Two Factor vs WP 2-step verification (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Authentication Plugins top 10: Two Factor at #1 and WP 2-step verification at #6. Two Factor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Two Factor
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) using time-based one-time passwords (TOTP), email, and backup verification codes.
WP 2-step verification
Adds an extra layer of security to your Wordpress Account. Same as Google 2-step verification.
Who leads on what
Two Factor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Two Factor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Authentication Plugins.
Two Factor has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Two Factor has 208, WP 2-step verification has 27. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Two Factor has more reviews behind its score: 208 against 27.
Two Factor was updated more recently, on March 27, 2026; WP 2-step verification on October 10, 2025.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Two Factor
Pick Two Factor 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP 2-step verification
WP 2-step verification does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Two Factor vs WP 2-step verification side by side
| Two Factor | WP 2-step verification | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication Plugins ranking | #1 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 208 | 27 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,766,517 | 83,058 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Mar 27, 2026 | Oct 10, 2025 |
| First published | Aug 10, 2015 | Aug 10, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 6.9.7 | 6.8.8 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 5.6.0 |
| Pricing | Free | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Two Factor ratings
WP 2-step verification 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 Two Factor nor WP 2-step verification can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Authentication Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Two Factor vs WP 2-step verification: common questions
Is Two Factor better than WP 2-step verification?
Two Factor leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Two Factor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Authentication Plugins.
Which has more users, Two Factor or WP 2-step verification?
Two Factor ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #6 in Authentication Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Two Factor or WP 2-step verification?
Two Factor has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are Two Factor and WP 2-step verification free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Two Factor is a community plugin with no paid version. WP 2-step verification may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Two Factor and WP 2-step verification
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.