Groups vs User Registration (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: Groups at #10 and User Registration at #4. User Registration leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Groups
Groups – Memberships and Access Control
Turn your site into a powerful membership solution. Manage members, teams and access to content easily.
User Registration
User Registration & Membership – Free & Paid Memberships, Subscriptions, Content Restriction, User Profile, Custom User Registration & Login Builder
Build membership sites with tiered plans, content restriction, drag-&-drop custom registration & login form builder, and built-in payment system.
Who leads on what
User Registration leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
User Registration has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (382 and 832 reviews).
User Registration has more reviews behind its score: 832 against 382.
User Registration was updated more recently, on October 17, 2026; Groups on September 24, 2026.
User Registration was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 58,886 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.
Groups
Groups does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
User Registration
Pick User Registration 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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Groups vs User Registration side by side
| Groups | User Registration | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #10 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 382 | 832 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,060,045 | 4,572,894 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 10,792 | 58,886 |
| Last updated | Sep 24, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 12, 2012 | Jul 6, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Groups ratings
User Registration 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 Groups nor User Registration can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Groups vs User Registration: common questions
Is Groups better than User Registration?
User Registration leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Groups or User Registration?
User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Groups or User Registration?
User Registration has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Groups and User Registration free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Groups may also sell a paid version or add-ons. User Registration is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Groups and User Registration
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Membership Plugins comparisons
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- Groups vs Simple Membership After Login Redirection
- Groups vs Ultimate Member
- Groups vs WP-Members
- Groups vs ProfilePress
- Members vs User Registration
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Registration
- Simple Membership After Login Redirection vs User Registration
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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.