PDF Password Protect vs Simple 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: PDF Password Protect at #7 and Simple Password Protect at #8. PDF Password Protect leads on 2 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.
Simple Password Protect
Protect your entire WordPress site with a simple password. GDPR-compliant with modal links for legal pages.
Who leads on what
PDF Password Protect leads on 2 of the 5 measures we track.
PDF Password Protect ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Password Protection Plugins.
Simple Password Protect has more users: 400+ active installs against 200+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: PDF Password Protect has 1, Simple Password Protect has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Both carry 1 reviews on WordPress.org.
PDF Password Protect was updated more recently, on August 13, 2026; Simple Password Protect on October 30, 2025.
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 go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Password Protect
Pick Simple Password Protect if you want the plugin more sites already run.
PDF Password Protect vs Simple Password Protect side by side
| PDF Password Protect | Simple Password Protect | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #7 | #8 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 1 | 1 |
| Active installs | 200+ | 400+ |
| Total downloads | 5,706 | 1,819 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Oct 30, 2025 |
| First published | Sep 15, 2022 | Aug 15, 2025 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 6.8.8 |
| 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
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 PDF Password Protect 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.
PDF Password Protect vs Simple Password Protect: common questions
Is PDF Password Protect better than Simple Password Protect?
PDF Password Protect leads on 2 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. PDF Password Protect ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, PDF Password Protect or Simple Password Protect?
PDF Password Protect ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, PDF Password Protect or Simple Password Protect?
Simple Password Protect has more users: 400+ active installs against 200+.
Are PDF Password Protect and Simple Password Protect free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. PDF Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Password Protect may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
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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.