Advanced Download Box
Advanced Download Box is a powerful and flexible plugin that allows you to add professional-looking download boxes to any post or page. Gone are the days of simple, unstyled links. With an intuitive settings panel, you…
Consider an alternative
Advanced Download Box shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (20+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Advanced Download Box stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| download | >100 |
| download box | #27 |
| download button | >100 |
| files | >100 |
| shortcode | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
About Advanced Download Box
From the official readme · v1.0.4Description
Advanced Download Box is a powerful and flexible plugin that allows you to add professional-looking download boxes to any post or page.
Gone are the days of simple, unstyled links. With an intuitive settings panel, you can control every aspect of the download box’s appearance—from colors and borders to typography and icons—to perfectly match your website’s design.
Whether you want to offer downloadable resources, PDF files, or any other type of file, this plugin provides a clean and user-friendly solution.
You can add multiple links to a single box, add descriptions, and even require users to log in before they can see the download links.
The plugin gives you the choice of automatically displaying the box at the end of your posts or placing it anywhere you like with a simple shortcode.
Key Features:
- Extensive Styling Controls: Customize colors, borders, padding (separate for desktop and mobile), and radius for the download box.
- Advanced Typography: Set the font size and weight for the box title, description, and download buttons individually.
- Flexible Content:
- Add unlimited download links with custom titles and URLs using a repeater field.
- Add an optional file size next to each download link.
- Write a custom description inside the download box.
- Customizable Icon: Upload your own SVG icon, and control its background color, padding, and size.
A default download icon is included. - SEO Friendly: Choose the HTML tag for the box title (H2, H3, H4, etc.) to match your site’s heading structure.
- User Access Control: Optionally restrict download links to be visible only to logged-in users, with a customizable message for guests.
- Dual Display Modes: Display the download box automatically at the end of posts or manually place it anywhere with the
[advanced_download_box]shortcode. - Modern Admin Interface: A clean, tabbed interface for the settings page makes management easy and intuitive.
- Secure & Optimized: Built with WordPress coding standards, security best practices, and performance in mind.
Installation
- In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to
Plugins>Add New. - Click the
Upload Pluginbutton at the top of the page. - Upload the
advanced-download-box.zipfile you downloaded. - Click
Install Nowand thenActivate. - Once activated, a “Download Box” menu item will appear in your WordPress admin sidebar where you can configure the settings.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have more than one download link in a box?
Yes! The meta box in the post editor allows you to add as many links as you need using the “Add New Link” button.
Are the styles overriding my theme?
The plugin uses inline styles for typography to ensure that the settings you choose are applied correctly and are not overridden by your theme’s default styles. This provides the most reliable display across different themes.
Can I change the title tag from H3 for SEO?
Yes. In the “Content & Icon” tab of the settings page, you can choose any heading tag (H2-H6) or even a paragraph tag (P) for the box title.
What happens when I uninstall (delete) the plugin?
The plugin includes a clean uninstallation routine. When deleted, it will remove all its options and post meta data from your database, leaving no trace behind.
Changelog
1.0.4 – 2025-07-122
- Updated plugin description and FAQ for clarity.
1.0.3 – 2025-07-15
- Initial public release of the Advanced Download Box plugin.
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Advanced Download Box alternatives
All download plugins →
FAQ
Advanced Download Box: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 12, 2026
Is Advanced Download Box free?
Yes. Advanced Download Box is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Advanced Download Box safe to use in 2026?
Advanced Download Box shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 20+ sites, is rated 5/5 and was last updated 1 year ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Advanced Download Box?
Advanced Download Box is active on 20+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 763 times since it launched in July 2025. It was downloaded 80 times in the last 30 days.
Does Advanced Download Box work with WordPress 7.1?
Advanced Download Box is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.11, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Advanced Download Box need?
Advanced Download Box requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Advanced Download Box last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.4, was released on July 21, 2025 (1 year ago).
Who makes Advanced Download Box?
Advanced Download Box is developed and maintained by Ali Zarei.
What are the best alternatives to Advanced Download Box?
The most popular alternatives to Advanced Download Box are Download Plugin (60K+ installs), Export Media Library (30K+ installs) and Download Plugins and Themes… (30K+ installs).
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