PDF Password Protect vs Protect the Children! (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: PDF Password Protect at #7 and Protect the Children! at #6. Protect the Children! leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
PDF Password Protect
Protect PDF files by passwords on your WordPress Website.
Protect the Children!
Easily password protect the child pages/posts of a post/page that is password protected.
Who leads on what
Protect the Children! leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Protect the Children! ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Protect the Children! has more users: 1,000+ active installs against 200+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: PDF Password Protect has 1, Protect the Children! has 15. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Protect the Children! has more reviews behind its score: 15 against 1.
PDF Password Protect was updated more recently, on August 13, 2026; Protect the Children! on February 17, 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.
PDF Password Protect
Pick PDF Password Protect if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Protect the Children!
Pick Protect the Children! 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.
PDF Password Protect vs Protect the Children! side by side
| PDF Password Protect | Protect the Children! | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #7 | #6 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 1 | 15 |
| Active installs | 200+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,706 | 23,946 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 15, 2022 | Jul 24, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 6.9.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2.5 | 8.1 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
PDF Password Protect ratings
Protect the Children! 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 PDF Password Protect nor Protect the Children! can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Password Protection Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
PDF Password Protect vs Protect the Children!: common questions
Is PDF Password Protect better than Protect the Children!?
Protect the Children! leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Protect the Children! ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, PDF Password Protect or Protect the Children!?
Protect the Children! ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, PDF Password Protect or Protect the Children!?
Protect the Children! has more users: 1,000+ active installs against 200+.
Are PDF Password Protect and Protect the Children! free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. PDF Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Protect the Children! may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to PDF Password Protect and Protect the Children!
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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