10 Best WordPress Security Plugins in 2022

WordPress is a popular content management system used by millions of people around the world.

The platform is a popular target for hackers.

That’s why it’s essential to use a WordPress security plugin to protect your website.

This article will discuss what a WordPress security plugin is, why you should use one, and the features to look for when choosing one.

We will then review 10 of the best WordPress security plugins on the market.

As we provide our review, we’ll detail why Wordfence is our top security plugin choice.

An Overview of WordPress Security Plugins

Let’s ensure you understand what a WordPress security plugin is and why you need one.

It will help you accurately select the one that best suits your needs.

What Is WordPress Security Plugin?

A WordPress security plugin is a software program that helps to protect your website from hackers.

It does this by providing secure login features, adding firewall rules, and monitoring activity on your site.

There are many different WordPress security plugins available.

When choosing a WordPress security plugin, it is crucial to choose one that offers the features you need.

For example, if you have an eCommerce website, you will need a plugin that offers secure login and payment gateway protection.

Why Is WordPress Security Plugin Important?

As we mentioned, hackers often target WordPress websites.

It is because many site owners use a popular content management system.

Hackers know that they can access private information if they can hack into a WordPress site.

Installing a WordPress security plugin on your site will help to protect your site and keep your data safe.

Best WordPress Security Plugins

Here are our top 10 picks as the best security plugins to consider for your WordPress website.

Wordfence

Wordfence is one of the most popular WordPress security plugins.

It is a free plugin that offers a variety of features to help protect your website.

You can pay for one of its paid pricing plans to move beyond the basic free features.

In addition, Wordfence offers a premium support plan.

It gives you access to their team of experts who can help you with any questions.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Overall Security Plugin

Notable Features

• Two-factor authentication: This feature adds an extra layer of security to your login process by requiring you to enter a code sent to your phone.
  If a hacker doesn’t have access to the code that only you see, it makes it more difficult for them to get into your account.
• Malware scanning: This feature scans your website for malware and infected files.
  If Wordfence discovers malware, it will remove them for you.
• Security incident recovery: Quickly recover from a hack by restoring your website to a previous version. If a hacker somehow does enter your backend, you’ll enjoy using this feature to regain access.

Pros

• Identifies and blocks malicious traffic: Helps to keep your site safe by blocking any known malicious bots trying to access it.
  Bots constantly work to get through WordPress security measures, and this plugin will help to keep them at bay.
• Real-time firewall updates: The firewall is continually updated with the latest threats to ensure your site is well-protected.
  With new threats appearing daily, you must ensure that your security plugin quickly runs them down.
• Enables deep integration with WordPress: This plugin works well with WordPress, so you shouldn’t have any compatibility issues.
• Protection from brute force attacks: By blocking IP addresses that show signs of a brute force attack, this plugin will help to keep your site safe.
• Compares core files, themes, and plugins to the WordPress.org repository: When you update your WordPress site, the plugin will check to see if any new files include malicious modifications.
  If they do, it will alert you so you can take action.

Cons

• Sometimes interferes with WordPress functions: In a few cases, the plugin may use an outdated firewall rule that prevents your two-factor authentication code from coming through, for instance.
• Poor coding: It may not meet the standards of some users from a coding perspective.
• Can slow down your website: The plugin can sometimes slow down your site because it’s constantly running scans and checks.

Is Wordfence Hard To Use?

Wordfence is easy to use.

Even if you’re not a technical person, you should be able to figure out how to use the plugin and its features.

The interface is straightforward, and the plugin does an excellent job walking you through each step.

Pricing & Plans

You can start using Wordfence for free before upgrading to one of its three paid plans.

• Wordfence Premium is $99 per year
• Wordfence Care $490 per year
• Wordfence Response $950 per year

Our Take

If you’re looking for a comprehensive WordPress security plugin, Wordfence is a nice option.

It offers a wide range of features and is easy to use.

While the plugin can sometimes interfere with WordPress functions or slow down your site, overall, it’s a good option for those looking for a well-rounded security solution.

WP Cerber

WP Cerber is another comprehensive security plugin available for free or as a premium version.

The free version includes features like local protection and spam protection on an unlimited number of websites.

You can also choose to pay for the premium version, which adds more functionality.

Our Rating

Four

Best For

Anti-spam

Notable Features

• Malware scanning: You can scan your website for malware and infected files using this feature.
• Activity monitoring: This feature allows you to see all the activity on your website in one place.
  You can use it to track down any suspicious activity and take action if necessary.
• Threat response: You can quickly respond to any threats detected on your website.
  A feature like this one is vital so you can fix vulnerabilities as quickly as possible.

Pros

• Mitigates brute force, code injection attacks: Code injection attacks will try to inject malicious information into your website.
  When this happens, hackers can take over your entire website. WP Cerber prevents this type of action.
• Restricts REST and XML-RPC Access: The last thing you want is a hacker gaining access to XML-RPC, which is a way to transmit WordPress files.
  Using WP Cerber, you’ll gain protection against this type of threat.
  The plugin also keeps your APIs safe as you create integrations with other software.
• Anti-spam for all website attacks: The plugin includes a Cerber Labs anti-spam service that will keep your website spam-free.
  Spam can quickly fill up your database and slow down your website.
• Protects registration, lost passwords, and login forms: Protecting your website’s registration and password information is important.
  WP Cerber will do this for you, so you don’t have to worry about it.
• Automatic spam comments delete: Spam comments cause slowdowns.
  WP Cerber will automatically delete them for you.

Cons

• Not able to detect IP addresses automatically: You’ll need to input the IP addresses you want to block into the plugin.
  It can be time-consuming if you don’t know what IP addresses to block.
• It locks you out of the website: If you make a mistake when configuring the plugin, you could lock yourself out of your website.
  So be careful when setting it up.
• May conflict with other plugins: As with any plugin, there’s always the potential for conflicts.
  You’ll need to contact customer support if you run into conflicts.

Is WP Cerber Hard To Use?

The plugin works for both beginners and advanced users.

You can use the wizard to set up the plugin if you’re a beginner.

The wizard will guide you through the process and help you choose the best settings for your website.

Pricing & Plans

Choose between the three WP Cerber plans.

• Free
• Single: $29/quarterly, $99/ yearly
• 5 Value Pack: $39/monthly, $399/yearly

Our Take

Overall, we think WP Cerber is an excellent security plugin.

It has a lot of features, and it’s easy to use.

So if you’re looking for a comprehensive security solution, we recommend WP Cerber.

Sucuri

Securi is one of the most popular WordPress security plugins, with hundreds of thousands of installs.

It offers a suite of tools to help secure and protect your website, including a malware scanner, blacklist monitoring, file integrity checking, and security hardening.

One of the unique functions of Sucuri is its remote malware removal and blacklist monitoring.

If you suffer a website hack, Sucuri will clean it up for you and then monitor it to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Removing Malware

Notable Features

• Post-cleanup report: The report gives you an overview of what changes Sucuri made to your website so that you can learn from them and prevent future attacks.
• Website Firewall: Sucuri’s firewall is one of the most robust on the market.
  It uses a combination of IP reputation, blacklist monitoring, rate limiting, and heuristics to protect your website from attacks.
• Security Activity Audit Log: Here is a feature that keeps a log of all the activity on your website so you can see what’s going on and identify any suspicious activity.

Pros

• Removes malware quickly: Sucuri is one of the quickest at removing malware.
  It will alert you as soon as it finds something and then cleans up the website for you.
• Detects security vulnerabilities: Sucuri’s scanner is very good at finding security vulnerabilities on your website so you can fix them before your files become exploited.
• Stops hacks and attacks: The Sucuri system effectively prevents hackers from getting inside your website’s files.
• Automatically improves site speed: One of the side benefits of Sucuri’s security hardening is that it can improve your website’s speed.
  Using its CDN can help to increase website speed by 70% or more.
• 24/7 security, no hidden costs: You’ll find that the company doesn’t add unexpected charges to your account.
  Once you understand your pricing plan, you will benefit from 24/7 protection without pricing surprises.

Cons

• Troubleshoot cache issues: Some users have reported that Sucuri’s cache system can cause caching issues.
  You may need to reset the cache to see the current version of the site.
• Might block home IP address: Sucuri’s Website Firewall may block your IP address from accessing the website.
  It can be a nuisance when you need to whitelist it to continue working.
• Monitors old websites: The plugin will often continue monitoring and reporting on canceled websites.

Is Sucuri Hard To Use?

Overall, Sucuri is not difficult to use.

The interface is straightforward, and the plugin does most of the work for you.

You shouldn’t run into trouble using the dashboard.

Pricing & Plans

Choose from these Securi plans.

• Basic platform $199.99 per year
• Multi-site & custom plans, price upon request

Our Take

Sucuri is one of the best WordPress security plugins on the market.

It offers a comprehensive suite of tools to help secure your website and protect it from attacks.

The plugin is easy to use, with an intuitive dashboard.

We encourage you to give serious thought to using this security plugin.

All In One WP Security & Firewall

All In One WP Security & Firewall is a plugin that provides a comprehensive security solution for your WordPress site.

It includes a firewall, user account security, malware scan, blacklist functionality, and much more.

The plugin is great for website owners who want a complete security solution for their WordPress site.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Password Strengthening Tool

Notable Features

• Blacklist unwanted IPs: All In One WP Security & Firewall can blacklist any IP addresses that you specify.
  It is useful for blocking malicious users from accessing your site.
• File change detection: Monitors your files for changes.
  You will receive a notification if anyone attempts to alter your site’s files.
• User account security: A feature that allows you to set strong passwords for user accounts and also locks out accounts after a certain number of failed login attempts.

Pros

• Detect user accounts with default admin usernames: You can find out which of your user accounts have default admin usernames and take action accordingly.
  Use this to increase the security of your WordPress site when potential hackers successfully create user accounts without your knowledge.
• Password strength tool: The plugin comes with a password strength tool that will test the strength of your passwords and give you a report.
  Use this to make sure that your passwords are strong enough to protect your site from brute force attacks.
• Stops user enumeration: User enumeration is a technique that hackers use to find out which user accounts exist on a WordPress site.
  The plugin prevents these hackers from accessing this information.
• Protects against brute force login attack: A brute force login attack is an attempt to guess a user’s password by trying out various combinations.
  The plugin protects your site against these attacks by blocking IP addresses that attempt to log in with a wrong password multiple times.
• Shows a list of all logged-in users: You can see a list of all logged-in users and take action if you see any suspicious activity.

Cons

• Web space settings are not always accurate: Without better accuracy in this area, the plugin could potentially miss malicious files sitting on your site.
• Locks you out of your website: If you forget your password or lose your Two-Factor Authentication device, you could get locked out of your website.
• Could use more updates: Some users wish the plugin would include more frequent feature updates.

Is All In One WP Security & Firewall Hard To Use?

The plugin is not difficult to use, but it requires some WordPress security knowledge.

If you are not familiar with WP security, then you may find the plugin’s features confusing.

However, there is documentation available that can help you understand how to use the plugin.

Pricing & Plans

Use the free plan before deciding to upgrade to the paid plan.

• Free version available
• PRO $59 per year

Our Take

All In One WP Security & Firewall is a comprehensive security plugin that includes user account security, malware scan, password protection, and much more.

The plugin is useful for website owners who want a complete security solution for their WordPress site.

Consider trying it today.

Jetpack Security

Jetpack Security is one of the most popular WordPress security plugins.

It provides several features to help secure your website, including two-factor authentication, brute force protection, malware scanning, and DDoS protection.

With Jetpack Security, you can rest assured that your website remains safe from hackers.

Our Rating

Four

Best For

Brute Force Protection

Notable Features

• Outdated plugins: Catch insecure or outdated plugins installed on your WordPress site.
  You need to get rid of these files periodically to reduce security vulnerabilities.
• Activity log: This feature monitors user activity and keeps a log of changes made to your site.
  It is useful in case you need to track down suspicious activity or see who made a certain change to your site.
• Secure authentication: Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your login process, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your site.

Pros

• Real-time backups and one-click restore: An important aspect of website security is keeping current backups saved on your website’s server.
  The plugin works to create a duplicate of your site each day and stores it in an off-site location.
• Automated malware scanning and fixes: The plugin will automatically scan your site for malware and attempt to fix any issues it finds.
  It’s impossible to keep track of this manually, so you’ll enjoy getting these problems monitored 24/7.
• Automatic spam clearing: Jetpack will help to clear out any spam comments that might exist on your site.
  Doing so will prevent site slowdowns.
• Brute force protection: The plugin will block IP addresses targeting your WordPress site with brute force attacks.
  If an attacker successfully gains access to your website, the plugin will immediately shut them down and notify you.
• Downtime monitoring: The plugin monitors your site for uptime and can alert you if it ever goes down.

Cons

• Unable to communicate with the site: In some cases, the plugin is unable to communicate with your WordPress site.
  Several factors can cause the issue, such as an outdated version of WordPress or a plugin conflict.
• The plugin is resource-heavy: Jetpack is a comprehensive plugin, which means it can eat up resources. If your website already runs slowly, adding this plugin may not be the best idea.
• Blocks access at times: In some cases, the plugin may block access to your WordPress site altogether.
  It can turn into a frustrating experience if you’re trying to access your site and don’t have the necessary permissions.

Is Jetpack Security Hard To Use?

No, Jetpack Security is not hard to use.

Likewise, the plugin’s interface isn’t difficult to navigate for either beginner or experienced webmasters.

Pricing & Plans

Try one of the two Jetpack Security plans.

• 10GB backup storage: $11.95/ month billed yearly
• 1TB backup storage: $24.95/month billed yearly

Our Take

As a comprehensive security option, Jetpack Security is an advantageous choice for those who want an all-in-one solution for their website security needs.

Give it a try to see how well it performs on your site.

MalCare

MalCare provides an easy-to-use WordPress security plugin and gives you comprehensive features.

The plugin offers a real-time malware scanner, firewall, and login protection.

One of the best features of MalCare is its malware scanner.

The scanner uses heuristics and signatures to detect malicious code.

The scanner is also cloud-based, so it doesn’t slow down your site.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Plugin Vulnerabilities

Notable Features

• Firewall: MalCare’s firewall blocks malicious traffic before it reaches your website.
  The firewall is constantly updated with the latest threats, so you’re always protected.
  You can also whitelist IP addresses so legitimate traffic never gets blocked.
• Login protection: MalCare’s login protection prevents brute force attacks on your site.
  You can choose to limit login attempts, receive email notifications when someone tries to log in, and even blacklist IP addresses.
• WordPress backups: MalCare stores its WordPress backups off-site.
  It will help to know your website’s files always remain available in case of a security breach.
  You can choose to backup your site manually or automatically.

Pros

• One-click, real-time malware removal: In one click, you will purge your website of all malware, viruses, and malicious code.
• An accurate malware scanner checks the entire site: Heuristics and signature-based detection to make sure no malware goes undetected.
  The scanner provides 24/7 security protection.
• Alerts during site hack attempts: You will be immediately notified of any suspicious activity on your site so that you can take action quickly.
  It’s an important feature because it’s imperative to act fast when someone tries to gain website access.
• Threat intelligent network rules: The firewall uses a dynamic, ever-evolving set of rules to protect your site.
  The network updates regularly with the latest threats, so you’re always protected.
• Notifies when vulnerable plugin detected: You will receive an alert if the system detects a plugin that could result in a security problem.
  The plugin also offers one-click updates to close any security loopholes.

Cons

• Fails to update or delete plugins: The plugin tells you about bad plugins.
  However, it fails to update or delete plugins when it should. It can leave your site vulnerable to attack.
• May conflict with other plugins: The plugin may conflict with other WordPress security plugins or themes.
  It’s always best to test the plugin on a staging site before installing it on a live site.
• Won’t update on Cloudways: If you’re using the Cloudways hosting platform, the plugin won’t update. You’ll need to manually update it yourself.

Is MalCare Hard To Use?

No, MalCare is not hard to use. Both beginners and experts will find it easy to install and set up.

The user interface is simple. You can scan your site for malware with just one click.

The plugin also provides comprehensive documentation and 24/ seven support if you need help.

Pricing & Plans

Choose between the three MalCare plans.

• Basic $99/year
• Plus $149/year
• Pro $299/year

Our Take

MalCare is one of the best WordPress security plugins on the market.

It’s easy to use, has a lot of features, and is constantly updated with the latest threats.

The only downside is that it may conflict with other WordPress plugins or themes.

Overall, we recommend MalCare to anyone looking for a comprehensive WordPress security solution.

SecuPress

SecuPress gives you complete protection against all WordPress security risks with just a few clicks.

The plugin provides flexibility with its plans and pricing options.

Overall, SecuPress is one of the best WordPress security plugins on the market.

Our Rating

Four

Best For

Protecting Data

Notable Features

• Site health scanner: Using this feature, you will perform scans of your site for vulnerabilities.
  The scanner provides recommendations on how to fix any discovered issues.
• Firewall: It blocks malicious traffic before it reaches your site.
  Use it to stop brute force attacks, SQL injection attempts, and other types of threats.
• Security notifications: You will receive alerts via email or the WordPress dashboard whenever the plugin detects an issue.
  You can also use the two-factor authentication feature to add an extra layer of security to your login process.

Pros

• Blocks hacking attempts: The plugin’s firewall blocks most tries to hack into your website’s files. Keeping hackers out of your site represents one of the most basic security necessities.
  SecuPress doesn’t disappoint in this area.
• Protect saved data: In case your site’s data becomes breached, the plugin will help you recover it.
  You can also use its features to create backups of your data so that you can restore it if necessary.
• Identifies and corrects security issues: The plugin can identify potential security issues and provide recommendations on how to fix them.
• Protects the site’s reputation: By keeping your site secure, you avoid the possibility of getting blacklisted by Google or other search engines.
  It could happen if hackers managed to insert malicious code into your site.
• Keeps the website accessible at all times: The plugin ensures that your site remains available, even if it’s under attack.

Cons

• Lacks regular updates: While the plugin updates periodically, it doesn’t receive as many updates as some of its competitors.
  This issue could pose a security risk for users who don’t keep their WordPress installation up to date.
• Lacks good support: There have been some complaints about the plugin’s customer support being unresponsive.
• The plugin doesn’t have a free version: While the plugin does offer a 14-day money-back guarantee, you’ll still need to pay for it.

Is SecuPress Hard To Use?

No, the plugin is not hard to use.

It gives you a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate.

The plugin’s features are well-organized and clearly labeled.

Overall, SecuPress is one of the easier WordPress security plugins to use.

Pricing & Plans

SecuPress provides five plan options.

• SecuPress costs $69.99/ year per site
• $28.32/site for 3 sites
• $21.24/site for 10 sites
• $13.22/site for 25 sites
• $11.33/site for 50 sites

Our Take

SecuPress is a quality WordPress security plugin.

It’s easy to use and provides a wide range of features.

However, it lacks regular updates and good customer support.

Additionally, the plugin doesn’t have a free version.

Despite these drawbacks, we still believe that SecuPress is worth considering if you’re looking for a WordPress security plugin.

BBQ Firewall

BBQ Firewall is a user-friendly security plugin designed to help protect your site against hackers, malware, and other online threats.

One of the best things about BBQ Firewall is that it’s constantly updated with new features and improvements.

For example, they recently updated the malware scanner that can help detect and remove malicious code from your site.

Another nice thing about BBQ Firewall is that it offers a variety of features for both beginners and advanced users.

For example, if you’re a beginner, you can simply enable the plugin’s security mode and let it do its job.

However, if you’re an advanced user, you can customize the plugin’s settings to better suit your needs.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Protection against Bots

Notable Features

• Hassle-free: BBQ Firewall provides a “set it and forget it” approach to website security.
• Lightweight plugin: The plugin won’t slow down your site like some other security plugins.
  It doesn’t inject much code into your WordPress site.
  Never worry about the need to add additional plugins to overcome site slowdowns.
• Automatic updates: The company adds new features and improvements regularly.
  You don’t need to wonder if anyone remains committed to making your security experience better.
  It’s something the plugin’s developers take seriously.

Pros

• Protects site from almost all threats and bad requests: BBQ Firewall does an impressive job of protecting your WordPress site from known and unknown threats.
  It’s a plugin that picks up on most bad actors that try to access your files.
• Scans incoming traffic: The plugin scans all incoming traffic and looks for malicious requests.
• Protection against known bad bots and refers: It is common for hackers to use bots to scan WordPress sites for vulnerabilities.
  These bots usually come from known bad sources.
  The BBQ Firewall plugin can block these bots before they can do any damage.
• Error-free performance: The developers built the BBQ Firewall plugin to work without errors.
  You won’t have to worry about the plugin breaking your site.
• Compatible with other security plugins: You can use BBQ Firewall alongside other security plugins without any conflicts.
  The plugin is also WordPress Multisite compatible.

Cons

• False malware alerts: In some cases, the BBQ Firewall plugin may flag good files as being malicious. This can be frustrating if you’re trying to clean up a hacked site.
• Minor delays: The plugin may cause some minor delays on your WordPress site.
  These delays are usually due to the plugin’s security scans.
• Some features are premium only: You’ll need to pay for a paid plan to access all of the BBQ Firewall plugin’s best features.

Is BBQ Firewall Hard To Use?

You shouldn’t run into any issues when using the BBQ Firewall plugin.

It offers an intuitive dashboard.

Pricing & Plans

You can select from the plugin’s five pricing plans.

• Free trial
• Personal: $25/site lifetime, $15/site recurring
• Business: $50/3 sites lifetime, $30/3 sites recurring
• Advanced: $100/10 sites lifetime, $60/10 sites recurring
• Developer: $200/unlimited sites lifetime, $160/unlimited sites recurring

Our Take

If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line WordPress security plugin, strongly consider using BBQ Firewall on your website.

It offers protection while maintaining website speed.

Give it a trial run today.

BulletProof Security

The BulletProof Security plugin is a solid WordPress security plugin.

It provides both a free and premium version.

The free version includes features such as malware scanning, database backups, and security logging.

The premium version adds on features such as real-time monitoring, intrusion detection, and one-click malware removal.

Our Rating

Four

Best For

File Monitor

Notable Features

• Malware scanner: The BulletProof Security plugin includes a malware scanner that scans for malicious code in your WordPress files and database.
  Removing the malware is a way to prevent your WordPress site from getting hacked.
• Database backups: The plugin also backs up your WordPress database.
  It is helpful in case someone hacks your website and you need to restore it to a safer version.
• Security logging: The plugin logs all security-related events on your WordPress site.
  It helps you track down any suspicious activity on your site.

Pros

• Force strong passwords: BulletProof Security will make sure you’re using strong passwords.
  It is a good security measure to prevent brute force attacks.
• One-click setup wizard: Use the plugin’s one-click setup wizard that makes it easy to get started.
  You won’t need to read extensive instructions before getting the benefits of BulletProof Security.
• Real-time file monitor: The BulletProof Security plugin includes a real-time file monitor.
  It will scan your WordPress files for changes and alert you if anything suspicious is going on.
• Extensive system information: Gaining access to comprehensive system information helps when you need to troubleshoot any issues on your WordPress site.
• Uploads folder anti-exploit guard: It’s easy to install malicious code when uploading files to your website unknowingly.
  The plugin includes extra protection for your WordPress site’s uploads folder.

Cons

• Fake clone BulletProof Security sites are available: If you’re not careful, you might download a fake copy of the BulletProof Security plugin from a malicious site.
  So be sure to only download plugins from trusted sources.
• Minor bugs: There have been reports of minor bugs with the BulletProof Security plugin.
  However, these are usually fixed in the next update.
• No auto-cleanups: You must clean up your website manually if you get hacked.
  The BulletProof Security plugin does not include an auto-cleanup feature.

Is BulletProof Security Hard To Use?

No, it’s not difficult to use the BulletProof Security plugin.

The one-click setup wizard makes it easy to get started.

However, if you’re unfamiliar with WordPress security, you might want to read the documentation before using the plugin.

Pricing & Plans

You can try the plugin for free before upgrading.

• Free version available
• One-time fee of $69.95, unlimited websites with free upgrades and support

Our Take

The BulletProof Security plugin is a quality choice.

It’s easy to use and includes features such as malware scanning and real-time monitoring.

If you’re looking for a plugin that’s free to try, consider using BulletProof Security.

Google Authenticator

As a security plugin, the Google Authenticator is popular.

It is a two-factor authentication system that uses your phone as an additional layer of security.

You can set it up so that you need a code from the app in addition to your password to log in.

The plugin makes it much more difficult for someone to break into your account, even if they have your password.

The Google Authenticator is free and easy to use, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a WordPress security plugin.

Our Rating

Five

Best For

Free website security

Notable Features

• Simplicity: There isn’t much to the process with the Google Authenticator.
  You just need to have the app installed on your phone, and you’re good to go.
  You can set it up in minutes.
• Ease of use: The Google Authenticator app is free and easy to use.
  You don’t need any special skills or knowledge to set it up or use it.
• Multi-site capabilities: You can use the plugin with multiple websites.
  It also works on other non-website accounts like Facebook or other social media platforms.

Pros

• Two-factor authentication enabled per user basis: No one but you can access the two-factor authentication process because they would need to physically use your mobile phone.
• Simple sign-in: Nothing could be more simple than the way this plugin works.
  Enter a six-digit code when logging into your WordPress website to sign in.
• Works well on mobile devices: The Google Authenticator app is available for both Android and iOS devices.
• Maintain a blog using the Android/iPhone app: You can use the app to log in and operate your website using nothing but a mobile phone.
• Protects user and client-saved data: The plugin encrypts data so that third parties can’t tamper with it. They also can’t read anything produced by the plugin.
  Only the user can use or read data produced by the app.

Cons

• Easy to lock yourself out due to strong security measures: The plugin is so secure that if you lose your phone or delete the app, you could lock yourself out of your WordPress website.
• It needs a better secret key: The secret key is not long enough.
  Although unlikely, expert hackers could decipher it.
• You need to have your phone with you: You can’t log into your WordPress website if you’re without your phone.
  Also, it might become frustrating to realize you can’t work on your site when forgetting to bring your phone with you.

Is Google Authenticator Hard To Use?

The Google Authenticator isn’t difficult to use.

It’s one of the most accessible plugins to use for security compared to other options on our list.

Pricing & Plans

It’s always free to use the Google Authenticator.

You can download it for iOS or Android.

• Free

Our Take

The Google Authenticator is free and easy to use, making it accessible to just about anyone.

The only downside is that if you lose your phone or delete the app, you could lock yourself out of your website.

Other than that, it’s a fantastic plugin that we highly recommend.

Features To Look For in WordPress Security Plugins

We want to make sure you’re well-informed before making your WordPress security plugin decision.

So here are the essential features to keep an eye out for.

Detection Ability of Malware, Viruses, & Spam

A WordPress security plugin’s primary purpose is to protect your website from malware, viruses, and spam.

It should detect these threats and either stop them before they cause any damage or remove them if they’ve already infiltrated your site.

That’s why we enjoy using plugins like Wordfence or Securi.

These WordPress plugins perform well in this area.

Protection of the Login Page

Your login page is one of the most vulnerable parts of your website.

It’s essential to have a WordPress security plugin that can protect it from hackers.

A solid login page protector will have a feature called two-factor authentication.

It is a type of authentication that requires the user to provide two pieces of evidence before allowing access.

One of the most common methods is something you know (a password) and something you have (a physical token or a mobile phone).

Another way to protect your login page is with a feature called CAPTCHA.

A CAPTCHA is a test that determines whether the user is human or not.

These are usually distorted word images that the user types out before proceeding.

Websites like WordPress use CAPTCHAs to prevent bots from spamming their login page with fake accounts.

Jetpack Security, SecuPress, and the Google Authentication app all do a fine job in this area.

Multiple Site Management Abilities

If you manage multiple WordPress websites, then you’ll want to find a plugin that can help simplify the process.

A good security plugin will have a feature called multi-site management.

With this type of feature, you can manage all of your WordPress sites from a single dashboard.

It makes it much easier to keep track of everything and ensure that all of your websites remain secure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about WordPress security plugins?

Here are the answers to three commonly asked questions.

Wrapping Up

Wordfence is our WordPress security plugin winner.

It’s a top-notch plugin that works well to remove spam, viruses, and malware.

It also provides excellent protection to your WordPress login page.

Our runner-up is MalCare.

The MalCare plugin’s one-click malware removal feature helps speed up your security duties.

Whether you like these two plugins best or not, select your favorite and make sure to shore up your website’s security needs today.