New User Approve vs ProfileGrid (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 ProfileGrid at #11. 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.
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.
ProfileGrid
ProfileGrid – User Profiles, Groups and Communities
Custom user profiles plugin ❤ with paid memberships, groups, communities, content restriction, user registration, messaging, WooCommerce memberships, …
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
New User Approve ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in User Profile Plugins.
New User Approve has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
ProfileGrid is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 236 reviews, against 4.3 from 131 reviews.
ProfileGrid has more reviews behind its score: 236 against 131.
ProfileGrid was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; New User Approve on September 30, 2026.
New User Approve was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 25,011 times against 9,722.
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
Pick New User Approve if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one being installed faster right now.
ProfileGrid
Pick ProfileGrid if the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
New User Approve vs ProfileGrid side by side
| New User Approve | ProfileGrid | |
|---|---|---|
| User Profile Plugins ranking | #8 | #11 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 131 | 236 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 5,000+ |
| Total downloads | 943,571 | 1,183,113 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 25,011 | 9,722 |
| Last updated | Sep 30, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 30, 2008 | Nov 30, 2016 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
New User Approve ratings
ProfileGrid 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 ProfileGrid 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 ProfileGrid: common questions
Is New User Approve better than ProfileGrid?
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. New User Approve ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in User Profile Plugins.
Which has more users, New User Approve or ProfileGrid?
New User Approve ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #11 in User Profile Plugins.
Which is rated higher, New User Approve or ProfileGrid?
New User Approve has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 5,000+.
Are New User Approve and ProfileGrid free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. New User Approve is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. ProfileGrid may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to New User Approve and ProfileGrid
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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