PDF Password Protect 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: PDF Password Protect at #7 and Protect Uploads at #3. Protect Uploads leads on 4 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 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
Protect Uploads leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Protect Uploads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Protect Uploads has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 200+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: PDF Password Protect has 1, Protect Uploads has 12. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Protect Uploads has more reviews behind its score: 12 against 1.
Protect Uploads was updated more recently, on August 28, 2026; PDF Password Protect on August 13, 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
PDF Password Protect does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Protect Uploads
Pick Protect Uploads 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 shipping releases most recently.
PDF Password Protect vs Protect Uploads side by side
| PDF Password Protect | Protect Uploads | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #7 | #3 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1 | 12 |
| Active installs | 200+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 5,706 | 1,528,133 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Aug 28, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 15, 2022 | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2.5 | 7.4 |
| 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 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 PDF Password Protect nor Protect Uploads 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 Uploads: common questions
Is PDF Password Protect better than Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Protect Uploads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, PDF Password Protect or Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, PDF Password Protect or Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 200+.
Are PDF Password Protect and Protect Uploads free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. PDF Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Protect Uploads may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to PDF Password Protect 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.