Password Protect Pages vs Protect Uploads (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 Protect Uploads at #3. 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.
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.
Protect Uploads
Protect your uploads directory. Prevent browsing, password-protect files, add watermarks, and discourage right-click copying.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Both report 30,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Password Protect Pages has 270, Protect Uploads has 12. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Password Protect Pages has more reviews behind its score: 270 against 12.
Protect Uploads was updated more recently, on October 7, 2026; Password Protect Pages on October 1, 2026.
Protect Uploads was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 56,672 times against 45,773.
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 you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Protect Uploads
Pick Protect Uploads if you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Password Protect Pages vs Protect Uploads side by side
| Password Protect Pages | Protect Uploads | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #2 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 270 | 12 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,220,929 | 1,598,655 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 45,773 | 56,672 |
| Last updated | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 10, 2018 | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Password Protect Pages ratings
Protect Uploads 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 Protect Uploads 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 Protect Uploads: common questions
Is Password Protect Pages better than Protect Uploads?
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. Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protect Pages or Protect Uploads?
Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protect Pages or Protect Uploads?
Both report 30,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Password Protect Pages and Protect Uploads free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Password Protect Pages may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Protect Uploads may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Password Protect Pages and Protect Uploads
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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