Astra vs Download Monitor
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Astra v4.14.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Download Monitor v5.3.5 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.5/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 1M+ | 80,000+ |
| Last updated | October 15, 2026 | October 20, 2026 |
| Editions | Astra · Astra Pro ($) | Download Monitor · Download Monitor Pro ($) |
| Pros | Header and footer builder with schema markup; Compatibility layers for WooCommerce, Elementor, LearnDash and Yoast SEO; Lightweight front end and RTL and translation support | Free core with download logs and reports; Shortcodes, a block and a widget place links anywhere; Basic built-in shop with PayPal for selling downloads |
| Cons | Astra Pro add-on and premium modules are sold separately; Free theme shows Pro upgrade notices in the admin; Optional usage tracking asks for consent first | Email lock and gated-content extensions need the paid Pro add-ons; Pro features require a licence key from the vendor |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | — |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Header and footer builder, Schema.org markup, WooCommerce compatibility layer, Elementor compatibility layer, LearnDash compatibility layer, Google Fonts in the typography options, Pro upgrade notices | Versioned downloads, Download logging, Protected files via media library, Download reports dashboard, Download shortcodes, Download button block, Downloads widget, REST API keys, Sell downloads (built-in shop), Pro licence key activation ($), Legacy data upgrader |
| Integrations | ||
| Payment | — | PayPal |
| E-commerce | WooCommerce | — |
| Plugins | Elementor, LearnDash, Yoast SEO | Polylang, WPML, Yoast SEO |
| Other | Google Fonts | — |
| Requires WordPress | 5.3 | 6.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.3 | 7.4 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | fonts.googleapis.com, api.ipify.org | wp-modula.com |
| Blocks | — | 1 |
| Shortcodes | — | 10 |
| Custom tables | — | 10 |