Protect the Children! 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: Protect the Children! at #6 and Protect Uploads at #3. Protect Uploads leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Protect the Children!
Easily password protect the child pages/posts of a post/page that is password protected.
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 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Protect Uploads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Password Protection Plugins.
Protect Uploads has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Protect the Children! has 15, Protect Uploads has 12. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Protect the Children! has more reviews behind its score: 15 against 12.
Protect Uploads was updated more recently, on August 28, 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.
Protect the Children!
Pick Protect the Children! if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Protect Uploads
Pick Protect Uploads if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Protect the Children! vs Protect Uploads side by side
| Protect the Children! | Protect Uploads | |
|---|---|---|
| Password Protection Plugins ranking | #6 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 15 | 12 |
| Active installs | 1,000+ | 30,000+ |
| Total downloads | 23,946 | 1,528,133 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Feb 17, 2026 | Aug 28, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 24, 2017 | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.9.7 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 8.1 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Protect the Children! 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 Protect the Children! nor Protect Uploads can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Password Protection Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Protect the Children! vs Protect Uploads: common questions
Is Protect the Children! better than Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads leads on 3 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 #6 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which has more users, Protect the Children! or Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #6 in Password Protection Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Protect the Children! or Protect Uploads?
Protect Uploads has more users: 30,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Protect the Children! and Protect Uploads free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Protect the Children! may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Protect Uploads may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Protect the Children! 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.