PDF Password Protect 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: PDF Password Protect at #8 and Simple Password Protect at #7. Simple Password Protect leads on 4 of the 6 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
Simple Password Protect leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Simple Password Protect ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Password Protection Plugins.
Simple Password Protect has more users: 500+ 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.
Simple Password Protect was updated more recently, on October 12, 2026; PDF Password Protect on August 13, 2026.
Simple Password Protect was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 571 times against 323.
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.
Simple Password Protect
Pick Simple Password Protect if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
PDF Password Protect vs Simple Password Protect side by side
| PDF Password Protect | Simple Password Protect | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #8 | #7 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 1 | 1 |
| Active installs | 200+ | 500+ |
| Total downloads | 6,147 | 2,474 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 323 | 571 |
| Last updated | Aug 13, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 15, 2022 | Aug 15, 2025 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2.5 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
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?
Simple Password Protect leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple 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?
Simple 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: 500+ 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.