Simple Membership vs Ultimate Member (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: Simple Membership at #3 and Ultimate Member at #2. Ultimate Member leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple Membership
Simple membership plugin adds membership functionality to your site. Protect members only content using content protection easily.
Ultimate Member
Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin
Membership & community plugin with user profiles, registration & login, member directories, content restriction, user roles and much more.
Who leads on what
Ultimate Member leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Ultimate Member ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Ultimate Member has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Simple Membership is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 475 reviews, against 4.4 from 1,445 reviews.
Ultimate Member has more reviews behind its score: 1,445 against 475.
Simple Membership was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Ultimate Member on August 24, 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.
Simple Membership
Pick Simple Membership if the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Ultimate Member
Pick Ultimate Member if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Membership vs Ultimate Member side by side
| Simple Membership | Ultimate Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #3 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| Reviews | 475 | 1,445 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,504,973 | 13,493,202 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Aug 24, 2026 |
| First published | May 30, 2014 | Jan 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Simple Membership ratings
Ultimate Member 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 nor Ultimate Member can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Membership vs Ultimate Member: common questions
Is Simple Membership better than Ultimate Member?
Ultimate Member leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Ultimate Member ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Membership or Ultimate Member?
Ultimate Member ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Membership or Ultimate Member?
Ultimate Member has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Simple Membership and Ultimate Member free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Membership may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Ultimate Member is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Simple Membership and Ultimate Member
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.