Simple Membership Custom Messages vs WP-Members (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Simple Membership Custom Messages at #11 and WP-Members at #5. WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple Membership Custom Messages
Simple Membership Addon to customize various content protection messages.
WP-Members
WP-Members Membership Plugin
The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.
Who leads on what
WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #11 in Membership Plugins.
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 7,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Simple Membership Custom Messages has 4, WP-Members has 272. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
WP-Members has more reviews behind its score: 272 against 4.
WP-Members was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; Simple Membership Custom Messages on August 21, 2026.
WP-Members was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 44,245 times against 749.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Simple Membership Custom Messages
Simple Membership Custom Messages does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
WP-Members
Pick WP-Members 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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Membership Custom Messages vs WP-Members side by side
| Simple Membership Custom Messages | WP-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #11 | #5 |
| Rating | 5.0 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 4 | 272 |
| Active installs | 7,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 116,468 | 4,089,579 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 749 | 44,245 |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 8, 2014 | Sep 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Membership Custom Messages ratings
WP-Members 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 Simple Membership Custom Messages nor WP-Members can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Membership Custom Messages vs WP-Members: common questions
Is Simple Membership Custom Messages better than WP-Members?
WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #11 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Membership Custom Messages or WP-Members?
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #11 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Membership Custom Messages or WP-Members?
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 7,000+.
Are Simple Membership Custom Messages and WP-Members free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Membership Custom Messages may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP-Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Membership Custom Messages and WP-Members
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.