WordPress and WooCommerce’s default file management features won’t be enough if you need more than the basics. A WooCommerce file sharing plugin can help you add, organize, and share files on your site. As such, choosing the right one should be a priority if this is one of your needs.
In this post, we’ll go over our top picks for the best WooCommerce file sharing plugins. Each will be able to help you create a professional, easy-to-navigate system for sharing files with your customers, website visitors, colleagues, and practically everyone.
An Introduction to WooCommerce File Sharing Plugins
A file management system, a document library, or many other names: no matter what you call your setup, sharing files will be a key aspect of your approach. Both WordPress and WooCommerce use the Media Library to store your files, but they don’t have the design or the functionality to handle large sets of documents.
For instance, there is no advanced filtering, a lack of front-end User Interface (UI), and more. While the capabilities of the Media Library is not the focus of this post, there is a solution. In a nutshell, you can use a WordPress plugin to better manage your files and documents, without disrupting your current media uploads.
Even better, you can give your site’s visitors access and streamline the whole process. Across the post, you’ll see what these types of plugins can do for your WooCommerce store and overall website.
The Top 10 Best WooCommerce File Sharing Plugins
Let’s get straight into the most suitable WooCommerce file sharing plugins. Much of the list is in no particular order. However, we want to highlight one solution, as we feel it’s the best on the market.
TL;DR: The best file sharing plugin for most WooCommerce sites is Document Library Pro. It is a full-featured plugin that lets you upload and share pretty much any type of file on your website. It enables back-end and front-end file upload, offers search, sort, and filter options, has built-in file previews, and more.
Read on to get our in-depth opinion on Document Library Pro, along with our other picks.
Why Document Library Pro Is the Best WooCommerce File Sharing Plugin
In short, Document Library Pro is the best WooCommerce file sharing plugin we’ve come across. It’s a robust plugin that lets you set up a flexible, simple-to-use file sharing library with an organized and adaptable structure too.
The plugin has versatility in spades too:
- You can accept file uploads from internal users (such as Administrators) and on the front end.
- If you host ‘internal’ files on your site, you can add (and showcase) them alongside files from third-party platforms such as Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, and others.
- There’s also the choice to display all of the files in your library or hand-select specific documents instead.
When it comes to design, you have two functional and stylish layouts with which to create your file library: grid and table. The table file library layout is a typical presentation…
…while the grid file library layout is more visual, yet just as informative:
The combination of the features and functionality of Document Library Pro means it’s not only a file sharing system. It can also help you create an audio library, PDF document download library, image gallery, and more.
Document Library Pro is a premium WordPress plugin that starts at $99 per year. It comes with a 30-day, no-quibble, money-back guarantee and you can also bundle it with other Barn2 plugins for a greater saving.
The Top Features Of Document Library Pro
Let’s take a closer look at what functionality Document Library Pro offers. Consider this a tour and a tutorial at once. By the end, you’ll understand what makes the plugin tick, and how it can help you manage your own files.
Back-End and Front-End File Upload Options
There are five different methods to upload files using Document Library Pro—four on the back-end and one on the front-end.
On the back-end, site admins can drag and drop files, upload single files, move files from the Media Library to the file library, and batch upload multiple files using CSV.
On the front-end, your site’s visitors can select on-device files and upload them to the file library using a straightforward interface.
Regardless of the option you select, each process is intuitive and simple.
Your File Library Looks Great at All Screen Sizes
The majority of people browse the internet using small screens such as mobile phones and tablets. Document Library Pro can adapt to each one and adjust its layout, buttons, and other elements.
This responsive design solution isn’t a ground-breaker, but it does ensure everyone has a positive experience while viewing and accessing files on your site.
Support for Multiple File Formats
Document Library Pro can handle a wide range of file types. You’re able to choose common formats such as PDFs, JPEG, PNG, and GIFs. What’s more, there are document options such as both Word formats (.doc and .docx) alongside typical .txt files.
You’re able to upload audio files too in MP3 and .wav formats, as well as MP4 and AVI video formats. For more niche applications, Document Library Pro supports other specialized formats such as CAD files or vector graphics.
The plugin will adapt its display for each file type too. For instance, you can view PDF previews for documents, audio players for music files, and video players for video content.
File Search, Sort, and Filter Options
As your file library grows, finding specific files can become a slog. For this, Document Library Pro includes powerful built-in search functionality. This lets your users conduct searches based on titles, keywords, categories, tags, and other relevant criteria.
Filtering the results is just as important as finding them. This can let users pin down files by type, size, upload date, or custom categories. For example, a customer looking for a specific product manual can filter by PDF and a relevant category:
All of these features work together to ensure you’re able to find the exact files you need without frustration.
Categories and Tags for File Organization
Taxonomies can help you organize large numbers of files in a practical way. You’ll likely use them with WordPress and WooCommerce to create a blog archive that’s offers structure and simple navigation. Document Library Pro lets you extend this to your file library too.
File categories follow a hierarchical structure, which lets you group related files. For instance, you might have main categories such as Product Manuals, Software Updates, and Marketing Materials, with further subcategories.
As with with regular WordPress tags, file library tags don’t have a hierarchy and let you associate files with multiple concepts. In short, categories and tags help you to improve front-end navigation. Using them within your file library builds upon the fundamental organization Document Library Pro gives you.
Ancillary Options to Improve User Experience (UX)
Document Library Pro gives you a few options to improve UX and the ‘quality of life’ your visitors receive on site. For example, it offers batch downloads and file previews. This can help with navigating your file library in multiple ways.
- Batch downloads. Once a user identifies required files, they can select and download them all with a single click.
- File previews. You’re able to preview each file in a lightbox window, so you can check out the contents before download. While it doesn’t work with all file types, for PDFs, images, and spreadsheet documents, this will give you more information to make the right file choice.
Document Library Pro pairs well with another Barn2 product—Password Protected Categories. Between the both, you’re able to create a secure file sharing system for WooCommerce.
The Password Protected Categories plugin lets you set up access controls to ensure you only let authorized users view files, pages, categories, products, and other on-site content. It’s great to restrict content to specific user roles or individual users.
Other WooCommerce File Sharing Plugins We Like
While Document Library Pro is our pick for the best WooCommerce file sharing plugin, there are other top-tier solutions too. Here’s a whole host of other options that may also suit your needs.
1. WooCommerce Product Options
WooCommerce Product Options is another Barn2 plugin. This one lets you upload files onto WooCommerce product detail pages. It’s ideal if you sell custom products and want to let customers share their customization requests before placing an order. We’re thinking customer designs for customizable t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, stickers, and more.
Beyond accepting user file uploads, WooCommerce Product Options lets you add extra fields—such as checkboxes, radio buttons, and date pickers—to product detail pages. This plugin will be ideal to help eliminate back and forth order requests and to streamline the whole process.
Pricing. This premium plugin costs from $99 per year for a one-plugin bundle.
2. Shared Files
Shared Files bills itself as a ‘personal WordPress-based Dropbox’. It’s an excellent example of a plugin that lets you add, share, and monitor downloads on your website.
The plugin supports over 20 file types, including images, audio, video, PDFs, and others. It also enables you to ask for customer contact details before anyone views files on your site. This can augment your lead generation efforts and gives you a way to connect the functionality on you site to one goal.
Pricing. There’s a free version of Shared Files that gives you core functionality. Premium plans begin from $49 per year with a seven-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. WooCommerce File Approval
Next up, WooCommerce File Approval plugin enables you to share order-related files with customers and get their approval. This plugin is perfect where you need customers to sign off on designs or other details before processing an order. You’re able to attach multiple files at once to an order, together with a custom message to share additional details with your customers.
Those customers need to log into their accounts to view files, approve or reject details, respond to messages, and upload additional files. Of course, you can continue the conversation thread and share files until the customer approves everything necessary.
Pricing. WooCommerce File Approval is a premium plugin available through CodeCanyon. You’ll pay $25, which gives you six months of support and updates.
4. WooCommerce Attach Me!
WooCommerce Attach Me! lets you add files such as images, audio, PDFs, and more to orders and share them with customers. The plugin will suit stores that want to provide manuals, setup guides, authentication certificates, and other documents to customers after purchase.
Site Administrators can make these files available on product detail and order detail pages, and share them through email for paying customers. You’re able to also set expiry dates and times for file downloads if necessary.
Pricing. As with WooCommerce File Approval, WooCommerece Attach Me! is a premium plugin available through CodeCanyon and costs $30.
5. User Private Files
User Private Files functions similarly to Dropbox and Google Drive in that it lets you upload files and folders to share with other users, as well as internal team members (read: those with relevant WordPress user roles).
Those who do upload files and folders get file management rights to the documents. This means they can approve or reject who can view their files. Internal team members get complete control over all uploaded documents.
Pricing. User Private Files has a free version that offers core functionality, but premium plans begin from $49 per year.
6. Simple File List
Simple File List is a no-frills freemium WooCommerce file sharing plugin. You can view, download, and edit files as you need to, and password-protect them to control access—all the fundamentals a plugin like this needs.
We think Simple File List is a sound option for bulk uploads, and to ensure you have proper organization for your files away from the WordPress Media Library.
Pricing. As with many of the plugins on this list, there’s a free version of Simple File List, but premium plans include more functionality and start from $29 per year.
7. YITH WooCommerce Uploads
YITH WooCommerce Uploads focuses on your sales or conversion funnel to some extent. You can upload and share files at several ‘touch points’ in the ordering process—on product detail pages, as well as the cart and order confirmation pages.
It’s flexible too; you have the option to upload files to specific products or the entire order. The plugin also lets you add notes to orders, which is handy if either a team or the customer needs to share additional details.
Pricing. This is a premium plugin, without a free version and costs $69.99 for a year’s support and updates.
8. WordPress Download Manager
The penultimate plugin on this list, WordPress Download Manager gives you file management, e-commerce, subscription, and membership functionality in one package. If you want to sell digital product downloads such as e-books, images, audio, or video, this plugin will be one to look at.
By default, WordPress Download Manager gives each file its own dedicated page on the front-end. This means it won’t be an optimal solution for hundreds of downloadable files. Instead, you’ll want to use the plugin to showcase specific and selected files.
Pricing. This is a freemium plugin, so while the core functionality doesn’t cost, the premium plans begin from $99 per year.
9. Download Monitor
The final of our WooCommerce file sharing plugins, Download Monitor is a popular option. It lets you add files to your site using a dedicated Block for WordPress native editor. For digital products such as music, audio, and e-books (where users need to download files to access them), Download Monitor could be the top option.
In addition, you also get to collect various types of user information before giving download access. For instance, you can compel users to share their email addresses or fill in a NinjaForms or GravityForms form to gain access to a file. You might even choose to make it mandatory for site visitors to accept your terms and conditions before they can access a file.
Pricing. The free version of Download Monitor is strong, but premium plans come with much more functionality and start from $39 per year.
Choosing From the Best WooCommerce File Sharing Plugins is a Straightforward Decision
WooCommerce file sharing plugins come in all shapes and sizes. Every plugin on this list is a top-notch option, although we recommend Document Library Pro. It supports practically every file type for both self-hosted and third-party hosting, has supreme usability, and provides a great UX and UI.
In addition, Document Library Pro also has detailed documentation, a popular blog, and YouTube tutorial videos to help you. Alongside its friendly and prompt customer support, you have a complete package here. Purchasing Document Library Pro costs from $99 per year, and comes with a 30-day, money-back guarantee—no questions asked.
