Password Protect Pages vs Simple Password Protect (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 Simple Password Protect at #7. Password Protect Pages leads on 4 of the 6 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.
Simple Password Protect
Protect your entire WordPress site with a simple password. GDPR-compliant with modal links for legal pages.
Who leads on what
Password Protect Pages leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Password Protect Pages has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 500+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Password Protect Pages has 270, Simple Password Protect has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Password Protect Pages has more reviews behind its score: 270 against 1.
Simple Password Protect was updated more recently, on October 12, 2026; Password Protect Pages on October 1, 2026.
Password Protect Pages was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 45,773 times against 571.
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, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Password Protect
Pick Simple Password Protect if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Password Protect Pages vs Simple Password Protect side by side
| Password Protect Pages | Simple Password Protect | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #2 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 270 | 1 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 500+ |
| Total downloads | 1,220,929 | 2,474 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 45,773 | 571 |
| Last updated | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 10, 2018 | Aug 15, 2025 |
| 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
Simple Password Protect 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 Simple Password Protect 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 Simple Password Protect: common questions
Is Password Protect Pages better than Simple Password Protect?
Password Protect Pages leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protect Pages or Simple Password Protect?
Password Protect Pages ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protect Pages or Simple Password Protect?
Password Protect Pages has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 500+.
Are Password Protect Pages and Simple Password Protect free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Password Protect Pages may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Password Protect Pages and Simple Password Protect
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
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