Password Protected vs Protect Uploads (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 Protected at #1 and Protect Uploads at #3. Password Protected leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
Protect Uploads
Protect your uploads directory. Prevent browsing, add watermarks, disable right-click, and password-protect files. For more information, visit protect …
Who leads on what
Password Protected leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Password Protected has 139, Protect Uploads has 12. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Password Protected has more reviews behind its score: 139 against 12.
Protect Uploads was updated more recently, on August 28, 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 Protected
Pick Password Protected if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Protect Uploads
Pick Protect Uploads if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Password Protected vs Protect Uploads side by side
| Password Protected | Protect Uploads | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 139 | 12 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 7,758,917 | 1,528,133 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 30, 2026 | Aug 28, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 2, 2012 | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Password Protected 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 Protected 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 Protected vs Protect Uploads: common questions
Is Password Protected better than Protect Uploads?
Password Protected 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 #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protected or Protect Uploads?
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protected or Protect Uploads?
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Password Protected and Protect Uploads free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Password Protected is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Protect Uploads may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Password Protected and Protect Uploads
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.