New User Approve vs User Profile Builder (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org User Profile Plugins top 10: New User Approve at #8 and User Profile Builder at #3. User Profile Builder leads on all 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
New User Approve
WordPress user approval plugin to moderate registrations. Approve or deny real users and prevent fake signups to control who registers on site.
User Profile Builder
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor
Powerful user profile plugin to create front-end user registration forms, login & user profile forms. Includes user role editor & content restriction.
Who leads on what
User Profile Builder leads on all 6 measures we track.
User Profile Builder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
User Profile Builder has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
User Profile Builder is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 736 reviews, against 4.3 from 131 reviews.
User Profile Builder has more reviews behind its score: 736 against 131.
User Profile Builder was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; New User Approve on September 30, 2026.
User Profile Builder was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 74,276 times against 25,011.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
New User Approve
New User Approve 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 Profile Builder
Pick User Profile Builder 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, 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.
New User Approve vs User Profile Builder side by side
| New User Approve | User Profile Builder | |
|---|---|---|
| User Profile Plugins ranking | #8 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 131 | 736 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 943,571 | 5,808,666 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 25,011 | 74,276 |
| Last updated | Sep 30, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 30, 2008 | Apr 13, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
New User Approve ratings
User Profile Builder 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 New User Approve nor User Profile Builder can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the User Profile Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
New User Approve vs User Profile Builder: common questions
Is New User Approve better than User Profile Builder?
User Profile Builder leads on all 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. User Profile Builder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
Which has more users, New User Approve or User Profile Builder?
User Profile Builder ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
Which is rated higher, New User Approve or User Profile Builder?
User Profile Builder has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are New User Approve and User Profile Builder free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. New User Approve is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. User Profile Builder may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to New User Approve and User Profile Builder
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.