Simple Download Monitor vs Buddy Views (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Simple Download Monitor

Simple Download Monitor

4.6(151)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 week ago
View Simple Download Monitor
VS
Buddy Views

Buddy Views

4.8(4)

30 active installs

Free

Updated 10 years ago
View Buddy Views

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Buddy Views has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 4 reviews) while Simple Download Monitor leads in active installations (20K+ vs 30). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Download Monitor has accumulated 1.3M+ total downloads while Buddy Views has 6.6K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.6/5Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views4.8/5
Total Reviews
151Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views4
Active Installs
20K+Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views30
Total Downloads
1.3M+Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views6.6K+
Support Resolution
67%Simple Download Monitor
Buddy ViewsN/A
Last Updated
1 week agoSimple Download Monitor
Buddy Views10 years ago
First Released
2009Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views2015
Age
17 yearsSimple Download Monitor
Buddy Views11 years
WP Requires
6.0+Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views4.0+
PHP Requires
false+Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Viewsfalse+
Business Model
FreeSimple Download Monitor
Buddy ViewsFree
Latest Version
4.0.6Simple Download Monitor
Buddy Views1.1

Rating Breakdown

Simple Download Monitor

4.6/5(151 reviews)
5
83%
4
8%
3
5%
2
1%
1
4%

Buddy Views

4.8/5(4 reviews)
5
75%
4
25%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Simple Download Monitor Reviews

by bud8ie

Love it

Been using it for years and it does the job perfectly. Plenty of features but simple enough to use.

by goerage

Great Plug-in

Lifesaver, if in need for a simple and reliable download app. Thanks!!!

by Nico Visagie

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

Buddy Views Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Download Monitor or Buddy Views more popular?
Simple Download Monitor has 20K+ active installations while Buddy Views has 30. Simple Download Monitor is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Download Monitor or Buddy Views?
Simple Download Monitor has a 4.6/5 rating from 151 reviews, while Buddy Views has a 4.8/5 rating from 4 reviews.
Are Simple Download Monitor and Buddy Views free?
Simple Download Monitor is free and Buddy Views is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Download Monitor or Buddy Views?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Simple Download Monitor was last updated 1 week ago and Buddy Views was last updated 10 years ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.