Do you want to edit and control file downloads in WordPress Website? Perhaps you would like to keep a record of how many times a file is downloaded. Or maybe you want to protect content so only registered users or clients can access it.
In this article, we’ll analyze some of the best WordPress download manager plugins to track and manage file downloads.
What to Look For in a Download Manager Plugin
There are various different reasons why you want to use a WordPress download manager plugin. You may need to do all of the following:
- Lock a file so only listed users with a specific role can access it
- Lock a file so only paying clients can access it
- Rearrange and tag files in WordPress
- Prevent spammers from repeatedly downloading your files
- Track how many times a particular file is downloaded
- Track how many times a group of files is downloaded
- Provide downloadable data as part of a more general product.
It’s difficult to find a single plugin that can do everything above, but depending on the usage case, you may not need all these settings.
We’ve picked the most useful WordPress download manager plugins to cover all the various summaries and use-cases.
1. MemberPress
MemberPress is the most beneficial WordPress membership plugin on the market. It lets you quickly sell digital downloads. You can also use it to sell subscriptions, secure content on your site so that only members can access it, and many more.
The MemberPress Downloads addon gives you advanced download control capabilities. It lets you upload many files, tag or categorize them, and record them using a shortcode.
You can use MemberPress to protect files as well as posts & pages. You can secure files so that only users with the right level of access can view them.
One great feature is that you can protect files by category and tag, too. You can set up a rule to protect all files that you’ve assigned to a specific category or tag. This makes it easy to restrict files based on the user’s subscription level.
You can also list your files by their category and tag, using MemberPress’ shortcodes system. If you’re offering a lot of different downloads, then this makes it really easy to organize them for your users.
MemberPress gives you plenty of flexibility, too. It even integrates with email marketing services like Constant Contact, ConvertKit, and AWeber.
2. LearnDash
LearnDash is a very popular LMS (learning management system) plugin for WordPress. It’s easy to use and comes with many powerful features.
LearnDash lets you charge a one-time fee for your product or set up a recurring subscription. You can easily insert video and audio files into your course, making it a great way to sell these types of files.
Aside from using LearnDash to lock the content on your site, you can use it to accept payments, create online courses, make assignments and quizzes, and more. There are also dynamic forums built into LearnDash where your users can interact with one another.
LearnDash works well on its own for taking payments and offering protected content. You can also integrate it with several of the other tools on this list, including MemberPress, WordPress Download Manager, and WooCommerce.
3. MonsterInsights
MonsterInsights, the beneficial Google Analytics plugin for WordPress. It’s the best choice if you want to track which files on your site are being downloaded the most. This is necessary if you offer a lot of free downloads and need to know which ones are proving popular with your users.
You can choose which types of files to track, such as images, zip files, PDFs, and so on.
You can also label your different files so MonsterInsights can show which categories are being downloaded the most. For instance, you could track “Free Reports” separately from “Printable Worksheets” in MonsterInsights.
You can view the file downloads report in your WordPress dashboard along with Monster-Insight’s other user analytics report.
MonsterInsights seamlessly integrates with all the plugins mentioned in this list, and we recommend installing it alongside any file download manager plugin that you use. The free version of MonsterInsights also comes with file tracking, but you can upgrade to the Pro version to unlock other powerful features.
Alternatively, you can use MonsterInsights by itself too. Simply upload your files in the WordPress media library, embed the link to the files anywhere in your posts, pages, menus, etc.
4. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a famous eCommerce plugin for WordPress. You can use it to sell digitals and physical products.
If you want to sell digital downloads, you can simply designate your download as a product in WooCommerce, so the customer only receives access after paying for it.
You can also use WooCommerce plugins to add more features to your online store. For instance, you can use smart coupons features to run sales and promotions more easily.
It offers many different download methods and types of protection for your files. You can choose which suits your site best. Just like regular WooCommerce products, your downloads can have variations, too.
You can also use WooCommerce to create a product that has both a physical component and downloadable. For instance, you might provide an online video course that comes with a physical workbook.
5. Easy Digital Downloads
As the name suggests, Easy Digital Downloads makes it simple for you to sell digital products on your site. You can also use it to provide and track free downloads.
Your files will be automatically protected by the Easy Digital Downloads plugin. You can track the date and IP address of all purchases and free downloads.
You can restrict how many times a customer can download their files. You can also set the download link to expire after a certain period of time. These are both good ways to prevent customers from sharing their files with others.
You can integrate Easy Digital Downloads with lots of other services, including email marketing services like ConvertKit and AWeber. You can even integrate it with AffiliateWP to create a referral program.
Easy Digital Downloads has a built-in shopping cart system that lets customers buy several digital products at once. You can easily create a customer account page where logged-in customers can see a list of everything they’ve purchased.
6. File Manager
File Manager is a really useful FTP like a file manager. You can use it to edit files through your WordPress dashboard, rather than using FTP to move them between locations.
We always advise using an FTP client or your hosting file manager where possible. However, there may be times when you want to quickly manage files through your WordPress dashboard.
File Manager lets you place your files into the media library, too. It creates thumbnails for all types of image files. It also has search functionality, making it easy to find your files.
With the Pro Edition of File Manager, you can also create private folders. You can set these so specific user roles or even specific users have access.
You can also use the Pro Edition to control what types of files can be uploaded and downloaded. You can even set up email notifications so that you get an email whenever a file is downloaded.
We hope this article guide you to learn about the best download manager plugins for WordPress.
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