Members vs Simple Membership (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Members at #1 and Simple Membership at #3. Members leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Members
Members – Membership & User Role Editor Plugin
The best WordPress membership and user role editor plugin. User Roles & Capabilities editor helps you restrict content in just a few clicks.
Simple Membership
Simple membership plugin adds membership functionality to your site. Protect members only content using content protection easily.
Who leads on what
Members leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Members has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Members is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,275 reviews, against 4.6 from 475 reviews.
Members has more reviews behind its score: 1,275 against 475.
Simple Membership was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Members on August 25, 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.
Members
Pick Members if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Membership
Pick Simple Membership if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Members vs Simple Membership side by side
| Members | Simple Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 1,275 | 475 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,693,588 | 3,504,973 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 17, 2009 | May 30, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Members ratings
Simple Membership 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 Members nor Simple Membership can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Members vs Simple Membership: common questions
Is Members better than Simple Membership?
Members leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Members or Simple Membership?
Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Members or Simple Membership?
Members has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Members and Simple Membership free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Membership may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Members and Simple Membership
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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- Members vs Ultimate Member
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- Members vs ProfilePress
- Members vs User Frontend
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs Simple Membership
- Simple Membership vs Simple Membership After Login Redirection
- Simple Membership vs Ultimate Member
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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.