Simple Download Monitor vs AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Simple Download Monitor
20K+ active installs
Free
AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget
1.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 17 reviews) while Simple Download Monitor leads in active installations (20K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Download Monitor has accumulated 1.3M+ total downloads while AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget has 44K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Simple Download Monitor | AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 151 | ◄ | 17 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.3M+ | ◄ | 44K+ |
| Support Resolution | 67% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 5 years ago |
| First Released | 2009 | 2012 | |
| Age | 17 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.0+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.0.6 | 0.10.210305 |
Rating Breakdown
Simple Download Monitor
AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Simple Download Monitor averaged approximately 185 daily downloads while AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget averaged 5.
Recent Reviews
Simple Download Monitor Reviews
Love it
Been using it for years and it does the job perfectly. Plenty of features but simple enough to use.
Great Plug-in
Lifesaver, if in need for a simple and reliable download app. Thanks!!!
Clean, Simple and it just works!
I have been using this plugin for a few years now on two of the websites I manage and I cannot imagine using another plugin like this. I tried to, but I always come back to this one! Setup is fairly e
AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget Reviews
Really Great Plugin
I don’t understand why more people aren’t using this. It lets you write the HTMl and CSS. I absolutely love that approach.
User interface
User interface for configure the hits are so short. Please add more fields. This topic was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by judikaelsab.
Best Plugin
No que diz respeito a funcionalidade prometida este plugin é o melhor de todos. Eu estou feliz porque você atualizou este plugin depois de muito tempo. Parabéns, eu continuarei usando e recomendo.
More Count Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Simple Download Monitor and AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget
Add a "Post View Count" plugin to get the count of views for your posts.
Count, filter and display the number of Gravity Forms entries or the total of a number field for multiple entries.
Displays a column with the character count for each post in the Manage Posts SubPanel and in the Edit Posts SubPanel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simple Download Monitor or AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget more popular?
Which has better ratings — Simple Download Monitor or AJAX Hits Counter + Popular Posts Widget?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.