Limit Login Attempts vs WP 2FA (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Authentication Plugins top 10: Limit Login Attempts at #9 and WP 2FA at #10. 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.
Limit Login Attempts
Limit rate of login attempts, including by way of cookies, for each IP. Fully customizable.
WP 2FA
WP 2FA – Two-factor authentication for WordPress
Get better WordPress login security; add two-factor authentication (2FA) for all your users with this easy-to-use plugin.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Limit Login Attempts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Authentication Plugins.
Limit Login Attempts has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
WP 2FA is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 183 reviews, against 4.6 from 202 reviews.
Limit Login Attempts has more reviews behind its score: 202 against 183.
WP 2FA was updated more recently, on October 14, 2026; Limit Login Attempts on April 4, 2023.
WP 2FA was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 165,011 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.
Limit Login Attempts
Pick Limit Login Attempts if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
WP 2FA
Pick WP 2FA if the review score matters most to you, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Limit Login Attempts vs WP 2FA side by side
| Limit Login Attempts | WP 2FA | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication Plugins ranking | #9 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 202 | 183 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,310,556 | 2,026,265 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 6,069 | 165,011 |
| Last updated | Apr 4, 2023 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 15, 2009 | Mar 20, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.2.14 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Limit Login Attempts ratings
WP 2FA 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 Limit Login Attempts nor WP 2FA can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Authentication Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Limit Login Attempts vs WP 2FA: common questions
Is Limit Login Attempts better than WP 2FA?
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. Limit Login Attempts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Authentication Plugins.
Which has more users, Limit Login Attempts or WP 2FA?
Limit Login Attempts ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Authentication Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Limit Login Attempts or WP 2FA?
Limit Login Attempts has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Limit Login Attempts and WP 2FA free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Limit Login Attempts may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP 2FA may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Limit Login Attempts and WP 2FA
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Authentication Plugins comparisons
- BaseCloud Shield vs Limit Login Attempts
- Kadence Security vs Limit Login Attempts
- Duo Universal vs Limit Login Attempts
- Duo Universal vs WP 2FA
- Duo Two-Factor Authentication vs Limit Login Attempts
- Duo Two-Factor Authentication vs WP 2FA
- WPAuth vs Limit Login Attempts
- WPAuth vs WP 2FA
- Google Authenticator vs Limit Login Attempts
- Google Authenticator vs WP 2FA
- Limesnip Simple2FA vs Limit Login Attempts
- Limit Login Attempts vs miniOrange 2FA
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.