Download Monitor vs FetchApp (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Download Monitor grades higher than FetchApp: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Download Monitor grades higher on the free plan and features. FetchApp grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Download Monitor
WordPress plugin for managing, tracking and gating file downloads
FetchApp
Digital download and license key delivery for your own store
Which one is for you
Pick Download Monitor if
- Fits if you run WordPress and want to count who downloads what
- Works for sites that give out files after an email sign-up
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're not on WordPress, since it runs only inside it
- Pricey if you stay past year one, because plans renew at $138, $258 or $398
- Watch out: email notification, CSV tools and cloud hosting need Popular or above
- Watch out: access rules and form locks need Complete at $398 a year
- Skip it if you want to sell files, as there's no checkout of its own
Pick FetchApp if
- Fits if you sell on Shopify or PayPal and want automatic file delivery
- Works for sellers with large catalogues who would rather pay by storage than by sale
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, since Hobby holds 5 MB and has no API
- Watch out: billing follows stored files, so a growing library moves you to a dearer tier
- Watch out: the WooCommerce plugin is third-party and last released in February 2023, and BigCommerce is for existing accounts only
How we grade them
| 2.4GPADownload MonitorFair | 2.2GPAFetchAppFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$138 a year for 1 site after a $48 first year, about $11.50 a month, which sits above the cheapest quarter of $8.99. Three sites is $258 and five is $398 a year. | BStarter is $5 a month, inside the cheapest quarter of digital-product tools ($10), but it holds only 50 MB. 2 GB costs $10. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free edition on WordPress.org with download tracking and terms gating. Captcha, custom buttons and email notification are paid. | CA free Hobby plan exists, but it holds 5 MB and has no API access, so it is for trying only. |
| Features | CTracking, versions, access rules, email before download, S3 and Drive hosting. But it's a download manager, not a store with its own checkout, and email, CSV and cloud hosting need Popular. | DIt delivers files only: checkout, payments and tax come from a store or PayPal you connect, so it needs another product to be useful. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. It's a plugin you install and configure on a WordPress site. | CNo store rating on record. You connect a store and set up delivery rules. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWordPress only, with Amazon S3, Google Drive, Mailchimp and form plugin links. No standalone app. | BWeb, with Shopify, PayPal, WooCommerce, Amazon S3 and Cloudflare R2 listed, and an API and webhooks on paid plans. |
| Best for | tracking and gating file downloads on a WordPress site | automatic file and licence-key delivery after payment |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Download Monitor and FetchApp. How we grade
Price against what you get
Download Monitor starts at $11.50 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. FetchApp starts at $5 a month and scores 2.0.
Download Monitor scores higher, and starts $6.50 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other tools for selling digital products on the chart, 8 score higher than Download Monitor for less, and 10 score higher than FetchApp for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Download Monitor also covers forms, file sharing and reports.
- FetchApp also covers online store.
At a glance
| Download Monitor | FetchApp | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $138 per year for 1 site, after a first year at $48 | $5 per month for 50 MB of storage |
| Free plan | Free edition on WordPress.org with download tracking and terms-and-conditions gating; PRO features such as captcha, buttons and email notification are not included. | Hobby plan: $0 with 5 MB of storage, for trying delivery. Free accounts have no API access. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | WP Chill | FetchApp |
| Price read from | download-monitor.com | fetchapp.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Download Monitor
- Runs only inside WordPress; it is a download manager, not a storefront with its own checkout.
- Annual plans renew at the regular price after the introductory first year.
- Email notification, CSV tools and cloud hosting need Popular or above; access rules and form locks need Complete.
- Free edition lacks captcha, custom buttons and email notification.
FetchApp
- It delivers files only: checkout, payments and tax come from the store or PayPal setup you connect.
- The free Hobby plan holds 5 MB and has no API access.
- The WooCommerce plugin is third-party, last released 2023-02-28, and BigCommerce is open to existing accounts only.
- Billing follows stored files, so a growing library moves you to a higher monthly tier.
Key features
Download Monitor
- Download tracking
- Logs each download with user data, IP address and timestamp, with reports on trends and top files.
- Versions under one link
- Keep several file versions under a single download link so visitors get the current release.
- Access control
- Role-based permissions and password protection, with rule-based access management on the Complete plan.
- Email before download
- Form locks for Ninja Forms, Gravity Forms, WPForms, Contact Form 7 and Mailchimp can collect an email first.
- Cloud file hosting
- Serve files from Amazon S3 with secure, expiring links, or use files hosted on Google Drive.
- Document library
- Build searchable, filterable document libraries and use shortcodes to place buttons and lists anywhere.
FetchApp
- Delivery after payment
- When your store reports an order as paid, FetchApp emails the download links and any license keys to the buyer.
- License keys
- A key can be sent with each purchase. License keys are included on every paid plan, with no per-key charge.
- Expiring links and limits
- Business plans add expiring download links and download limits, and orders can be searched so links can be resent.
- Shopify and PayPal connections
- A Shopify app and PayPal buy-button setup are maintained by FetchApp. A WooCommerce plugin is community-made.
- Own storage
- From the Business tier you can host files in your own S3 or Cloudflare R2 storage and give FetchApp their links.
- API and webhooks
- A REST API lets a developer connect any checkout so that paid orders trigger delivery.
Plans
Download Monitor
Free$0
Core download management and terms-and-conditions gating, without the PRO extensions.
Basic$138
per year for 1 site, regular price after a first year at $48
1 site, 1 year of support and updates, Enhanced Metrics, anti-spam and bot protection. First year shown at $48.
Popular$258
per year for 3 sites, regular price after a first year at $90
Adds email notification, CSV import and export, Document Library Manager and Amazon S3 and Google Drive hosting.
Complete$398
per year for 5 sites, regular price after a first year at $139
Adds rule-based access management, priority support and form locks for Ninja Forms, Gravity Forms, WPForms and more.
FetchApp
Hobby$0
5 MB of storage for trying out delivery. No API access.
Starter$5
per month for 50 MB of storage
License keys, Shopify and PayPal connections, unlimited admin users, API access and delivery emails from your own domain.
Business$10
per month for 2 GB of storage
Rises with storage: $20 for 5 GB, $30 for 10 GB, up to $500 for 200 GB. Adds your own S3 or R2 storage, full API and webhooks.
Scale$100
per month for 40 GB of storage
For larger libraries: 40 GB to 200 GB, with help choosing the right storage amount.
Ways to pay less
Download Monitor
- Other savings
First-year introductory price on annual plans
Annual plans show $48, $90 and $139 for the first year with a Black Friday banner; they renew at the regular price.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime licenses with 3 years of support
One-time payments listed at $483 for 1 site, $903 for 3 sites and $1,393 for 5 sites, with lifetime updates.
FetchApp
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Download Monitor or FetchApp?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FetchApp is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against $11.50 a month when paid by the year for Download Monitor. Download Monitor starts at $138 per year for 1 site, after a first year at $48, and FetchApp starts at $5 per month for 50 MB of storage.
Which has a free plan, Download Monitor or FetchApp?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Download Monitor and FetchApp have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.