Kit vs WP-Members (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Kit at #8 and WP-Members at #5. WP-Members 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 …
WP-Members
WP-Members Membership Plugin
The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.
Who leads on what
WP-Members leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Membership Plugins.
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Kit is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 90 reviews, against 4.6 from 272 reviews.
WP-Members has more reviews behind its score: 272 against 90.
WP-Members was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; Kit on October 15, 2026.
Kit was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 116,344 times against 46,441.
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 the review score matters most to you or you want the one being installed faster right now.
WP-Members
Pick WP-Members if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Kit vs WP-Members side by side
| Kit | WP-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #8 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 90 | 272 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 4,805,969 | 4,092,181 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 116,344 | 46,441 |
| Last updated | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 30, 2015 | Sep 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.1 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 49 days
Kit ratings
WP-Members 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 WP-Members can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Kit vs WP-Members: common questions
Is Kit better than WP-Members?
WP-Members leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Kit or WP-Members?
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Kit or WP-Members?
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Kit and WP-Members free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Kit may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP-Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Kit and WP-Members
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Membership Plugins comparisons
- Kit vs Groups
- Kit vs Members
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- Kit vs Simple Membership Custom Messages
- Kit vs Ultimate Member
- Kit vs User Registration
- Kit vs ProfilePress
- Kit vs User Frontend
- Groups vs WP-Members
- Members vs WP-Members
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.