Document Engine
Free on WordPress.org · Document Engine Pro from $79/yr
Publish every document in one place. Searchable, private and under your control.
Document Engine turns WordPress into a document library for policies, minutes, reports and forms: instant search and filters, a fast PDF viewer that never calls Google, and a "Download PDF" button for any post. Document Engine Pro decides who can open what, keeps files out of public uploads, can mark every page with the reader's name and records who viewed, downloaded and confirmed each document.
5.0/5 · 2 reviews 100+ active installs WordPress 6.6+ · PHP 7.4+ · GPLv2 Documentation
- Library layouts
- 3
- Table, grid and folders, with instant search and filters, free
- Requests the viewer sends to Google
- 0
- Self-hosted PDF.js: search, thumbnails, outline and links, served from your site
- Plugins you can move from
- 3
- Document Library (Barn2), Download Monitor, WordPress Download Manager; old shortcodes keep working
- Price of the free plugin
- $0
- No document limit, no ads, no branding on your library
Watch
See Document Engine in action
A short look at the free document library, PDF viewer and Post to PDF.
See it in action
The free plugin, screen by screen
Libraries, the viewer and document pages are all in the free plugin on WordPress.org.
Features
A complete document library, free
The free plugin is not a demo: libraries, filters, the PDF viewer, document pages, download counts, post to PDF and migration are all included.
Documents with their own pages
Categories and tags, a description, file type and size, and a page for each document. Replace the file without breaking the link, choose download or open in the browser, and print a QR code for notices.
Table, grid or folders
The Document Library block shows a live preview in the editor. Tables turn into cards on phones, and the library still works without JavaScript.
Instant search and filters
Filter by category with counts, tag, file type, year and author, and let visitors pick several at once. Every filtered view has its own link, such as "all 2026 minutes".
A private PDF viewer
PDF.js runs on your own site, so no Google viewer and no third-party requests. It works with intranet files, loads only when it scrolls into view and keeps text selectable.
Viewer tools built in
Search inside the PDF, page thumbnails and outline, clickable links and links to a page (#page=4). The toolbar, search, sidebar, full screen, download and print can each be switched off.
Preview without leaving the library
An optional popup shows PDFs, images, audio and video right from the library list.
Any post as a PDF
A "Download PDF" button on any post type, with your logo, page numbers, footer, portrait or landscape pages, margins and CSS. Hide content from the PDF, add page breaks and columns, set copy and print permissions.
Download counts and lists
A download counter that ignores bots and link previews, and lists of the newest, updated, most downloaded or related documents.
Move in one click
Bring documents, files, categories, tags, counts and passwords across from Document Library (Barn2), Download Monitor or WordPress Download Manager. Their shortcodes keep working.
Blocks, shortcodes and Elementor
Library, PDF Viewer, Download, Document List, Document Search and Save as PDF blocks, matching shortcodes and four Elementor widgets. Documents also appear in your site search.
Accessible and multilingual
Keyboard and screen-reader friendly controls, an optional "Request an accessible version" form, and WPML and Polylang configuration with a different file per language.
Quick to run
Turn Media Library files into documents in bulk, jump to any document with Ctrl/Cmd + K, and read 71 help articles inside WordPress. Assets load only on pages that use them.
Pro
What Document Engine Pro adds
Control, proof and scale for organisations: who can open what, a record of who did, and confirmation that people have read your policies.
Pro
Decide who can open each document
Restrict a document or a whole category to logged-in users, chosen roles or named people. Restricted files move out of public uploads so their direct URL stops working (nginx needs one server rule). Expiring share links let an outside auditor open one document, and a link made for one person shows when they open it.
Pro
Proof that people read your policies
"I have read and understood" with a deadline, a typed signature and reminders. See who is outstanding, email them in one click, ask everyone again after a change and export the evidence to CSV, with a fingerprint of the exact file each person confirmed. A Required Reading block lists what each person still has to read.
Also in Document Engine Pro
An audit log you can hand over
Every view, download, blocked request, share and lead, filtered by event, person and date and exported to CSV. Reading analytics show time per page. No IP addresses are stored.
Handbook PDFs
Combine a category of posts or pages into one PDF with a cover, a clickable table of contents and bookmarks, in your Post to PDF style.
Secure viewer and stamped copies
View-only documents with no download, print or copy, each page marked with the reader's name, email and date. Downloads can be stamped the same way.
Watermarks on Post to PDF
Text or image watermarks with angle, size, position and transparency, and placeholders such as {name} and {date}.
Versions, expiry and review dates
Upload a new version and keep the link and full history, with one-click restore. Unpublish on a date and email reminders when a review is due.
Email gate
Ask for a name, email and consent before a download. Leads list, CSV export and a webhook for your CRM.
Search inside files
Text inside PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OpenDocument files becomes searchable in the library and site search. Search insights show what visitors could not find.
Import, custom fields and submissions
Drag-and-drop or CSV import, fields such as reference or department as library columns and filters (ACF supported), and a front-end submission form.
My Documents, ZIP and subscriptions
A page listing what is shared with each person, "Download selected (ZIP)" in table libraries, and category email subscriptions.
Webhooks, Slack, Teams and WP-CLI
Signed webhooks and channel messages when documents are published or confirmed, and wp dengine for import, stats and share links.
Compare
Free or Pro?
Start free. Upgrade when you need more: nothing you set up is lost.
| Feature | Document Engine (free) | Document Engine Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Document library | ||
| Documents with categories, tags, pages and download counts | Included | Included |
| Table, grid and folder layouts | Included | Included |
| Instant search, multi-select filters with counts, shareable filter links | Included | Included |
| Preview popup, document lists, search box and QR codes | Included | Included |
| Blocks, shortcodes and Elementor widgets | Included | Included |
| Custom fields as columns, filters and sort options (ACF supported) | Not included | Included |
| Search inside PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files | Not included | Included |
| Search insights: top searches and searches that found nothing | Not included | Included |
| ZIP download of selected documents | Not included | Included |
| PDF viewer | ||
| Self-hosted PDF.js viewer: no Google, no third-party requests | Included | Included |
| Search in the PDF, thumbnails, outline, clickable links, #page links | Included | Included |
| Secure view-only mode with the reader's name on every page | Not included | Included |
| Stamped (watermarked) PDF downloads | Not included | Included |
| Reading analytics: time per page and where readers stop | Not included | Included |
| Access and security | ||
| Restrict documents or categories to logged-in users, roles or named people | Not included | Included |
| Protected storage outside public uploads | Not included | Included |
| Expiring, revocable share links, tracked per recipient | Not included | Included |
| Email gate before download, with leads and webhook | Not included | Included |
| Daily download limit per person and Cloudflare Turnstile | Not included | Included |
| Compliance and records | ||
| Audit log of views, downloads and blocked requests, CSV export | Not included | Included |
| Policy acknowledgements with deadlines, reminders and CSV evidence | Not included | Included |
| Versions with restore, expiry and review dates | Not included | Included |
| "Request an accessible version" form | Included | Included |
| PDF accessibility check (untagged, scanned, no title or language) | Not included | Included |
| Post to PDF | ||
| Download PDF button for any post type, header, footer and CSS | Included | Included |
| Page breaks, columns, hidden content and PDF permissions | Included | Included |
| Text and image watermarks | Not included | Included |
| Handbook PDF: many posts in one PDF with contents | Not included | Included |
| Moving in, teams and developers | ||
| One-click migration from Barn2, Download Monitor and WPDM | Included | Included |
| Roles that manage all documents, publish their own or only draft | Included | Included |
| Bulk and CSV import, front-end submissions, My Documents page | Not included | Included |
| Webhooks, Slack and Teams, category email subscriptions | Not included | Included |
| WP-CLI | Not included | Included |
| Support | Community forum | Email (priority on Agency) |
Pricing
Free forever. Pro from $79 a year, or $199 once.
Every plan includes every Pro feature. Plans differ only in the number of sites and the speed of support.
Free
Unlimited sites
$0
Free forever
The complete document library on WordPress.org: libraries, filters, the PDF viewer, post to PDF and migration.
Download freePersonal
1 website
$79/year
Renews yearly · cancel any time
Every Pro feature for one school, council or company site.
- Every Pro feature
- Access control and protected storage
- Secure viewer and stamped downloads
- Audit log and reading analytics
- Policy acknowledgements
- Versions, expiry and email gate
- Search inside files and bulk import
- Email support
Plus
5 websites
$149/year
Renews yearly · cancel any time
Best value for an intranet plus public sites, or staging and live.
- Every Pro feature
- Access control and protected storage
- Secure viewer and stamped downloads
- Audit log and reading analytics
- Policy acknowledgements
- Versions, expiry and email gate
- Search inside files and bulk import
- Email support
Agency
25 websites
$249/year
Renews yearly · cancel any time
For agencies, trusts and groups of schools or councils.
- Every Pro feature
- Access control and protected storage
- Secure viewer and stamped downloads
- Audit log and reading analytics
- Policy acknowledgements
- Versions, expiry and email gate
- Search inside files and bulk import
- Priority support
- 14-day money-back guarantee
- Renews at the same price
- If your licence expires, Pro keeps working (no updates or support)
- Upgrade any time: pay only the difference
- More than 25 sites? Contact us
Prices in USD. Sold by MantraBrain. Refund policy · Terms
FAQ
Questions, answered
Do I need the free plugin to use Pro?
Yes. Document Engine on WordPress.org is the base and stays free; Document Engine Pro is a separate plugin that adds the Pro features to it.
Is the free plugin limited?
No. There is no limit on documents or libraries, no ads and no branding on your library. Everything listed as free stays free.
Does the PDF viewer use Google?
No. The viewer is PDF.js, served from your own site, and sends nothing to Google or anyone else, so it also works with files on an intranet or staging site.
Can I move from Document Library, Download Monitor or WordPress Download Manager?
Yes, from Documents → Tools → Migrate. Files, categories, tags, download counts and passwords come across, nothing in the old plugin is changed, and its shortcodes keep working once it is deactivated. With Pro, members-only items keep their restriction.
How secure is protected storage?
Restricted files are moved out of the public uploads folder and served only to people allowed to open them. On Apache this works straight away. On nginx, add the server rule that Tools → Site Health shows you; Site Health flags the site until the rule is in place.
Is it GDPR-friendly?
Yes. The viewer makes no third-party requests, the audit log and reading analytics store no IP addresses (visitors who are not logged in get an anonymous ID that changes every day), and there are retention settings and WordPress privacy export and erase tools. Policy acknowledgements do record the IP address and browser, as evidence.
What happens when my Pro licence ends?
Pro keeps working, including access rules and protected files. You stop receiving updates and support until you renew.
What is the difference between yearly and lifetime?
Yearly plans renew each year at the same price and can be cancelled any time. Lifetime plans are paid once and include updates and support for life.
Can I upgrade later?
Yes. Move from Personal to Plus or Agency, or from a yearly plan to lifetime, and pay only the difference.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes. Every Document Engine Pro purchase is covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee under the MantraBrain refund policy.
More help: Documentation · WordPress.org page · Support forum · Reviews · Contact us
Give your documents a proper home
Install the free plugin and publish your first library in minutes. Add Pro when you need to control who opens what and prove who read it: your documents and settings carry over untouched.
14-day money-back guarantee on every Pro plan.
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