Google Authenticator vs Limit Login Attempts (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Authentication Plugins top 10: Google Authenticator at #4 and Limit Login Attempts at #9. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Google Authenticator
Google Authenticator for your WordPress blog.
Limit Login Attempts
Limit rate of login attempts, including by way of cookies, for each IP. Fully customizable.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Google Authenticator ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Authentication Plugins.
Limit Login Attempts has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Limit Login Attempts is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 202 reviews, against 4.3 from 135 reviews.
Limit Login Attempts has more reviews behind its score: 202 against 135.
Google Authenticator was updated more recently, on August 23, 2026; Limit Login Attempts on April 4, 2023.
Google Authenticator was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 9,113 times against 6,069.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Google Authenticator
Pick Google Authenticator if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Limit Login Attempts
Pick Limit Login Attempts if you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Google Authenticator vs Limit Login Attempts side by side
| Google Authenticator | Limit Login Attempts | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication Plugins ranking | #4 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 135 | 202 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 765,926 | 2,310,556 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 9,113 | 6,069 |
| Last updated | Aug 23, 2026 | Apr 4, 2023 |
| First published | May 16, 2011 | Jan 15, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 6.2.14 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Google Authenticator ratings
Limit Login Attempts 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 Google Authenticator nor Limit Login Attempts can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Authentication Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Google Authenticator vs Limit Login Attempts: common questions
Is Google Authenticator better than Limit Login Attempts?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Google Authenticator ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Authentication Plugins.
Which has more users, Google Authenticator or Limit Login Attempts?
Google Authenticator ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #9 in Authentication Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Google Authenticator or Limit Login Attempts?
Limit Login Attempts has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Google Authenticator and Limit Login Attempts free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Google Authenticator may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Limit Login Attempts may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Google Authenticator and Limit Login Attempts
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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