Simple Membership vs User Frontend (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 User Frontend at #10. Simple Membership leads on 4 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.
User Frontend
User Frontend – Membership, User Registration, User Profile, User Directory & Content Restriction with Frontend Post Submission
Create an AI-powered frontend post form, user registration form, user profile page, membership site, user directory, and content restriction.
Who leads on what
Simple Membership leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Simple Membership has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Simple Membership is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 475 reviews, against 4.1 from 534 reviews.
User Frontend has more reviews behind its score: 534 against 475.
Simple Membership was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; User Frontend on August 25, 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 you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
User Frontend
Pick User Frontend if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Membership vs User Frontend side by side
| Simple Membership | User Frontend | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #3 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Reviews | 475 | 534 |
| Active installs | 40,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,504,973 | 1,976,180 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 31, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | May 30, 2014 | Jan 10, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Simple Membership ratings
User Frontend 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 User Frontend can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Membership vs User Frontend: common questions
Is Simple Membership better than User Frontend?
Simple Membership leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Membership or User Frontend?
Simple Membership ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #10 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Membership or User Frontend?
Simple Membership has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Simple Membership and User Frontend free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Membership may also sell a paid version or add-ons. User Frontend may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Membership and User Frontend
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.