User Frontend vs WP User Manager (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org User Profile Plugins top 10: User Frontend at #5 and WP User Manager at #8. User Frontend leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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.
WP User Manager
WP User Manager – User Profile Builder & Membership
The most customizable profiles & community builder WordPress plugin with front-end login, registration, profile customization and content restriction.
Who leads on what
User Frontend leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
User Frontend has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
WP User Manager is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 350 reviews, against 4.1 from 534 reviews.
User Frontend has more reviews behind its score: 534 against 350.
User Frontend was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; WP User Manager on May 30, 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 Frontend
Pick User Frontend 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 User Manager
Pick WP User Manager if the review score matters most to you.
User Frontend vs WP User Manager side by side
| User Frontend | WP User Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| User Profile Plugins ranking | #5 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 534 | 350 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,976,180 | 726,961 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | May 30, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 10, 2011 | Jul 6, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| 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.
User Frontend ratings
WP User Manager 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 Frontend nor WP User Manager can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the User Profile Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
User Frontend vs WP User Manager: common questions
Is User Frontend better than WP User Manager?
User Frontend leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
Which has more users, User Frontend or WP User Manager?
User Frontend ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in User Profile Plugins.
Which is rated higher, User Frontend or WP User Manager?
User Frontend has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are User Frontend and WP User Manager free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. User Frontend may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP User Manager may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to User Frontend and WP User Manager
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.