Private groups vs Simple Ajax Chat (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Forum Plugins top 10: Private groups at #9 and Simple Ajax Chat at #10. Simple Ajax Chat leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Private groups
For bbPress - Creates private forum groups
Simple Ajax Chat
Simple Ajax Chat – Add a Fast, Secure Chat Box
Display an Ajax-powered chat box anywhere. Lightweight, flexible, fast, and secure. Fully customizable with many options.
Who leads on what
Simple Ajax Chat leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Private groups ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Private groups has 49, Simple Ajax Chat has 215. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Ajax Chat has more reviews behind its score: 215 against 49.
Simple Ajax Chat was updated more recently, on August 27, 2026; Private groups on August 20, 2026.
Simple Ajax Chat was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,016 times against 519.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Private groups
Pick Private groups if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Simple Ajax Chat
Pick Simple Ajax Chat if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Private groups vs Simple Ajax Chat side by side
| Private groups | Simple Ajax Chat | |
|---|---|---|
| Forum Plugins ranking | #9 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 49 | 215 |
| Active installs | 1,000+ | 2,000+ |
| Total downloads | 155,127 | 184,181 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 519 | 1,016 |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 27, 2026 |
| First published | May 16, 2014 | Nov 15, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Private groups ratings
Simple Ajax Chat ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Private groups nor Simple Ajax Chat can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Forum Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Private groups vs Simple Ajax Chat: common questions
Is Private groups better than Simple Ajax Chat?
Simple Ajax Chat leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Private groups ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which has more users, Private groups or Simple Ajax Chat?
Private groups ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Forum Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Private groups or Simple Ajax Chat?
Simple Ajax Chat has more users: 2,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Private groups and Simple Ajax Chat free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Private groups may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Ajax Chat may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Private groups and Simple Ajax Chat
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
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