thumbnails?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.