Head-to-head · October 2026
PayPal Digital Downloads vs PDF Ink Lite
PDF Ink Lite comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against PayPal Digital Downloads.
PayPal Digital Downloads
Note: PayPal Digital Goods is no longer available for new PayPal accounts. This feature remains available for…
PDF Ink Lite
PDF Ink Lite adds watermarks and password protection to every PDF your customers download from WooCommerce…
| Metric | PayPal Digital Downloads | PDF Ink Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 90+ | 2K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 76 | 3.1K |
| Download trend | +40.7% | -14% |
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Reviews | 7 | 51 |
| Health score | 35/100 | 80/100 |
| Last updated | 9 years ago | 4 weeks ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.9.33 | WP 7.1.2 |
| Support resolved | — | 33% |
| Requires PHP | 5.4+ | 7.4+ |
| First released | Mar 2015 | Oct 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
PayPal Digital DownloadsPDF Ink Lite
Choose PayPal Digital Downloads if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (90+ active installs)
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Choose PDF Ink Lite if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Loved by users — 4.6/5 from 51 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 4 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Both compete in: digital downloads
FAQ
PayPal Digital Downloads vs PDF Ink Lite: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 5, 2026
Which is better, PayPal Digital Downloads or PDF Ink Lite?
PDF Ink Lite comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against PayPal Digital Downloads. Choose PayPal Digital Downloads if you care most about download trend. Choose PDF Ink Lite if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is PayPal Digital Downloads more popular than PDF Ink Lite?
PDF Ink Lite is the more popular of the two with 2K+ active installs, compared with 90+ for PayPal Digital Downloads.
Can I use PayPal Digital Downloads and PDF Ink Lite together?
Both plugins cover digital downloads, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are PayPal Digital Downloads and PDF Ink Lite free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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