Password Protect Pages vs Password Protected (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Password Protection Plugins top 10: Password Protect Pages at #2 and Password Protected at #1. Password Protect Pages leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Password Protect Pages
PPWP – Password Protect Pages
Password protect WordPress pages and posts by user roles or with multiple passwords; protect your entire website with a single password.
Password Protected
Password Protected — Lock Entire Site, Pages, Posts, Categories, and Partial Content
Protect your WordPress site, pages, posts, WooCommerce products, and categories with single or multiple passwords.
Who leads on what
Password Protect Pages leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Password Protection Plugins.
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Password Protect Pages is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 270 reviews, against 4.4 from 139 reviews.
Password Protect Pages has more reviews behind its score: 270 against 139.
Password Protect Pages was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Password Protected on July 30, 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.
Password Protect Pages
Pick Password Protect Pages 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.
Password Protected
Pick Password Protected if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the plugin more sites already run.
Password Protect Pages vs Password Protected side by side
| Password Protect Pages | Password Protected | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #2 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| Reviews | 270 | 139 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,166,479 | 7,758,917 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Jul 30, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 10, 2018 | Feb 2, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Password Protect Pages ratings
Password Protected 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 Password Protect Pages nor Password Protected can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Password Protection Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Password Protect Pages vs Password Protected: common questions
Is Password Protect Pages better than Password Protected?
Password Protect Pages leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protect Pages or Password Protected?
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protect Pages or Password Protected?
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Password Protect Pages and Password Protected free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Password Protect Pages may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Password Protected is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Password Protect Pages and Password Protected
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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