5 Best WordPress File Upload Plugins in 2025

The ability for users to upload files on modern websites has become a vital need. If you’re running an eCommerce website, a community managed website, online competitions, or even collecting job applications, users will need a safe and seamless way to upload files. By 2025, websites are predicted to move beyond contact forms – visitors will seek interactive experiences, safe sharing of files, and possibly even monetization of their files.

Additionally, the good news is that WordPress has a bunch of plugins to keep file uploads easy, flexible and reliable. Some plugins are just more about ease-of-use to get files uploaded, and others make file submission an entire interactive experience. So which one do you choose? It really depends on your site needs and future goals.

We want to ease your decision by reviewing the 5 best WordPress file upload plugins that you can use in 2025. Each plugin has its own advantages and offers different strengths – large file uploads, interactive galleries, the ability to sell digital content, or creating data-driven forms.

1. WPForms

WPForms is still one of the most popular and user-friendly forms builders available on the market. With its intuitive drag-and-drop editor, WPForms offers a few simple clicks to embed file upload fields into any form. This makes it ideal for contact forms, job applications, event registrations, and simply customer support requests.

• Drag-and-Drop Builder: No coding required—just add a file upload field to your form.
• Smart File Management: Restrict file types, set file size limits, and allow single or multiple uploads.
• Seamless Integrations: Works with CRMs, payment gateways, and email marketing services.
• Security Features: Built-in spam protection, CAPTCHA, and smart conditional logic.

For instance, a recruitment site can use WPForms to collect resumes (in PDF or DOCX), while restricting other file types. A conference organizer can collect media submissions from participants and have it all classified from the back end.

Best for: Businesses and site owners who want a powerful and reliable all-in-one forms builder that is easy and straightforward to use, especially if file upload is an important requirement.

2. Contest Gallery

This plugin is a powerful and interactive file upload solution designed for websites that want more than just a basic upload function. It combines robust backend configuration with engaging frontend interactivity, making it perfect for contests, galleries, community submissions, and user-generated content. Beyond simple uploads, it enables instant visual feedback, voting, and commenting—turning file submission into an interactive experience for visitors. Additionally, uploaded entries can be monetized and sold directly through integrated PayPal or Stripe APIs.

Key Features

• Frontend Display of Uploaded Entries – Showcase user uploads in beautiful galleries on your site’s frontend. Each entry has its own dedicated page with a unique shareable URL and built-in social media buttons for WhatsApp, Twitter, Telegram, Facebook, and more—driving traffic, boosting visibility, and inspiring viral sharing.
• Configurable File Type Restrictions – Define exactly which file types can be uploaded, with built-in frontend validation to prevent incorrect submissions.
• AJAX Upload Form in Gallery – Integrate an upload form directly into your gallery, enabling users to submit entries without page reload. Uploaded items can appear instantly or only after admin approval.
• Live Example – See it in action with a contact form and gallery upload on the same page: View Demo.
• Voting & Commenting System – Allow visitors to vote on and comment on uploaded entries, thus encouraging community engagement and interaction.
• Approval Workflow – Stay in full control by moderating and approving entries before they go live. Administrators receive instant email alerts when new entries are submitted, while users are automatically notified via email as soon as their entry is approved and published.
• Monetize Entries – Turn uploads into revenue with ecommerce galleries featuring pricing, order emails, customer order pages, and full admin order control — all powered by PayPal or Stripe.
• More Useful Features – The plugin offers powerful extras such as embedding social media posts (YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok) directly via backend, displaying the first page of uploaded PDFs as preview in a gallery without requiring the ImageMagick library, which is often restricted by many server providers, and creating or editing images in the backend through OpenAI API integration.

Contest Gallery is available as a freemium plugin, allowing you to start for free and upgrade whenever you need more advanced features. The free version can be downloaded directly from the official WordPress repository at wordpress.org, while the PRO version is offered on the Contest Gallery website. With the PRO version, you gain access to extended file type options, enhanced customization possibilities for voting and commenting, as well as automated email notifications that keep both administrators and users informed. This makes Contest Gallery the perfect solution to transform simple uploads into engaging and also interactive experiences.

3. FileOrganizer

FileOrganizer is a WordPress plugin developed by Softaculous that lets you manage your website’s files directly from the WordPress dashboard. Instead of switching between FTP clients or cPanel file managers, you can upload, edit, move, delete, and organize files inside WordPress itself. The plugin makes file management intuitive with a clean interface, drag-and-drop functionality, and built-in tools for editing, previewing, and compressing files. It is designed to be lightweight yet powerful, catering to both beginners who want convenience and advanced users who need control.

Key Features

File & Folder Management
You can create, rename, delete, move, and copy files and directories without needing FTP access. This allows you to handle routine file operations entirely from within WordPress.

Drag-and-Drop Interface
Moving or uploading files becomes effortless with drag-and-drop support. You can quickly place files in the right directories or upload new ones from your computer.

Built-in File Editor
Developers and site admins can edit files directly in the dashboard. Whether it’s a PHP, HTML, CSS, or text file, you can open and modify it without switching to an external editor.

Archive Support
The plugin supports creating and extracting archives such as ZIP and TAR files. This is useful for backing up files, transferring groups of files, or unpacking compressed uploads.

File Previews
You can preview images, PDFs, audio, and video files directly in the plugin. For images, thumbnails are automatically generated, and for media files, playback is supported.

Search Functionality
A built-in search tool helps you quickly locate specific files or folders within your WordPress installation, saving time when working with large directories.

Multiple Viewing Modes
Switch between a list view and an icon view depending on whether you prefer a detailed file structure or a more visual layout.

Keyboard Shortcuts
FileOrganizer supports shortcuts for actions like cut, copy, paste, and delete, making file handling much faster for power users.

Directory Size Calculation
You can view the size of directories to monitor storage usage and identify large files or folders that may need optimization.

Get Info Panel
By right-clicking on a file or folder, you can see details such as permissions, size, type, and modification date.

Responsive Design
The plugin is optimized for desktop, tablet, and smartphone use. You can manage your files on the go without sacrificing usability.

Pricing

FileOrganizer offers a free version with core features available in the WordPress plugin directory. For users who need more advanced tools, premium plans are available:

• Personal Plan – $12 per year for a single website.
  
• Professional Plan – $60 per year for up to 10 websites.
  
• Business Plan – $199 per year for unlimited websites.

4. Tuxedo Big File Uploads

Another WordPress file upload plugin is Tuxedo Big File Uploads, which is a lifesaver for websites dealing with very large files. By default, WordPress restricts upload sizes (often 2–64 MB, depending on server settings). Additionally, this plugin bypasses those limits with chunked uploads, allowing virtually unlimited file sizes.

Key Features 

• Chunked Uploads: Files are split into smaller parts during upload, preventing timeouts.
• Unlimited File Size: Upload videos, datasets, or large archives without hitting server restrictions.
• Role-Based Control: Set different file size limits depending on user roles.
• Seamless Integration: Works within the standard WordPress Media Library.

Use Case Example: A university website is securely able to receive gigabyte-sized thesis or research files free from the worries of a failed upload or an incomplete submission.

Best for: Media-heavy websites, researchers, videographers, and also anyone dealing with large-scale files.

5. Formidable Forms

Formidable Forms is another sophisticated form builder with solid file upload options. It is like WPForms in that its forms can be simple or complex, but goes one step farther and allows data-driven forms and front end display of submissions.

Key Features 

• Powerful Form Builder: Conditional logic, multi-step forms, and advanced field types.
• Data Display: Turn uploaded content into directories, listings, or even user profiles.
• Integration Options: Works with WooCommerce, payment gateways, CRMs, and automation tools.
• File Management: Supports multiple uploads, type restrictions, and frontend previews.

Use Case Scenario: A website for real estate could request listings from agents (with images, PDFs, and floorplans) and also automatically display them in an organized way on the front end as structured records.

Best for: Developers and organizations looking for customizable advanced forms with file upload functionality, and also a way to “publish” user data to the front end.

How to Choose the Right Plugin

When deciding on a WordPress file upload plugin in 2025, ask yourself:

1. What’s my goal? – Simple uploads (WPForms), selling files (EDD), large files (Tuxedo), interactive engagement (Contest Gallery), or data-driven solutions (Formidable).
2. Do I need monetization? – Contest Gallery and EDD are your best bets.
3. How technical am I? – WPForms is beginner-friendly, while Formidable is more developer-oriented.
4. What’s my budget? – All plugins offer free versions, but advanced features often require upgrading to a Pro plan.

Final Thoughts

File uploads are no longer an internal utility; they have become an essential part of the interaction between a website and its users. In 2025, the best WordPress file upload plugins are not only responsible for handling submissions; they will create interactive experiences, safe content delivery, and new revenue opportunities.

• WPForms is perfect for businesses that want a reliable, beginner-friendly solution.
• Contest Gallery transforms uploads into interactive galleries and monetizable content.
• Easy Digital Downloads is the go-to for selling digital files.
• Tuxedo Big File Uploads solves the problem of handling large files with ease.
• Formidable Forms empowers developers with advanced, data-driven solutions.

Whether your focus is simplicity, interactivity, security, or monetization, these plugins represent the best WordPress has to offer in 2025.

Thus, for more information check out our website.