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Jetpack #3 in Security Plugins
Security Optimizer #6 in Security Plugins

Jetpack vs Security Optimizer (September 2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works

Both rank in the WordPress.org Security Plugins top 10: Jetpack at #3 and Security Optimizer at #6. Jetpack leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.

Jetpack

Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth

3.7 (2,406) 3 million+ active installs #3 in Security Plugins

Improve your WP security with powerful one-click tools like backup, WAF, and malware scan. Includes free tools like stats, CDN and social sharing.

Security Optimizer

Security Optimizer – The All-In-One Protection Plugin

4.5 (157) 1 million+ active installs #6 in Security Plugins

Secure your WordPress site from brute-force attacks, threats, malware, and bots. Free to use and easy to set up.

Who leads on what

Jetpack leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.

Security Plugins ranking Jetpack

Jetpack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Security Plugins.

Users Jetpack

Jetpack has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 1 million+.

Rating Security Optimizer

Security Optimizer is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 157 reviews, against 3.7 from 2,406 reviews.

Reviews Jetpack

Jetpack has more reviews behind its score: 2,406 against 157.

Maintenance Jetpack

Jetpack was updated more recently, on September 1, 2026; Security Optimizer on August 28, 2026.

Which one to pick

Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.

Jetpack

Pick Jetpack 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.

Security Optimizer

Pick Security Optimizer if the review score matters most to you.

Jetpack vs Security Optimizer side by side

Jetpack Security Optimizer
Security Plugins ranking #3 #6
Rating 3.7 4.5
Reviews 2,406 157
Active installs 3 million+ 1 million+
Total downloads 508,392,129 38,761,032
Downloads, last 30 days
Last updated Sep 1, 2026 Aug 28, 2026
First published Jan 20, 2011 May 31, 2021
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.4 7.1
Requires PHP 7.2 7.0
Pricing Free + paid version Free on WordPress.org

30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.

Jetpack ratings

5★
1,450
4★
173
3★
96
2★
104
1★
583

Security Optimizer ratings

5★
131
4★
6
3★
4
2★
3
1★
13

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 Jetpack nor Security Optimizer can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Security Plugins top 10. Full methodology.

Jetpack vs Security Optimizer: common questions

Is Jetpack better than Security Optimizer?

Jetpack leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Jetpack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Security Plugins.

Which has more users, Jetpack or Security Optimizer?

Jetpack ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Security Plugins.

Which is rated higher, Jetpack or Security Optimizer?

Jetpack has more users: 3 million+ active installs against 1 million+.

Are Jetpack and Security Optimizer free?

Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Jetpack is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Security Optimizer may also sell a paid version or add-ons.

Alternatives to Jetpack and Security Optimizer

Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.

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