This week I was looking for a WordPress plugin for a client that would enable them to sell a PDF e-book on their existing WordPress site. The requirements were pretty simple so there was no need to install an elaborate shopping cart plugin that would take hours to setup & configure. But they did want a plugin that would automate the purchase and delivery process, not just a PayPal Buy Now button.
I checked out Easy Digital Downloads and WP eStore. Both plugins have features to protect your download links so that that they are only valid for a limited time.
Easy Digital Downloads offers a free basic plugin that works with a Basic PayPal account. And they also offer paid extensions for additional payment gateways, mailing lists and more, so based on your requirements, the total setup may not be free depending on your needs.
WP eStore is $49.95 and also works with PayPal. The have a few other plugins/extensions as well, including a PDF stamper that will customize each PDF that is purchased with the buyers name and information so that they cannot share the file around anonymously. The PDF Stamper is also $49.95, so $99.90 for both. Not a bad deal considering the security you get.
The client went with Easy Digital Downloads because the free plugin met all their criteria. I’m pleased to say that it only took 30 minutes to install and setup everything, start to finish – with a live purchase link on the site. The admin interface is intuitive, clean and easy to navigate. The plugin is full featured, including reports on how many times a file was downloaded, customer purchase history and more. If you are looking for a plugin that just does digital downloads, I highly recommended taking a look at this one.