Kit vs Groups (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Kit at #8 and Groups at #10. Kit leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Kit
Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – Email Newsletter, Email Marketing, Membership, Subscribers and Landing Pages
Build your email subscriber lists, send email marketing newsletters, create landing pages, build custom subscription forms with the Form Builder block …
Groups
Groups – Memberships and Access Control
Turn your site into a powerful membership solution. Manage members, teams and access to content easily.
Who leads on what
Kit leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Kit ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Kit has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (90 and 382 reviews).
Groups has more reviews behind its score: 382 against 90.
Kit was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; Groups on September 24, 2026.
Kit was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 118,456 times against 10,792.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Kit
Pick Kit if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Groups
Pick Groups if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Kit vs Groups side by side
| Kit | Groups | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #8 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 90 | 382 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 4,805,032 | 1,060,045 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 118,456 | 10,792 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Sep 24, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 30, 2015 | Jan 12, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.1 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Kit ratings
Groups 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 Kit nor Groups can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Kit vs Groups: common questions
Is Kit better than Groups?
Kit leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Kit ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Kit or Groups?
Kit ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Kit or Groups?
Kit has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Kit and Groups free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Kit may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Groups may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Kit and Groups
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Membership Plugins comparisons
- Kit vs Members
- Kit vs Paid Membership Subscriptions
- Kit vs Simple Membership
- Kit vs Simple Membership After Login Redirection
- Kit vs Simple Membership Custom Messages
- Kit vs Ultimate Member
- Kit vs User Registration
- Kit vs WP-Members
- Kit vs ProfilePress
- Kit vs User Frontend
- Groups vs Members
- Groups vs Paid Membership Subscriptions
Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.