New User Approve vs ProfilePress (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 #9 and ProfilePress at #3. ProfilePress leads on 4 of the 5 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.
ProfilePress
Paid Membership Plugin, Ecommerce, User Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content – ProfilePress
Setup paid membership, accept payment, sell subscription & digital product, paywall, create login & registration form, user profile & member directory
Who leads on what
ProfilePress leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
ProfilePress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
ProfilePress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
New User Approve is rated higher: 4.3 out of 5 from 130 reviews, against 3.1 from 938 reviews.
ProfilePress has more reviews behind its score: 938 against 130.
ProfilePress was updated more recently, on September 5, 2026; New User Approve on August 19, 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.
New User Approve
Pick New User Approve if the review score matters most to you.
ProfilePress
Pick ProfilePress 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.
New User Approve vs ProfilePress side by side
| New User Approve | ProfilePress | |
|---|---|---|
| User Profile Plugins ranking | #9 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 3.1 |
| Reviews | 130 | 938 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 916,183 | 15,466,659 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 19, 2026 | Sep 5, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 30, 2008 | Jan 14, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
New User Approve ratings
ProfilePress 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 ProfilePress 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 ProfilePress: common questions
Is New User Approve better than ProfilePress?
ProfilePress leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. ProfilePress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
Which has more users, New User Approve or ProfilePress?
ProfilePress ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
Which is rated higher, New User Approve or ProfilePress?
ProfilePress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are New User Approve and ProfilePress free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. New User Approve is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. ProfilePress is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to New User Approve and ProfilePress
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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