User Registration vs WP-Members (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: User Registration at #4 and WP-Members at #6. User Registration leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
User Registration
User Registration & Membership – Free & Paid Memberships, Subscriptions, Content Restriction, User Profile, Custom User Registration & Login Builder
Build membership sites with tiered plans, content restriction, drag-&-drop custom registration & login form builder, and built-in payment system.
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
User Registration leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Both report 50,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
User Registration is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 828 reviews, against 4.6 from 272 reviews.
User Registration has more reviews behind its score: 828 against 272.
User Registration was updated more recently, on August 12, 2026; WP-Members on February 27, 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.
User Registration
Pick User Registration if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
WP-Members
WP-Members does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
User Registration vs WP-Members side by side
| User Registration | WP-Members | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #4 | #6 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 828 | 272 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 4,480,493 | 4,018,853 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 12, 2026 | Feb 27, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 6, 2017 | Sep 23, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 6.9.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
User Registration 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 User Registration nor WP-Members can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
User Registration vs WP-Members: common questions
Is User Registration better than WP-Members?
User Registration leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, User Registration or WP-Members?
User Registration ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #6 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, User Registration or WP-Members?
Both report 50,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are User Registration and WP-Members free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. User Registration is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. WP-Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to User Registration 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.