Want to know if someone actually downloaded your file?
Here’s how to track downloads per user — even with free tools.
✅ 1. Use a download manager plugin (WordPress or CMS)
Popular options:
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Easy Digital Downloads
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Download Monitor
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Track:
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User account
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Download time
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File name and IP
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✅ Great for member-only downloads.
✅ 2. Use Google Analytics event tracking
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Wrap download link in event code:
✅ Shows downloads inside Google Analytics dashboard.
✅ 3. Use a file delivery service with stats
Services like:
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Gumroad
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SendOwl
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Filepass
✅ Track per-user downloads with built-in analytics.
✅ 4. Use server logs or log analyzers
Check:
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access.logfor Apache or Nginx -
Log IP, timestamp, user agent
Tools:
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GoAccess (real-time log analytics)
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AWStats
✅ 5. Generate unique download URLs per user
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Add user ID or token to links
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Log each access in your database
✅ Ideal for secure and paid download environments.
Key points to remember
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CMS plugins simplify per-user tracking
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Google Analytics can track events
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Log analyzers give IP-level access logs
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Unique URLs offer the most control