Simple Membership vs ProfilePress (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 at #3 and ProfilePress at #7. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. 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.
ProfilePress
Paid Membership Plugin, Ecommerce, User Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content – ProfilePress
Setup paid membership, accept payment, sell subscription & digital product, paywall, create login & registration form, user profile & member directory
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Membership Plugins.
ProfilePress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Simple Membership is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 475 reviews, against 3.1 from 938 reviews.
ProfilePress has more reviews behind its score: 938 against 475.
Simple Membership was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; ProfilePress on October 15, 2026.
ProfilePress was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 142,321 times against 54,458.
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 you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
ProfilePress
Pick ProfilePress if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Membership vs ProfilePress side by side
| Simple Membership | ProfilePress | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #3 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 3.1 |
| Reviews | 475 | 938 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,585,797 | 15,666,932 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 54,458 | 142,321 |
| Last updated | Oct 21, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| First published | May 30, 2014 | Jan 14, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Membership ratings
ProfilePress 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 ProfilePress can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Membership vs ProfilePress: common questions
Is Simple Membership better than ProfilePress?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Membership or ProfilePress?
Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Membership or ProfilePress?
ProfilePress has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Simple Membership and ProfilePress free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Membership may also sell a paid version or add-ons. ProfilePress is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Simple Membership and ProfilePress
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Ultimate Member
200,000+ installs · 4.4 from 1,445 reviews
-
User Registration
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 832 reviews
-
Paid Membership Subscriptions
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 269 reviews
-
WP-Members
50,000+ installs · 4.6 from 272 reviews
-
CleanTalk Anti-Spam
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 3,219 reviews
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Weekly · free
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.