Download Monitor vs Freemius (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Download Monitor and Freemius share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on whether you care more about platforms, where Download Monitor grades higher, or features, where Freemius does.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and ease of use.
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
Freemius
Merchant of record, licensing and payments for software sellers
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 Freemius if
- Fits if you sell a WordPress plugin or other software and want licensing and tax handled
- Works for solo developers who prefer paying only when something sells
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you sell WordPress products, as 2.3% is added to 3.8% + 50¢ and gateway fees come on top
- Watch out: wire payouts may carry intermediate bank fees
- Skip it if you sell high volumes, as those sellers are sent to separate growth pricing not shown
- Not for you if you sell physical goods or run a general store, as it is built for software
How we grade them
| 2.4GPADownload MonitorFair | 2.4GPAFreemiusFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C3.8% + 50¢ a transaction plus gateway fees, and another 2.3% for WordPress and templates. That is not below the 2.9% + $1 Digistore24 lists, so it lands in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free edition on WordPress.org with download tracking and terms gating. Captcha, custom buttons and email notification are paid. | BNo setup or monthly fee, and you can set up products and licensing without paying until you make a sale. No trial is listed, because the fee only applies to sales. |
| 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. | BMerchant of record, software licensing by plan and activation, subscriptions with recovery, a customer portal, affiliates and payouts by wire and other routes. The core job is covered. |
| 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. Licensing means integrating its SDK into your product, so a developer has to do the work. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWordPress only, with Amazon S3, Google Drive, Mailchimp and form plugin links. No standalone app. | CWeb only. Payment and payout routes run through Stripe, PayPal, Wise and Payoneer, and nothing else is listed. |
| Best for | tracking and gating file downloads on a WordPress site | selling plugins, themes and software with licensing built in |
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 Freemius. How we grade
Where they differ
- Download Monitor also covers forms, file sharing and reports.
- Freemius also covers affiliate tracking, online store and merchant of record.
At a glance
| Download Monitor | Freemius | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $138 per year for 1 site, after a first year at $48 | Not published |
| 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. | No setup or monthly fees: 3.8% + 50¢ per transaction plus gateway fees, with a further 2.3% for WordPress and templates. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | WP Chill | Freemius |
| Price read from | download-monitor.com | freemius.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
Freemius
- Gateway fees are charged on top of the 3.8% + 50¢ rate.
- WordPress and templates carry an additional 2.3%.
- Wire payouts may incur intermediate bank fees, and high-volume sellers are directed to separate growth pricing.
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.
Freemius
- Merchant of record
- Freemius becomes the seller on record and manages sales tax and VAT, fraud protection, chargebacks and disputes.
- Software licensing
- Controls access by plan, feature and activation, with multi-site licenses and automatic updates.
- Subscriptions and recovery
- Recurring billing with renewal reminders, trials and failed-renewal recovery, plus cart abandonment emails at no extra fee.
- Customer portal and affiliates
- A self-serve portal for plan changes and payment updates, and an affiliate platform that lets customers earn by promoting your product.
- Payout options
- Earnings can be paid through wire, Wise, Payoneer or PayPal.
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.
Freemius
Per transaction$0
No setup or monthly fee. Pay 3.8% + 50¢ per transaction plus gateway fees; WordPress and templates add 2.3%. Wire payouts are free.
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.
Freemius
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Download Monitor or Freemius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Download Monitor starts at $138 per year for 1 site, after a first year at $48, and Freemius publishes no starting price.
Which has a free plan, Download Monitor or Freemius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Download Monitor and Freemius 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.