Password Protected 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 Protected at #1 and Simple Password Protect at #7. Password Protected leads on 4 of the 6 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.
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 Protected leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 500+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Password Protected has 142, Simple Password Protect has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Password Protected has more reviews behind its score: 142 against 1.
Simple Password Protect was updated more recently, on October 12, 2026; Password Protected on July 30, 2026.
Password Protected was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 39,783 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 Protected
Pick Password Protected 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 Protected vs Simple Password Protect side by side
| Password Protected | Simple Password Protect | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #1 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 142 | 1 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 500+ |
| Total downloads | 7,818,290 | 2,474 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 39,783 | 571 |
| Last updated | Jul 30, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 2, 2012 | Aug 15, 2025 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Password Protected 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 Protected 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 Protected vs Simple Password Protect: common questions
Is Password Protected better than Simple Password Protect?
Password Protected leads on 4 of the 6 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 #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protected or Simple Password Protect?
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protected or Simple Password Protect?
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 500+.
Are Password Protected and Simple Password Protect free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Password Protected is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Password Protected 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
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.