New User Approve vs User Frontend (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 User Frontend at #5. User Frontend leads on 3 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.
User Frontend
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission
Create an AI-powered frontend post form, user registration form, user profile page, membership site, user directory, and content restriction.
Who leads on what
User Frontend leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
Both report 20,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
New User Approve is rated higher: 4.3 out of 5 from 130 reviews, against 4.1 from 534 reviews.
User Frontend has more reviews behind its score: 534 against 130.
User Frontend was updated more recently, on August 25, 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.
User Frontend
Pick User Frontend if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
New User Approve vs User Frontend side by side
| New User Approve | User Frontend | |
|---|---|---|
| User Profile Plugins ranking | #9 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.1 |
| Reviews | 130 | 534 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 916,183 | 1,976,180 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 19, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 30, 2008 | Jan 10, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
New User Approve ratings
User Frontend 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 Frontend 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 Frontend: common questions
Is New User Approve better than User Frontend?
User Frontend leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
Which has more users, New User Approve or User Frontend?
User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in User Profile Plugins.
Which is rated higher, New User Approve or User Frontend?
Both report 20,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are New User Approve and User Frontend 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 Frontend may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to New User Approve and User Frontend
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More User Profile Plugins comparisons
- PublishPress Capabilities vs New User Approve
- PublishPress Capabilities vs User Frontend
- RegistrationMagic vs New User Approve
- RegistrationMagic vs User Frontend
- New User Approve vs User Profile Builder
- New User Approve vs Ultimate Member
- New User Approve vs User Registration
- New User Approve vs UsersWP
- New User Approve vs ProfilePress
- New User Approve vs WP User Manager
- User Profile Builder vs User Frontend
- UsersWP vs User Frontend
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.