Password Protected vs Password Protect (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 Password Protect at #10. 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.
Password Protect
Password Protect – Temporary Login Without Password & Password Protect Entire Site
Password Protect entire site & create Temporary Login Without Password links. Simple & secure access for developers or maintenance.
Who leads on what
Password Protected leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Password Protection Plugins.
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Password Protected has 139, Password Protect has 3. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Password Protected has more reviews behind its score: 139 against 3.
Password Protect was updated more recently, on August 14, 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.
Password Protect
Pick Password Protect if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Password Protected vs Password Protect side by side
| Password Protected | Password Protect | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #1 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 3.7 |
| Reviews | 139 | 3 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100+ |
| Total downloads | 7,758,917 | 2,917 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 30, 2026 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 2, 2012 | Oct 16, 2024 |
| 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
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 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 Password Protect: common questions
Is Password Protected better than Password Protect?
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 #10 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Password Protected or Password Protect?
Password Protected ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Password Protected or Password Protect?
Password Protected has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100+.
Are Password Protected and 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. Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Password Protected and 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.