WP-Members vs User Frontend (October 2026)
Updated October 23, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Membership Plugins top 10: WP-Members at #5 and User Frontend at #13. WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
WP-Members
WP-Members Membership Plugin
The original WordPress membership plugin with content restriction, user login, custom registration fields, user profiles, and more.
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
WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
WP-Members is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 272 reviews, against 4.1 from 535 reviews.
User Frontend has more reviews behind its score: 535 against 272.
WP-Members was updated more recently, on October 19, 2026; User Frontend on October 1, 2026.
WP-Members was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 46,441 times against 20,239.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
WP-Members
Pick WP-Members 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, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
User Frontend
Pick User Frontend if you want the score backed by more reviews.
WP-Members vs User Frontend side by side
| WP-Members | User Frontend | |
|---|---|---|
| Membership Plugins ranking | #5 | #13 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Reviews | 272 | 535 |
| Active installs | 50,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 4,092,181 | 2,006,722 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 46,441 | 20,239 |
| Last updated | Oct 19, 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 23, 2009 | Jan 10, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 49 days
WP-Members 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 WP-Members nor User Frontend can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Membership Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
WP-Members vs User Frontend: common questions
Is WP-Members better than User Frontend?
WP-Members leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
Which has more users, WP-Members or User Frontend?
WP-Members ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Membership Plugins.
Which is rated higher, WP-Members or User Frontend?
WP-Members has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are WP-Members and User Frontend free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. WP-Members may also sell a paid version or add-ons. User Frontend may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to WP-Members and User Frontend
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Membership Plugins comparisons
- Kit vs WP-Members
- Kit vs User Frontend
- Groups vs WP-Members
- Members vs WP-Members
- Members vs User Frontend
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs WP-Members
- Paid Membership Subscriptions vs User Frontend
- Simple Membership After Login Redirection vs WP-Members
- Simple Membership After Login Redirection vs User Frontend
- Simple Membership Custom Messages vs WP-Members
- Simple Membership vs WP-Members
- Simple Membership vs User Frontend
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.